A WARNING TO THE PROGRESSIVE/HETERODOX OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE CHURCH JESUS FOUNDED…

Augusta, Georgia where I grew up is seeing an unprecedented schism within the United Methodist Church. I have warm feelings toward the United Methodist Church because some of my childhood best friends were members there. They did not proselytize Catholics like my Baptist and Church of God (Pentecostal) friends did. I remember trying to learn the Bible verses that my friends had to memorize and the version of Psalm 23 that I did memorize with them is the beautiful King James Version of it!

I can remember my friends’ mother talking to my dad about the great merger of her Methodist Church with the United Church and that their new name would be the United Methodist Church (two separate congregations becoming one new denomination). This was in the mid 60’s and a sign of the ecumenical goings on at the time even with Protestantism. 

Fast forward to Thursday, November 30th, 2023 and this is the new story. 

Keep in mind that the United Methodist Church as a body and local congregations have long practiced the synodal way, although they don’t use that name, and like the German Catholic Schism, the synodal way has led to fragmentation, congregationalism and schism!!! Catholics should expect nothing different with the synodal way of Pope Francis as it devolves into congregationalism and fragmentation and schism.

SCHISM!

A church divided from Now Habersham website

In 2019, the United Methodist Church strengthened its bans on gay clergy and same-sex weddings, prompting a backlash from more progressive congregations. Some churches viewed the measures as punitive and discriminatory and left the denomination because of them. Many progressive UMC church leaders refused to enforce the rules. That, in turn, upset the more conservative congregations. They’re now leaving the denomination because of its failure to uphold the church’s stated belief that “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

Fifty-seven Augusta area churches will leave the United Methodist Church at the end of this month. They’re among 265 congregations in North Georgia and metro Atlanta that voted to disaffiliate from the denomination largely due to a split over LGBTQ issues.

The disaffiliations become effective on Nov. 30. After that, the departing churches may no longer use the “United Methodist” name nor the denomination’s logo. They will have 30 days to fulfill their financial obligations to the UMC, including purchasing church property if their congregation chooses to keep it. And they’re prohibited from pursuing further litigation against the conference.

The church disaffiliations in North Georgia come after 193 congregations once belonging to the UMC South Georgia Conference left the denomination in May, also due to the ongoing debate over LGBTQ issues.

As of early August 2023, over 6,200 of the UMC’s 30,000 congregations in the United States had been approved for disaffiliation since 2019, according to the UMC’s website.

Metro Augusta area churches disaffiliating

• Anthony Chapel UMC (Lincolnton)
• Barton Chapel United Methodist Church (Augusta)
• Berlin UMC (Hephzibah)
• Blythe UMC.

• Burns Memorial UMC (Augusta) (This church was my friends’ church!)

• Cokesbury UMC (Augusta)
• Dearing UMC.
• Dunn's Chapel UMC (Appling)

• Trinity on the Hill UMC (This is one of the riches and most influential UMC in Augusta next to St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church.)
• A prayer on Burns Memorial Methodist church’s webpage:

WHAT WE BELIEVE

• In this divisive time for the Church, we at Burns Memorial continue to hold fast to the historical Christian faith. We believe in the Apostles Creed, the authority of scripture, traditional marriage, and the unique saving power of Jesus Christ. We also believe in you. God loves you, died for you, and God wants you to come to saving faith and a new life as his child.