A handful of churches in Northeast Georgia are among the 70 severing ties with the United Methodist Church over the issue of inclusion of members of the LGBTQ community.
During an annual meeting of the North Georgia Conference, members voted overwhelmingly to allow the congregations to disaffiliate.
The 70 churches represent about 9% of the congregations and 3% of the total membership in the conference.
"Bless these congregations as they depart," Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson prayed following the vote. "I pray that we will be partners in ministry and you will do your mighty work of healing division and overcoming rifts."
The United Methodist Church has been in disarray since a vote in 2019 to maintain its opposition to same-sex marriage. At the time, more conservative clergy from Africa outvoted the more progressive congregations in Western nations.
Among the churches cutting ties are Center and Chattahoochee UMC in Hoschton, Coosa UMC in Blairsville, Dry Pond UMC in Maysville, and Gaines Chapel UMC in Canon.
Churches will still be required to pay apportionments to the conference for at least a year after disaffiliation. The date of disaffiliation is June 30, 2022.
See the full list of (70) churches leaving the conference below:
North East District
Banks, Dawson, Habersham, Hall, Habersham, Hart, Forsyth, Franklin, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White Counties
Center UMC, Hoschton
Chattahoochee UMC
Coosa UMC, Union County
Dry Pond UMC
Gaines Chapel UMC
North West District
Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Polk, Murray, Pickens, Walker, and Whitfield Counties
Adairsville UMC
Beech Creek UMC
Chapel Hill UMC
Dawnville UMC
Emerson UMC
Fairview, Dalton UMC
Faith UMC, Cartersville
Finley Chapel UMC
Fishers Chapel UMC
Lawrence Chapel UMC
McCaysville UMC
Metropolitan UMC
Nellie Peters UMC
New Hope UMC, Summerville
Oak Hill UMC, Lyerly
Pine Chapel UMC
Sam Jones Memorial UMC
Smith Chapel UMC, Tunnel Hill
South Broad UMC, Rome
The Way UMC
Tunnel Hill UMC
Central North District
Fulton and Clayton Counties
Ebenezer UMC, Roswell
New Life UMC
Sardis UMC
Central South District
DeKalb, Henry, Newton, and Rockdale Counties
Gaithers UMC
Mansfield UMC
New Hope UMC, Locust Grove
Newborn UMC
Prospect UMC, Covington
Sewell UMC
Starrsville UMC
Central West District
Carroll, Cobb, Douglas, Haralson, and Paulding Counties
Bowdon First UMC
Garrett's Chapel UMC
Union UMC, Waco
Central East District
Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Gwinnett, and Walton Counties
Bold Springs
Union Chapel
South East District
Baldwin, Columbia, Elbert, Greene, Hancock, Lincoln, McDuffie, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, and Wilkes Counties
Concord UMC, Eatonton
Union Chapel UMC
Mt. Zion UMC, Washintgon
Bethel UMC, Wilkes County
Smyrna UMC, Washington
Quest UMC
Norwood UMC
St. Paul UMC, Lincoln Co.
Ruckersville UMC
Bethlehem UMC, Elberton
Middleton UMC
Woodlawn UMC, Elberton
South West District
Butts, Coweta, Fayette, Harris, Heard, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, Monroe, Pike, Spalding, Troup, and Upson Counties
Arbor Chapel UMC
Ayres Memorial UMC
Calvary UMC, Shady Dale
Carmel UMC
Franklin UMC
Godfrey UMC
Greenville UMC
Harmony UMC, Franklin
Hillsboro UMC
Hopewell UMC, Whitesville
Manchester UMC
Mt. Gilead UMC, Sharpsburg
New Hope UMC, Monticello
Pleasant Grove UMC, LaGrange
Powell Chapel UMC
Raleigh UMC
Trinity UMC, Durand
http://accesswdun.com/article/2022/6/1107322/several-ne-georgia-churches-breaking-away-from-the-umc