United Methodist Church

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The United Methodist Church is the mainline Protestant denomination and the main part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor - the Methodist Episcopal Church - was a leader in Evangelicalism. Denominations were present in 1968 in Dallas, Texas by the union of the Methodist Church and the Church of the Fellowship of the Gospel of Fellowship. UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley in England as well as the Great Awakening in the United States. Thus, the theological orientation of the church is clearly Wesleyan. It includes liturgical and evangelical elements. It has a connected government, characteristic of a number of Methodist denominations.

United Methodist Church, with at least 12 million members by 2014, is the largest denomination in the wider Methodist movement of about 80 million people worldwide. In the United States, UMC ranks as the largest mainline Protestant denomination, the largest Protestant church after the Southern Baptist Convention, and the third largest Christian denomination. By 2014, its worldwide membership is distributed as follows: 7 million in the United States, and 4.4 million in Africa, Asia and Europe. In 2015, Pew Research estimates that 3.6% of the US population, or 9 million adolescents, identify with United Methodist Church revealing a far greater number of adherents than registered memberships. The Church is a member of the World Council Council Council, and other religious associations.

Video United Methodist Church

History

The Origin of the Church

The movement that would become The United Methodist Church began in the mid-18th century in the Church of England. A small group of students, including John Wesley, Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, met on the Oxford University campus. They focus on Bible study, methodical study of scripture and live a holy life. Other students mocking them, saying they are "Holy Clubs" and "Methodists", become methodical and very detailed in their Bible study, opinions, and lifestyle discipline. Finally, the so-called Methodists start a society or individual class for members of the Church of England who want to live more religiously.

In 1735, John and Charles Wesley went to America, hoping to teach the Gospel to American Indians in the Georgian colony. Instead, John became a church vicar in Savannah. His sermon was very legalistic and full of harsh rules, and the congregation rejected it. After two years in America, he returned to England sad and confused. On his way to America, he was deeply impressed by the faith of the German Moravians, and when he returned to England, he spent time with a German Moravian passing through England, Peter BÃÆ'¶hler. Peter believed that a person was saved only through God's grace and not by works, and John had many conversations with Peter on this topic. On May 25, 1738, after listening to Martin Luther's introductory reading to the Romans, John came to the understanding that his good deeds could not save him and he could rest in God's grace for salvation. For the first time in his life, he felt the peace and assurance of salvation. In less than two years, the "Holy Club" was disbanded. John Wesley met with a group of priests. He says "they seem to be one heart, as well as one judgment, deciding to become Christians-the Bible at all events, and, wherever they are, to preach with all their innocent, old, Bible Christianity." The ministers retained their membership in the Church of England. Although not always emphasized or appreciated in the Anglican churches of their day, their teaching emphasizes salvation by the grace of God, obtained through faith in Christ. The three teachings they see as the basis of the Christian faith are:

1. Everyone is basically dead in sins and consequently, the children of wrath .
2. They are justified by faith alone .
3. Faith produces in and out holiness .

Very quickly this pastor became popular, attracting large congregations. The familiar vocation students used against Wesley were revived; they and their followers are known as Methodist .

predecessor

The first official organization in the United States occurred in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1784, with the establishment of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Christmas Conference with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as leaders.

Although John Wesley originally wanted Methodists to live in the Church of England, the American Revolution explicitly separates Methodists in American colonies from the life and sacrament of the Anglican Church. In 1784, after a failed attempt to ask the Church of England to send a bishop to start a new church in the colonies, Wesley firmly appointed fellow priest Thomas Coke as inspector (bishop) to organize a separate Methodist Institute. Together with Coke, Wesley sent a revised Anglican Prayerbook and Articles of Religion accepted and adopted by the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, formally establishing the Methodist Episcopal Church. The conference was held at the Church Methodist Lovely Lane, which is considered the American Methodist Mother Church.

The new church grew rapidly in the young country as used circuit riders, many of them laymen, to travel most of the country countryside on horseback to preach the gospel and to build churches until there were hardly any villages in the United States without Methodist presence. With 4,000 circuit riders in 1844, the Methodist Episcopal Church quickly became the largest Protestant denomination in the country.

St. John's Church George's United Methodist, located on the corner of 4th and New Streets, in the Old Philadelphia neighborhood, is the oldest Methodist church in use in the United States, beginning in 1769. The hearing was founded in 1767, meeting initially in a sailing apartment on Dock Street, and in 1769 it bought a shell of a building that had been established in 1763 by the German Reformation hearing. By this time, Methodists had not separated from the Anglican Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church was not established until 1784.

