Sheldon, Iowa — The United Methodist Church held a Special General Conference in St. Louis earlier this week, and some votes taken during this worldwide gathering of United Methodists has caused something of a schism in the solidarity of the church.
Delegates to the conference voted to maintain traditional rules on same-sex marriage and gay clergy in the United Methodist Church. Sheldon United Methodist Church Pastor Kevin Gingrich says those issues have been a bone of contention among different factions of the church.
Prior to the vote, and afterward, Gingrich says there has been talk about a potential split by some less conservative churches due to the outcome of those votes.
Pastor Gingrich says that the vote to continue the United Methodist policies on same-sex marriage and gay clergy doesn’t mean the church isn’t welcoming and loving to all individuals.
There are 12-million members of the United Methodist Church worldwide. In Iowa, there are more than 158-thousand members of the church with 767 congregations statewide.
