Here are the 83 Iowa churches leaving the United Methodist Church over LGBTQ disagreements

Des Moines Register
Updated ·3 min read
11

United Methodist congregations in Iowa are leaving the denomination over a split on same-sex marriages and ordaining openly LGBTQ clergy.

The denomination has repeatedly upheld bans on both, but some U.S. churches and clergy have defied them. The Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church approved a new vision last year that allows Methodist ministers to host same-sex weddings and makes way for gay clergy to serve without fear of church charges.

Last year, conservatives launched a new Global Methodist Church, where they are determined to maintain and to enforce such bans. Across the United States, 3,755 churches have parted ways with the United Methodist Church, according to United Methodist News. There's an estimated 30,000 congregations in the United States, with nearly 13,000 more abroad.

More on the vote: Rift over LGBTQ rights causes 83 Iowa churches to split from United Methodist Church

The Iowa conference voted Tuesday to allow 83 churches — 11% of the state's total — to split off to either join the new denomination or become independent entities.

Here's a list of the Iowa churches leaving, according to the resolution approved Tuesday.

Aldersgate district, southwest Iowa

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

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Camp Clear Lake district, northwest Iowa

Adaville United Methodist Church — Merrill

Archer United Methodist Church

Armstrong United Methodist Church

Britt United Methodist Church

Parishioners leave Trinity Chapel Methodist Church on Tybee Island following service on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Trinity Chapel was one of the Georgia churches that has chosen to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. There are 83 churches in Iowa that disaffiliated.
Parishioners leave Trinity Chapel Methodist Church on Tybee Island following service on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Trinity Chapel was one of the Georgia churches that has chosen to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. There are 83 churches in Iowa that disaffiliated.

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

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Golden Valley district, southeast Iowa

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

Pictured Rocks district, northeast Iowa

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

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Riverview Park district, central Iowa

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

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Which Iowa churches are splitting from the United Methodist Church?