Richard Allen and Absalom Jones became the first African-American to be ordained by the Methodist Church. They are licensed by St. George in 1784. Three years later, protesting against racial segregation in the worship service, Allen led most of the blacks out of St. George; finally they founded Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church and African Epistopal Methodist denominations. Absalom Jones became Episcopal priest. In 1836, the church's basement was dug up to make room for Sunday School. In 1920, a court case saved the church from destruction to pave the way for the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. This case resulted in the bridge being relocated. Historic St Georges welcomes visitors and is home to archives and museums about Methodism.

In more than 220 years since 1784, Methodism in the United States, like many other Protestant denominations, has seen a number of divisions and mergers. In 1830, the Protestant Methodist Church broke away from the Episcopal Methodist Church on the issue of the layman who has a voice and voice in the administration of the church, insisting that the pastor should not be the only one who has a determination in how the church becomes operated. In 1844, the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was divided into two conferences because of tensions over slavery and the power of bishops in denominations.

Two general conferences, Methodist Episcopal Church (northern) and Methodist Episcopal Church, South remained separated until 1939. That year, northern and southern Episcopal Methodist Churches and Methodist Protestant Church merged to create the Methodist Church. The union conference took place at First Methodist Church (now First United Methodist Church) in Marion, Indiana.

1968 merger

On April 23, 1968, the United Methodist Church was established when the Church of the Evangelical Brotherhood of Unity (represented by Bishop Reuben H. Mueller) and the Methodist Church (represented by Bishop Lloyd Christ Wicke) joined hands at the General Conference in Dallas, Texas. In words, "Lord of the Church, we are united in You, in Your Church and now in the United Methodist Church" the new denomination was born by two churches that have distinguished history and influential ministries in different parts of the world..

Maps United Methodist Church

Confidence

The United Methodist Church seeks to create disciples for Christ through outreach, evangelism, and through seeking holiness, also called sanctification, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The fire in the church logo symbolizes the work of the Holy Spirit in the world, and two parts of the flame also represent the predecessor's denomination, the Methodist Church and the Union of Evangelical Unity, united on the basis of the 1968 merger.

The United Methodist Church understands itself to be a part of the holy (or universal) church and recognizes the historical ecumenical creed, the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed; which is often used in worship. The Book of Discipline also recognizes the importance of the South Kalimantan Creed from the Council of Chalcedon. It upholds the concept of "visible and invisible Church," which means that all true believers in every age belong to the invisible holy Church, while the United Methodist Church is a branch of the visible Church, which all believers must connected. because it is the only institution in which the Word of God is preached and the Sacrament is given.

Some argue that the United Methodist Church can make claims for apostolic succession, as understood in the traditional sense. As a result of the American Revolution, John Wesley was forced in 1784 to part with standard practice and ordained his two lay preachers as elders, Thomas Vasey and Richard Whatcoat. Thomas Coke, who is already an Anglican priest, helped Wesley in this act. Coke was then "separated" as inspector (bishop) by Wesley and sent with Vasey and Whatcoat to America to take over the Methodist activity there. In defending his actions to ordain, Wesley himself quotes the ancient opinion of the Alexandria Church, which states that bishops and presbyters are a sequence and therefore, bishops must be chosen from and by presbyters. He knew that for two centuries, the succession of bishops in the Alexandrian Church was preserved through the ordination by the elders alone and considered valid by the ancient church. Today's methodical who will argue for apostolic succession will do so for this reason.

While many United Methodist congregations operate in evangelical traditions, others reflect the mainline Protestant tradition. Although the United Methodist practice and interpretation of beliefs have evolved over time, these practices and beliefs can be traced to the writings of the church's founders, notably John Wesley and Charles Wesley (Anglican), but also Philip William Otterbein and Martin Boehm (United Brethren), and Jacob Albright (Evangelical Association). With the establishment of the United Methodist Church in 1968, the theologian Albert C. Outler led the team that systematized the doctrine of the denomination. Outler's work proved very important in the work of unity, and he was largely regarded as the first United Methodist theologian.

Doctrine

The official United Methodism Doctrinal Standards established are:

• Religious Church Articles Methodist;
• The Confessions of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church;
• The General Rules of the Methodist Society;
• Standard Discourses John Wesley;
• John Wesley's Notes on the New Testament .

