One Church Plan

Adam Hamilton on ‘Methodists in the middle’ and what’s next for the denomination
(RNS) — As the United Methodist Church has spent decades wrestling over the inclusion of its LGBTQ members, the Rev. Adam Hamilton, pastor of the largest United Methodist church in the United States, has emerged, as one local radio station put it, as ‘the Pied Piper for Methodists in the middle.’

Bishop Will Willimon on why no plan can unite United Methodists
(RNS) — “There are people, left and right, who just say, ‘This is it. We’ve waited. We’ve watched. We’ve tried. And now we can’t stay,'” said the retired bishop. “To me, that’s the story, more than which plan passes.”

United Methodist committee rejects One Church Plan, which would allow LGBT clergy
ST. LOUIS (RNS) — The plan recommended by the United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops will ‘almost certainly still come up’ as a minority report during Tuesday’s plenary session, according to one LGBTQ advocacy group.

Kenyan United Methodists oppose allowing LGBT clergy, pray for church unity worldwide
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — United Methodist bishops in Africa want to keep the denomination’s ban of LGBT clergy in place. But they also want the United Methodist Church to stay together no matter what happens at the upcoming General Conference in St. Louis. Delegates at that meeting will discuss possible changes to the denomination’s rules.

A flourishing United Methodist church considers a way out
LEXINGTON, S.C. (RNS) — Mt. Horeb, a conservative evangelical church in the heart of South Carolina, is one of many congregations considering cutting the cord if the denomination relaxes its LGBT rules.

United Methodist court filings detail proposals for averting schism on sexuality
(RNS) — Court documents are giving United Methodists the first peek at proposed plans to avoid a split in the second-largest Protestant denomination in the United States.

United Methodist bishops want to let pastors, conferences decide on LGBT clergy
CHICAGO (RNS) — United Methodist bishops endorsed a plan that would allow individual pastors and regional bodies to decide whether to perform same-sex weddings and ordain or call LGBT people as clergy.