The division in this state’s United Methodist Church has come to the surface since the testimony of a same-sex couple at the denomination’s June 12 statewide meeting in Jackson. The Mississippi Annual Conference was attended by about 2,000 people.
A debate followed over whether that testimony should have been given during the conference’s worship service and without a rebuttal of the homosexual lifestyle.
Since that service, the ranks of a group of Methodist evangelicals in Mississippi have grown, said the Rev. Ginger Holland, leader of the Mississippi Fellowship of United Methodist Evangelicals.
“We had about 1,800 members when the conference started. We have well more than 2,000 now,” she said.
Two Methodist ministers, the Rev. Jeff Switzer of Senatobia and the Rev. James Twiner of Pascagoula, started MSFUME in 2002, she said.
“It began over multiple issues, but in particular over the attempt of gay and lesbian caucuses trying to change our church’s stance on homosexuality,” Holland said.
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Mississippi Methodists Debate Non-celibate Same Sex Unions
The division in this state’s United Methodist Church has come to the surface since the testimony of a same-sex couple at the denomination’s June 12 statewide meeting in Jackson. The Mississippi Annual Conference was attended by about 2,000 people.
A debate followed over whether that testimony should have been given during the conference’s worship service and without a rebuttal of the homosexual lifestyle.
Since that service, the ranks of a group of Methodist evangelicals in Mississippi have grown, said the Rev. Ginger Holland, leader of the Mississippi Fellowship of United Methodist Evangelicals.
“We had about 1,800 members when the conference started. We have well more than 2,000 now,” she said.
Two Methodist ministers, the Rev. Jeff Switzer of Senatobia and the Rev. James Twiner of Pascagoula, started MSFUME in 2002, she said.
“It began over multiple issues, but in particular over the attempt of gay and lesbian caucuses trying to change our church’s stance on homosexuality,” Holland said.
Read it all.