These Doctrinal Standards are constitutionally protected and almost impossible to change or delete. The Founder of the Methodist Church, Reverend John Wesley does not recognize anyone as a Methodist who does not recognize the named Standard of Doctrine. The other doctrines of United Methodist Church are found in the United Church Church Discipline Book .

Summary of basic beliefs

The basic beliefs of The United Methodist Church include:

• Triune God. God is one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• The Bible. The Bible is the inspired word of God. F. Belton Joyner argues that there is a deep division within Methodism today about what this means. Does this mean the Bible is inspired when it is written (and today's text is always true and without error), or it is inspired when it is actually read by Christians (and therefore depends on interaction with the reader.) In the first case, Joyner says, Christians only pay attention to the exact words of the original manuscript, regardless of historical background. In other cases, the reader tries to read the biblical text in relation to all influences of modern thought, with little regard for the meaning offered in ancient texts. In the Wesleyan tradition, United Methodists balances these two extremes, realizing that the same Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures was alive and well to bring the written Word of life to the twenty-first century. (United Methodists) takes seriously the original inspiration and contemporary inspiration today. "... In this way, the Bible itself becomes a counterweight, clarification, and even a corrective tool for understanding the Scriptures.The gift of God in the written Word is so rich that they can continue to give light and life as a dig again and again into Scripture the same. "
• Sin. While man is meant to bear the image of God, all human beings are sinners who assume the image is distorted. Sin takes people away from God and destroys human nature so we can not heal or save ourselves.
• Salvation through Jesus Christ. God's redemptive love is active to save sinners through the incarnate life and teachings of Jesus, through His atoning death, His resurrection, her sovereign presence through history, and the return that is promised to her.
• Sanctification. The gift of sanctification draws one to the gift of Christian perfection, which Wesley describes as a heart that is "usually filled with the love of God and neighbor" and as "having the mind of Christ and walking as he walks."
• Sacrament. UMC recognizes two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. Other rites such as Confirmation, Ordination, Reverence, Funeral, and Anointing of the Sick are performed but are not considered sacraments. In Holy Baptism, the Church believes that "Baptism is not only a sign of profession and a mark of difference in which Christians are distinguished from others who are not baptized, but it is also a sign of regeneration or new birth, believing that Baptism is a sacrament in which God begins the covenant with individuals, people becoming part of the Church, not being repeated, and a means of grace The United Methodist Church generally practices baptism by sowing, pouring or dipping and recognizing the Trinitarian formula of baptisms of other Christian denominations The United Methodist Church affirms the real presence of Christ in Holy Communion, but does not hold transubstantiation, the Church believes that bread is an effective sign of His crucified body on the cross and the cup is efficacious The sign of His blood is poured out for mankind, Through the signs of bread and wine coming out and visible, the inward reality and spirituality of the Body and Blood Christ is offered to the believer. The Church argues that the celebration of the Eucharist is an anamnesis of Jesus' death, and believes the sacrament as a means of grace, and the practice of open fellowship.
• Free will. UMC believes that people, while corrupted by sin, are free to make their own choices because God's divine grace enables them, and that people are truly responsible before God for their choice.
• Social Justice. The Church opposes evils such as slavery, inhuman conditions of prison, death penalty, economic injustice, child labor, racism, and inequality.

Wesleyan different emphases

The main emphasis of Wesley's theology relates to how divine grace operates within the individual. Wesley defines the Way of Salvation as an operation of grace in at least three parts: Grace of Prevention, Justification of Grace, and Mercy of Sanctification.

The earliest awards, or our "walk in front" awards, are given to everyone. It is the power that allows us to love and motivate us to seek a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This gift is the work of God today to transform us from the will of man who sinned to the will of the loving Father. In this work, God wants us to feel our sinfulness before God and the offer of God's salvation. The steady grace enables sin-lit people to make choices that are absolutely free to accept or reject the salvation of God in Christ.

Justifying Grace or Receiving Grace is the gift, which God offers to all men, whom we receive with faith and trust in Christ, through which God forgives those who believe in sin. It is to justify grace, we are accepted by God, regardless of our sin. In this acceptance, we are forgiven through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This justifying grace undo our faults and empower us to resist the power of sin and to fully love God and neighbor. Today, the justification of grace is also known as repentance, "accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Savior," or "born again." John Wesley originally referred to this experience as the New Birth. This experience can occur in many ways; it can be a transforming moment, like an altar call experience, or it may involve a series of decisions within a certain period of time.

