On Saturday, 264 congregations part of the United Methodists of the Holston Conference had their requests processed to leave the denomination, citing “issues around human sexuality and other matters.”
A special session of the Holston Annual Conference was held at Central United Methodist Church in downtown Knoxville to worship and process requests for churches to exit the denomination.
The Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church is now composed of 578 congregations, organized in nine districts, located in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and North Georgia. The Holston Conference is one of 54 U.S. annual conferences in the denomination.
The Holston Conference announced in a press release, “The decision of some ‘traditionalist’ congregations to separate from the denomination was triggered by long conflict over issues around human sexuality and other matters. A church law expiring at the end of 2023, ‘paragraph 2553,’ allows U.S. congregations to exit with property if they also meet other financial and procedural requirements.”
Despite the separation of the 264 congregations from the denomination, Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, who has served as Holston Conference’s resident bishop since 2021, said the future of Holston Conference is “strong and robust.”
“We are a people moving into the future with courage and determination. Most of all, we are focused on making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world,” Wallace-Padgett stated.
Disaffiliations approved Saturday resulted in a drop in Holston Conference membership from 148,580 to 117,378, or 21 percent. Nationwide, 2469 other U.S. congregations outside of the Holston Conference have withdrawn from The United Methodist Church since 2019, representing about 8 percent of the denomination’s congregations, according to UM News.
The United Methodist Church’s official statement regarding human sexuality reads:
We affirm that sexuality is God’s good gift to all persons. We call everyone to responsible stewardship of this sacred gift.
Although all persons are sexual beings whether or not they are married, sexual relations are affirmed only with the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage.
We deplore all forms of the commercialization, abuse, and exploitation of sex. We call for strict global enforcement of laws prohibiting the sexual exploitation of children and for adequate protection, guidance, and counseling for abused children. All persons, regardless of age, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation, are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured and to be protected against violence. The Church should support the family in providing age-appropriate education regarding sexuality to children, youth, and adults.
We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God. All persons need the ministry of the Church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God’s grace is available to all. We will seek to live together in Christian community, welcoming, forgiving, and loving one another, as Christ has loved and accepted us. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.
The church, however, adds, “all members can disagree with the church’s positions and can advocate for change in policy.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Holston Annual Conference” by The United Methodist Church.
