(By Walter Fenton, Good News). The largest local church in the Mississippi Annual Conference in terms of worship attendance and one of the 25 fastest growing churches in the U.S. has now officially exited The United Methodist Church. According to lead pastor Bryan Collier, The Orchard Church (Tupelo) reached a settlement with conference leaders that made its…
(By Walter Fenton, Good News). Two large local United Methodist churches in the Mississippi Annual Conference have taken congregation wide votes to leave the denomination. Ninety six percent of the parishioners at Getwell Road UM Church in Southaven and 99 percent at The Orchard UM Church in Tupelo supported separation on Sunday, February 5. The senior…
(By Kate Shellnutt, Christianity Today). The “orthodox, ecumenical evangelical” Thomas C. Oden—a Methodist whose deep commitment to classical Christianity defined his life’s work—died Thursday at age 85. Oden’s vast body of theological writings includes his Systematic Theology anthology, four volumes on John Wesley, dozens of Bible commentaries, and the pages of Christianity Today, where he…
By Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service. United Methodists who want their church to sanction Israel are regrouping after a committee at their denomination’s General Conference rejected four divestment or investment screening resolutions over the weekend. Those resolutions “pretty much went down in flames,” said John Lomperis, the director of the Institute on Religion and Democracy’s United Methodist Action…
By Tom Paulu, The Daily News Online (Kelso, Wash.) The Kelso First Presbyterian and Kelso First United Methodist churches already have much in common. They’re two of the oldest congregations in the city, dating to the 1880s. They’re a few steps away from each other on Third Avenue. Their pastors fill in for each other…
By Ben Witherington I am a life long Methodist. I was a cradle Methodist and some day I shall be a grave Methodist. I have lived through the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and now the nascent 21rst century and I have preached and taught all over this church, and in Methodist contexts around the…
Common Ground Christian Network (CGCN) is a group of denominations, organizations, congregations and individuals who believe that 21st century Christians need to stand together for the cause of Christ. As God realigns His people in several North American denominations, the ripple effect on working relationships within and across denominations is significant. New relationships are forged…
By Allison Steele A jury of Methodist pastors ruled Monday that a Lebanon County, Pa., minister violated church doctrine when he presided over his son’s marriage to a man – a decision that the Rev. Frank Schaefer said was made out of love, not as an act of rebellion. The verdict was not unexpected; Schaefer,…
by John Lomperis (@JohnLomperis) October 30, 2013 posted by the IRD. With much public fanfare, and cheered by well-funded liberal caucus groups, retired United Methodist Bishop Mel Talbert performed a same-sex union service in the Birmingham, Alabama area for a self-described “gay activist” and his male partner last weekend. Bishops and all others who make the choice to…
The denominations may be different, but the rules being broken and the tactics being applied are the same. Both the United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA) prohibit their ordained leaders from participating in the performance of same-sex weddings. All ordained officers have agreed to submit to and be governed by the mutually agreed…