The grace of sanctification is the grace of God that supports believers on the journey to Christian Perfection: God's true love with heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the true love of our neighbor as ourselves. The grace of sanctification allows us to respond to God by leading a life filled with the Spirit and like Christ devoted to love. Wesley never claimed this state of perfection for himself but instead insisted that the attainment of perfection is possible for all Christians. Here the English Reformers parted ways with Luther and Calvin, who denied that anyone would ever reach a state in this life where he could not fall into sin. Such a person can lose all trends towards evil and can gain perfection in this life.

Wesleyan theology states that salvation is the act of God's full grace, from invitation, forgiveness, to growth in holiness. Furthermore, God's grace in favor, justification, and sanctification interact dynamically in the life of the Christian from birth to death.

According to Wesleyan's understanding, good deeds are the fruit of one's salvation, not the way in which salvation is obtained. Faith and good works go hand in hand in Methodist theology: a tree that lives naturally and inevitably produces fruit. Wesleyan theology rejects the eternal security doctrine, believing that salvation can be rejected. Wesley emphasized that believers should continue to grow in their relationship with Christ, through the process of Sanctification.

The main outcome of this theology is United Methodist's dedication not only to the evangelical Gospel of repentance and personal relationship with God but also to the Social Gospel and a commitment to social justice issues that have included the abolition, women's suffrage, labor rights, civil rights , and service with the poor.

Wesleyan theological Characterization

Wesleyan theology stands at a unique crossroads between evangelical and sacramental, between liturgical and charismatic, and between Anglo-Catholic and Reformed theology and practice. It has been characterized as Arminian theology with an emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit to bring holiness into the lives of participating believers. United Methodist Church believes in prima scriptura, sees the Bible as the primary authority in the Church and uses tradition, reason and sacred experience to interpret it, with the help of the Holy Spirit (see Wesleyan Rectangle). Therefore, according to The Book of Discipline, United Methodist theology as well as "catholic, evangelical, and reformed." Today, UMC is generally regarded as one of the more moderate and tolerant denominations in terms of race, gender, and ideology, although the denomination itself actually covers a very broad spectrum of attitudes. Relatively UMC stands to the right of liberal and progressive Protestant groups such as the United Church of Christ and Episcopal Church on certain issues (particularly on sexuality), but to the left of historical conservative evangelical traditions such as Southern Baptists and Pentecostalism, in theological things like social justice and biblical interpretation. However, it should be noted that UMC comprises a wide diversity of thoughts, so there are many priests and laypeople in UMC who have different perspectives on such theological issues.

Diversity in confidence

In appealing to the tolerance of the diversity of theological opinions, John Wesley said, "Although we may not think the same, may we not all like the same?" The phrase "In essence, unity, in the unimportant, liberty, in all things, charity" is also a proverb among Methodists, who always maintain the extraordinary diversity of opinion in many ways in the Church.

United Methodist Church allows a wide range of theological and political beliefs. For example, former President George W. Bush (R-TX) and Laura Bush are United Methodists, as are Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and former Sen. Max Cleland (D- GA).

The US Religious Landscape Study, Pew Research Center, concludes that the political preferences of adult members of the United States Methodist Church are 54% Republican/slim Republic, 35% Democrats/Slim Democrats, and 11% Independent/not lean/others.

Social issues

Abortion

The topic of abortion is complicated. United Methodist Church affirms these two sentences in the Social Principles: Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. But we are also bound to honor the sanctity of life and the well-being of the unborn mother and baby. (Book of Discipline Ã,¶161.J). These statements reveal the complexity of a topic that does not provide an easy answer. Denominations commit to "help [ing] the central ministry of crisis pregnancy and a source of pregnancy that compassionately helps women find viable alternatives to abortion." By 2016, the American Methodist General Conference decided to withdraw from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choices, an organization in which it previously had membership. At the same general conference, delegates elected to abolish the four decade statement of the Book of Resolution confirming Roe v's decision. Wade of the Supreme Court on the legality of abortion. The new resolution was reappointed 56-2 in the resolution subcommittee, denouncing gender selective abortion while also describing abortion as "violent" and opposing abortion done for "trivial reasons". The resolution was ratified on the agenda of daily approval without debate. As an official organization, however, "the General Council of Churches and Communities continues to be advocates for a range of safe and legal reproductive healthcare - including, in certain cases, the choice to terminate pregnancies safely and legally".

