By Ramsey N Singbeh Jr
Email: director@news.throngtalk.com
Contact: +231772641146 / 880147356
As the struggle surrounding the issue of regionalization in the United Methodist Church (UMC) intensifies, the church in Liberia has suffered a big set back with a very huge number of the members breaking away.
The explanation of the ‘Regionalization Plan’ by the United Methodist Bishop, Samuel Jerome Quire, Jr is to give people the chance to practice the religion according to their culture instead of the claim of same-sex marriage in the church.
The disenchanted United Methodists Church Members in Liberia made the decision at the end of the 27th Annual conference of the Weala District Conference held in Bong Mines, Bong County.
They are all members of the Weala District Conference.
The Weala District Conference covers Margibi, Bong, Bassa, Gbarpolu and Montserrado Counties with more than twelve thousand (12,000) members.
The Membership according to the District Superintendent, Rev Jacob Methuselah Sackie was about fourteen thousand (14,000) but started experiencing decline immediately when the issue about regionalization came into the church. This, he said also hampered the issue of support from many church members.
The breakaway which has been creeping to the astonishment of the bishop was communicated through a resolution unanimously passed by the vast majority of the folks attending the conference in Bong County.
The group says it is now referred to as the Weala Independent Methodist Church and will accept no appointment, as well as do any business with the United Methodist Church or any institution in its name.
They said the Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire, Jr had gone to America to attend an international conference of the church and came back with the idea of supporting the ‘Regionalization Plan’ in the church.
The Weala District Conference’s interpretation of the ‘Regionalization Plan’ has to do with same-sex marriage, gay activities or homosexuality in the United Methodist Church, while the interpretation of their bishop differs with theirs.
He said regionalization is not about same sex-marriage but it is about customizing the ministry based on their contexts in their regions.
While citing a case study, he explained that if a person wants a customized vehicle, he or she could send to the factory to have it being made in a special way according to how he or she wants it to be.
He added that there is nothing in the definition of regionalization that talks about same-sex or gay marriage as it is being insinuated by some people who are tarnishing the reputation of the United Methodist Church especially in Liberia.
According to him, in the various regions, people will be given the chance to practice their faith in line with their culture, noting that the UMC in Liberia will never practice anything that has to do with same-sex marriage.
He said though the definition of marriage in the church generally talks about man marrying a woman and a man or woman marrying the same gender, the UMC in Liberia will only consider the one that talks about a man and a woman getting married.
He said he did not have any voting right at the conference in the US to be blamed for said decision.
The Bishop of the Liberia Area of the UMC, Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire, Jr however admonished the members of the church not to walk away from God or break away from the church.
After worshiping with them and participating in the fund raising portion of the conference, the bishop left not knowing that the said decision was going to be reached immediately upon his departure from the conference.
But while reading their resolution and petition, they accused the bishop of differing from the Biblical Teachings of Jesus Christ.
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