Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, one of the largest and wealthiest United Methodist Church congregations, voted overwhelmingly on Monday to depart the denomination. The church, where former President George W. Bush is a longtime member, has been locked in a legal and ecclesiastical battle with regional leaders over control of clergy hiring and property.
Voting overseen by Election Trust saw 4,775 ballots cast, with just over 90 percent favoring secession. The congregation's leaders called the decision painful but necessary, citing a lack of partnership for peace and collaboration.
The Horizon Texas Annual Conference responded that a congregational vote alone does not sever ties, invoking the denomination's trust clause which retains ownership of church property. A successful exit could set a precedent for thousands of other properties.
The turmoil stems from a years-long schism over LGBTQ issues that drove thousands of conservative congregations out between 2019 and 2023. Highland Park had charted a middle path, forbidding same-sex weddings onsite but allowing clergy to officiate elsewhere, and revised its bylaws in 2022 to remove denominational references.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing