Arkansas loses 67 more United Methodist churches
A United Methodist church in Fort Smith and another one in Greenwood are the latest Methodists to break away from the second-largest denomination in Arkansas.
Midland Heights Methodist of Fort Smith and Greenwood Methodist have joined the list of churches where members voted to disaffiliate. Alma Methodist disaffiliated in November.
After 35 churches' disaffiliation requests were ratified last November for reasons including gay marriage and other LGBTQ issues, the Arkansas United Methodist Church Conference announced a special meeting in Hot Springs on May 13 that led to the final departure of more churches.
The Arkansas United Methodist Church has 67 fewer denominations as of Saturday.
In Hot Springs, delegates from Arkansas United Methodist churches ratified the breakaway requests from 67 churches in a special meeting, bringing the total since November to 102 churches that have left the denomination.
More: Alma, Arkansas Methodist church split from denomination approved
At Fort Smith First United Methodist Church, the mission remains the same with the United Methodists, said Rev. Bill Reeves.
Reeves attended his daughter's graduation at the University of Arkansas on Saturday, not the meeting in Hot Springs of Methodists ratifying other Methodist exits.
"Our leadership voted last year to remain United Methodists and we remain on that track," Reeves said.
He said an annual district conference meeting is 4 p.m. May 21 at First United Methodist, business matters will be addressed at the conference, but not exit plans, Reeves said.
With about 500 congregations statewide, the United Methodist Church remains the second largest in Arkansas behind the Southern Baptist Church.
Other United Methodist churches remain in Fort Smith, including Cavanaugh, Faith, Goddard, Mission United Methodist and St. Paul.
The Arkansas United Methodists Conference reported a block vote ratified the disaffiliation requests May 13 of the following churches:
Adona, Almyra, Alpena, Altheimer, Bayou Meto, Bearden, Bismarck, Bradley, Brasfield, Briggsville, Buena Vista, Caraway, Cecil, Cedar Grove (Yellville), Chickalah, Christ United, Congo, Dardanelle First, Dumas Memorial, Everton, Gillett, Good Hope, Griffin Memorial, Harmony (Emmet), Harmony Grove, Hartman, Hebron (New Edinburgh), Hickory Ridge, Holiday Hills, Horatio First, Hunter, Junction City, Leachville, Liberty Hall, Little Missouri, Mabelvale, Manila, McNeil, Midland Heights, Morning Star, Mount Olivet, Mountain View (Mena), Naylor, New Salem, Norman, Piggott First, Plainview, Pleasant Hill (Texarkana), Pleasant Ridge, Plummerville, Red Hill, Rondo, Salem Palestine, Shiloh (Dry Fork), Shiloh (Jonesboro), Tilton, Trinity (Gurdon), Vesta, Wesley Cotter, and Wye Mountain.
The Arkansas United Methodist churches that were voted upon individually included Good Faith Carr, Greenbrier, Greenwood, Hope First, Pine Bluff First, and Wheatley.
Each of these churches was voted upon separately and each was ratified for affiliation by the members of the annual conference, according to a news release
Arkansas Bishop Laura Merrill stated in a news release Saturday, “Today was a difficult day for the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, but I am grateful for the grace that Conference members extended to each other and to me as we accomplished our work.”
“I look forward to healing and continued ministry with United Methodists who lost their church home today, and I trust that God will open a new and fruitful path before us. We will move forward in faith, sharing the love and hope of Jesus Christ with our neighbors,” Bishop Merrill stated.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Greenwood and Midland Heights Methodist churches leave denomination
