ATLANTA — Hundreds of congregations are breaking away from the United Methodist Church due to disagreements over the LGBTQ+ community and their role within the church.
The North Georgia United Methodist Conference said that it comprises around 700 churches. Two hundred sixty-one congregations have chosen to disaffiliate, which accounts for about 38 percent of their conference.
Throughout his 15 years of teaching, Jordan Thrasher, the senior pastor of Embry Hills United Methodist Church in DeKalb County, said he's never seen an exodus this large.
"It's the biggest one I've seen that has caused so much controversy, but churches, for many, many reasons, will split over social issues," Thrasher said.
The issues seem to boil down to churches allowing LGBTQ+ clergy and same-sex marriage. More conservative churches were allowed to leave UMC on Nov 30 due to what they believe is its failure to uphold that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.
"These churches went through that process and felt like those anticipated changes...do not fully represent their values," Thrasher said.
Thrasher explained that churches are expected to follow the Book of Discipline. However, some churches felt leaders were not enforcing bans on officiating LGBTQ+ weddings and ordaining leaders.
Thrasher's church is no stranger to taking a stand, as he said it's one of the first, reconciling UMC churches in the state.
"Reconciling is an activist organization within the United Methodist Church that focuses on LGBTQIA+ issues and their presence and welcoming in the church," Thrasher said.
Embry Hils is one of over 400 NGC churches that chose to stay. Thrasher Hopes their church shows others what it looks like on the other side.
Lacey Looney is the outreach director with Renovus—a community for LGBTQ+ Christians.
"Any time there's advancement, there are some rough edges," Looney said.
Looney said the disaffiliation announcement surprised her.
"I don't think it was surprising that it happened, but the number itself was very surprising," Looney said. "Now, I've never heard of anything like that before."
Renovus's President of the Board of Directors, Cortland Russell, said he hopes the news invited more queer-identified believers to attend church, as the community tends to associate trauma with the church.
"This is not the first denomination to go through this. And this will not be the last," Russell said.
Russell invites displaced members to Renovus.
"We would just hope that churches choose love," Russell said. "We feel like that's what Jesus chose."
NGC said churches that have disaffiliated have until the end of December to fulfill the terms of their agreement—including possible financial obligations. However, several churches have committed to welcoming displaced UMC members, called "Lighthouse churches." Embry Hills is one of them.