CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates are heading into the homestretch of their first legislative gathering in five years — one that appears on track to make historic changes in lifting their church’s longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy.
After a day off on Sunday, delegates to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church resumed their work Monday and will be meeting all this week before wrapping up their 11-day session on Friday
They’ve already begun making historic changes: On Thursday, delegates overwhelmingly endorsed a policy shift that would restructure the worldwide denomination into regional conferences and give the U.S. region, for the first time, the same right as international bodies to modify church rules to fit local situations.
That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans.
Everybody may love Raymond, but Ray Romano loves Peter Boyle
Oswaldo Cabrera homers, Yankees survive late scare, beat Guardians 3
Miro Heiskanan, Jason Robertson lead Stars past Kraken 3
Candice Swanepoel stuns in a form
Varsho hits 2nd career slam, Rodríguez fans 6 in debut as Blue Jays beat Rockies 5
Xi hails Xiong'an as 'city of future'
Xi stresses establishing new systems for higher
Revealed: Brit tourist, 19, subjected to sex attack in Majorca 'was gang
People mourn for victims killed in Moscow terrorist attack in St. Petersburg
What's next for Iran after death of its president in crash?
Search continues in Maine as officer is charged with lying about taking missing person to hospital