The Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) approved the disaffiliations of 62 local churches that voted to leave the denomination during a virtual special session on Nov. 30.
The exodus is just the latest in several regional churches leaving the denomination amid a schism over theological differences and the role of LGBTQ+ people in the church.
The Michigan conference has seen 120 congregations disaffiliate this year. Now only 630 congregations are still affiliated with the regional body.
According to The UMC Book of Discipline paragraph 2553, any “decision to disaffiliate” from the mainline denomination “must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the professing members of the local church present at the church conference.”
The 62 churches that wanted to leave the UMC obtained the necessary two-thirds majority to disaffiliate from the Protestant denomination and have until Dec. 15 to meet all its requirements to be fully disaffiliated.
UMC Michigan Conference’s delegates accepted the departures in a vote of 739 in favor to 21 opposed.
“This remains a difficult and tender time in the life of the Michigan Conference and The United Methodist Church. There is significant grief and a strong resolve on the part of all to
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