The largest United Methodist conference in the U.S. announced it is blocking church exits as a result of “the misleading, defamatory, and false statements and materials shared with local church members.”
Nearly 7,000 Christmas cards were sent to prisoners in 12 correctional facilities through the efforts of the Prison Ministries and Restorative Justice Team in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference.
In various ways, U.S. annual conferences are offering support to faithful United Methodists who were on the losing side of a local church vote to disaffiliate.
The United Methodist Church is completing its first big wave of church exits since a church law allowing disaffiliation took effect and a breakaway denomination launched. But amid these losses, church members see signs of hope including lay-led efforts to “Stay UMC.”