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.
Revealed: Brit tourist, 19, subjected to sex attack in Majorca 'was gang
Sophie Wessex and daughter Lady Louise are Queens of the royal hand
JAN MOIR: Why JK Rowling SHOULDN'T forgive the weaselly band
WorkSafe interim chief executive Steve Haszard resigns months into job
Candice Swanepoel stuns in a form
Hong Kong gov't contacts police over satirical fake press release congratulating porn star
Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan announce they are expecting a baby this summer
The abandoned villa in Italy where Edward VII's mistress, Alice Keppel liked to sun herself
Loosening building products red tape 'good first step'
Not so Cool Britannia! Noel Gallagher gives damning verdict on Keir Starmer
Former drug dealer given second chance as dealer of pre