United Methodists prepare for votes on lifting LGBTQ bans and other issues at General Conference
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates are heading into the homestretch of their first legislative gathering in five years — one that appears on track to make historic changes in lifting their church’s longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy.
After a day off on Sunday, delegates to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church resumed their work Monday and will be meeting all this week before wrapping up their 11-day session on Friday
They’ve already begun making historic changes: On Thursday, delegates overwhelmingly endorsed a policy shift that would restructure the worldwide denomination into regional conferences and give the U.S. region, for the first time, the same right as international bodies to modify church rules to fit local situations.
That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans.
Related articles
Children are evacuated from school 'during an exam' after threat made via email
Children have been evacuated from a school with Year 11 students told to leave mid-exam after a thre2024-05-21Body of missing Alabama mother found; boyfriend in custody
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A two-day search for a missing Alabama mother of four has ended after her bo2024-05-2170 years on, success story of people's congresses continues in China
(Xinhua) 09:13, March 09, 2024BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Ning Fenfang, a 34-year-old farmer, had s2024-05-21Macao SAR Legislative Assembly approves chief executive election law amendments
(Xinhua) 13:16, December 15, 2023MACAO, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Legislative Assembly of China's Maca2024-05-21Lynn Williams breaks NWSL goal
Lynn Williams scored her 79th league goal, becoming the National Women’s Soccer League all-time scor2024-05-21Chinese premier stresses nurturing new drivers for high
(Xinhua) 09:32, October 14, 2023Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of2024-05-21
atest comment