FUMC of Columbus members vote to leave United Methodist Church

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – One of Columbus’ oldest churches is making a historic change.

At a church conference Sunday night, over 67% of the members present voted to leave the United Methodist Church.

The split has been brought on by conflicting beliefs on how leadership in the denomination has interpreted and acted on church principles.

Columbus First United Methodist Church is the latest in a large number of defections across Mississippi and the nation over language in the denomination’s Book of Discipline regarding homosexuality and whether to exclude gay and lesbian persons from ordination.

The Mississippi Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church will decide whether or not to ratify the disaffiliation in June.

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