Here are the 142 Iowa congregations leaving the United Methodist Church over LGBTQ dispute

Tim Webber and F. Amanda Tugade, Des Moines Register
Updated ·4 min read

There are 142 churches in Iowa that have left the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church over differing beliefs on same-sex marriage and ordaining openly LGBTQ clergy.

Eighty-three churches were approved to part ways with the United Methodist Church this spring. Another 59 churches were approved Nov. 18.

The list represents 19% of the churches in Iowa's conference.

More: What's dividing the United Methodist Church? Core beliefs over LGBTQ issues, biblical authority

Churches that sought to disaffiliate held meetings where more than two-thirds of their congregation voted to leave the denomination, a requirement in the process. They will soon decide their next steps: become an independent entity or join the new Global Methodist Church, a Methodist denomination that formed last year and seeks to uphold LGBTQ-related bans.

Here's a list of all 142 churches that have left, according to resolutions approved by the Iowa Annual Conference.

Aldersgate district, southwest Iowa

Left in May:

  • Clarinda First United Methodist Church

  • Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church — Council Bluffs

  • Elliott United Methodist Church

  • Hillsdale United Methodist Church

  • Harlan First United Methodist Church

  • Lenox United Methodist Church

  • Monroe Chapel — Harlan

  • Silver City United Methodist Church

Left in November:

  • Blanchard United Methodist Church

  • Braddyville United Methodist Church

  • Carbon United Methodist Church

  • Clearfield United Methodist Church

  • Lacelle United Methodist Church — Osceola

  • Macedonia United Methodist Church

  • Maple Grove Church — Villisca

  • Napier United Methodist Church — Ames

  • Stratton United Methodist Church of Red Oak

Camp Clear Lake district, northwest Iowa

Left in May:

  • Adaville United Methodist Church — Merrill

  • Archer United Methodist Church

  • Armstrong United Methodist Church

  • Britt United Methodist Church

  • Clarion First United Methodist Church

  • First United Methodist Church of Doon

  • Eldora United Methodist Church

  • Gifford United Methodist Church

  • Hope United Methodist Church of Pocahontas County

  • Grace United Methodist Church — Marcus

  • Meadow Star United Methodist Church — Washta

  • Owasa United Methodist Church

  • Sheldon United Methodist Church

  • Crescent Park United Methodist Church — Sioux City

  • St. James United Methodist Church — Sioux City

  • Trimble United Methodist Church — Sioux City

  • Wesley United Methodist Church — Sioux City

  • The Washta United Methodist Church

Left in November:

  • Anthon United Methodist Church

  • Harris United Methodist Church

  • Salem United Methodist Church — Hubbard

  • First United Methodist Church of Ida Grove

  • Kingsley United Methodist Church

  • Lake Park United Methodist Church

  • Ocheyedan United Methodist Church

  • Rock Rapids United Methodist Church

  • Rockwell United Methodist Church

  • Rockwell City United Methodist Church

  • Seney United Methodist Church

  • Riverside United Methodist Church — Sioux City

  • Rustin Avenue United Methodist Church — Sioux City

  • Swea City First United Methodist Church

  • United Methodist Church of Le Mars

  • Vida Nueva United Methodist Church — Kanawha

Golden Valley district, southeast Iowa

Left in May:

  • Albia Trinity Church

  • Bethel United Methodist Church

  • Faith United Methodist Church of Centerville

  • First United Methodist Church — Clinton

  • Christ Church — Davenport

  • Delta United Methodist Church

  • Elwood United Methodist Church

  • Hedrick-Martinsburg United Methodist Church

  • Melrose United Methodist Church

  • First United Methodist Church of Mediapolis

  • Faith United Methodist Church of Baldwin/Monmouth

  • Sweetland United Methodist Church — Muscatine

  • Oakville United Methodist Church

  • Prairie View Church — Ollie

  • Richland United Methodist Church

  • Sabula United Methodist Church

  • Sperry United Methodist Church

  • Calvary United Methodist Church — Walcott

  • Wapello United Methodist Church

  • West Chester United Methodist Church

  • What Cheer United Methodist Church

Left in November:

  • Ainsworth Community Church

  • Avery United Methodist Church — Albia

  • Birmingham United Methodist Church

  • Blakesburg United Methodist Church

  • Bussey United Methodist Church

  • Cedar Valley United Methodist Church — West Liberty

  • United Church of Crawfordsville

  • Danville United Methodist Church

  • Guernsey United Methodist Church

  • Faith United Methodist Church — Libertyville

  • Lovilia United Methodist Church

  • Moravia Grace United Methodist Church

  • Mount Union United Methodist Church

  • New Hope United Methodist Church — Muscatine

  • Nichols United Methodist Church

Pictured Rocks district, northeast Iowa

Left in May:

  • Alburnett United Methodist Church

  • Alice United Methodist Church — Center Point

  • Center Point United Methodist Church

  • Central City First United Methodist Church

  • Colesburg United Methodist Church

  • Conrad United Methodist Church

  • Delhi United Methodist Church

  • Buck Creek United Methodist Church — Delhi

  • Center Grove United Methodist Church — Dubuque

  • Grand View United Methodist Church — Dubuque

  • Rockdale United Methodist Church — Dubuque

  • Wesley United Methodist Church — East Dubuque, Illinois

  • Garwin United Methodist Church

  • Geneseo United Methodist Church

  • Gladbrook United Methodist Church

  • Grundy Center United Methodist Church

  • Trinity United Methodist Church — Hazleton

  • Lisbon United Methodist Church

  • Manchester United Methodist Church

  • Christ Community United Methodist Church — Marion

  • Marion First United Methodist Church

  • Mechanicsville United Methodist Church

  • New Hartford United Methodist Church

  • Prairie Chapel United Methodist Church — Marion

  • Urbana United Methodist Church

  • Walker United Methodist Church

  • Heritage United Methodist Church — Waverly

  • Wyoming United Methodist Church

Left in November:

  • Christ United Methodist Church — Belle Plaine

  • Coggon United Parish

  • Dunkerton United Methodist Church

  • Elma United Methodist Church

  • Gladbrook Chapel United Methodist Church

  • Mt. Hope United Methodist Church — Waterloo

  • New Hampton United Methodist Church

  • Reinbeck United Methodist Church

  • Riceville United Methodist Church

  • Sherrill United Methodist Church

  • Shueyville United Methodist Church — Swisher

  • Springville United Methodist Church

  • Sumner United Methodist Church

Riverview Park district, central Iowa

Left in May:

  • Cedar United Methodist Church

  • Fremont United Methodist Church

  • Grimes United Methodist Church

  • Lacey United Methodist Church — New Sharon

  • Laurel United Methodist Church

  • First United Methodist Church — Marshalltown

  • Maxwell United Methodist Church

  • New Sharon United Methodist Church

Left in November:

  • Altoona United Methodist Church

  • Eddyville United Methodist Church

  • Farrar United Methodist Church — Maxwell

  • Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church — Prairie City

  • Pleasant View United Methodist Church — Newton

  • Santiago United Methodist Church — Mitchellville

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: These Iowa congregations are leaving the United Methodist Church.