Wesleyan Covenant Association
Legislation aims to ‘decolonize’ United Methodists, give parity to non-US conferences
By Yonat Shimron — February 6, 2024
(RNS) — A proposed regionalization plan would undo the dominance and control of the US church and make it on par with United Methodist conferences abroad.
‘Not a real schism’: Four years later, UMC exodus less a gush, more a trickle
By Yonat Shimron and Emily McFarlan Miller — January 23, 2023
(RNS) — An analysis of departing churches suggests the country’s second-largest Protestant denomination will be weakened, but it is unlikely to break.
Texas megachurch White’s Chapel departs UMC to anchor new Methodist ‘college’
By BeLynn Hollers and Emily McFarlan Miller — November 18, 2022
SOUTHLAKE, Texas (RNS) — 'We want to work together, and we want to be a healing agent between all of Methodism,' said the Rev. John McKellar, co-pastor of White’s Chapel.
UMC bishops in Africa break with Africa Initiative, Wesleyan Covenant Association
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 14, 2022
(RNS) — African bishops claimed the Africa Initiative has ‘lost its original goal of helping The United Methodist Church in Africa’ and instead is ‘working with Wesleyan Covenant Association to destroy our United Methodist Church.’
Bishop slams ‘negative rhetoric’ as conservative Methodists declare end to moratorium
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 23, 2022
(RNS) — In his first presidential address as president of the United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops, Bishop Thomas Bickerton called on conservative groups encouraging churches to leave the denomination to stop the negative rhetoric.
For United Methodists, the center is not holding
By Jacob Lupfer — August 19, 2022
(RNS) — Big-tent centrists like Bishop Ken Carter have to face facts and give traditionalists a last push out.
31 UMC churches in NC demand immediate exit from denomination, threaten lawsuit
By Yonat Shimron and Emily McFarlan Miller — August 18, 2022
(RNS) — Legal action or the threat of legal action represents a new strategy on behalf of churches wanting an immediate exit from the United Methodist Church.
WCA calls on conservative churches to withhold dues from United Methodist Church
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 16, 2022
(RNS) — Those apportionments, determined by each annual conference, fund bishops’ salaries and support the work of the mainline Protestant denomination around the world.
New denomination urges United Methodists to walk out of the wilderness
By Yonat Shimron — May 7, 2022
GARNER, N.C. (RNS) — The Wesleyan Covenant Association’s 6th annual gathering was broadcast live at dozens of local churches across the country and encouraged churches to move into a new denomination.
Florida churches among first to begin exit from UMC to new, conservative denomination
By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 5, 2022
(RNS) — The departure of any church or clergy from the denomination is not instantaneous, but must first go through its annual conferences.
United Methodists: Too much method leads to madness
By Jacob Lupfer — March 4, 2022
(RNS) — The denomination won't take schism for an answer.
Historic Houston church leaves United Methodist Church over LGBTQ stance
By Emily McFarlan Miller — April 29, 2021
(RNS) — Jan Lawrence, executive director of Reconciling Ministries, said she believes that the longer the denomination’s General Conference is delayed, the more churches will leave.
Prominent Georgia church leaves United Methodist Church over pastor’s reassignment
By Emily McFarlan Miller — April 26, 2021
(RNS) — Mt. Bethel UMC has made clear the root of its conflict with its bishop is not over its stance on LGBTQ inclusion, which previously caused conflict at the church.
A United Methodist group proposes a denominational breakup
By Yonat Shimron — August 15, 2019
(RNS) — The plan would allow the United Methodist Church to create a new, fully independent body for more conservative or traditional churches and possibly another body for its most liberal wing.
US Methodists plot ways to resist new LGBT rules
By Yonat Shimron — April 3, 2019
(RNS) — On Thursday (April 4), a group of 30 clergy, bishops and activists led by megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton will gather in Decatur, Ga., to strategize a future for those churches that cannot remain in a denomination that denies LGBT rights.
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