However, United Methodist Church stated that "while we understand the need for women to have access to safe legal abortions, we are also 'grieving and committed to promoting a high abortion reduction'." and they are "tied together in honor of the sanctity of life and the well-being of mothers, for whom great destruction can result from unacceptable pregnancies.In continuity with Christian doctrine in the past, we recognize the tragic life-conflict with life that justifies abortion, (in the eyes of God) and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion in proper medical procedures. "The Church warns that" Government laws and regulations do not provide all the guidelines needed by an informed Christian conscience. " The Church emphasizes the need for supportive services for women who have experienced abortions: "We further encourage local churches to provide contact information for counseling agencies that offer programs to address post-abortion stress for all those seeking help."

Members of United Methodist Church who identify with pro-life positions mostly come from the Confessing Movement in denominations and have organized the United Methodists Task Force on Abortion and Sexuality (TUMAS) to advance their position in denominations. On the other hand, the Methodist Federation for Social Action and United Methodist Women continue to represent a pro-choice view.

Alcohol

Historically, the Methodist Church has supported the movement of simplicity. John Wesley warned of the dangers of drinking in his famous sermon, "The Use of Money," and in his letter to an alcoholic. Today, United Methodist Church states that "affirming our longstanding support of abstinence from alcohol as a faithful witness to God's liberating and redeeming love." In fact, United Methodist Church uses unfermented grape juice in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, thus "expressing pastoral care for alcoholic recovery, enabling the participation of children and youth, and supporting the church's testimony of abstinence." In addition, in 2011 and 2012, the General Church Church General and Community Council called on all United Methodists to distance themselves from alcohol for Lent.

Death penalty

United Methodist Church, along with several other Methodist churches, condemned the death penalty, saying that it can not accept social retaliation or retaliation as an excuse to take human life. The Church also argues that the death penalty falls unjustly and unjustly against marginalized people including the poor, uneducated, ethnic and religious minorities, and people with mental and emotional illness. United Methodist Church also believes that Jesus explicitly rejected the lex talionis in Matthew 5: 38-39 and abolished the death penalty in John 8: 7 . The General Conference of the United Methodist Church called on its bishops to uphold the fight against the death penalty and for the government to impose an immediate moratorium on execution.

Creation

The United Methodist Church, like many mainline Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church, has established that there is no conflict between faith and the theory of evolution. Many scholars have stated that "it is time for believers to accept evolution". In addition, UMC formally affirms the theory of evolution and "opposes introducing theories such as Creationism or Intelligent Design into the general school curriculum". In 2016, denominations denied approval for creationist groups to be formally represented at the General Conference of the church.

Euthanasia

United Methodist Church opposes euthanasia and aids suicide. The official stance states that "the Church has an obligation to see that everyone has access to the necessary pastoral and medical care and therapy in situations that lead to loss of self-esteem, suicidal desires, and/or the desire to seek physicians- Help suicide." also states that "If death is deliberately sought as a means of alleviating suffering, which must be understood as a direct and deliberate taking of life... The United Methodist tradition opposes the taking of life as a violation of God's sole power over life, and abandon hope and humility before the God. "

Gambling

United Methodist Church is against gambling, believing that it is a sin that eats human greed and invites people to put their trust in possessions, rather than in God, which Christians must "love... with all your heart." class = "reference nourlexpansion"> [Mark 12: 29-30] This quotes the Apostle Paul who states:

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and get caught up by many unreasonable and dangerous desires that make people fall into destruction and destruction. Because the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and in their desire to become rich, some of them have shunned their faith and pierced themselves with much pain.

Therefore, the United Methodist Church states that:

• Gambling is a threat to society, deadly for the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and undermining good governance. As an act of faith and caring, Christians should abstain from gambling and should strive to serve those who are the victims of this practice.
• If gambling becomes addictive, the Church will encourage such individuals to receive therapeutic help so that individual energy can be transferred to positive and constructive goals.
• The Church should promote personal standards and lifestyles that would make unnecessary and unwanted resorts into commercial gambling - including the public lottery - as recreation, as an escape, or as a means of generating revenues or public funds for charitable or governmental support.

Gun Control

United Methodist Church supports federal legislative efforts for tight weapons control in the United States, and the direct prohibition of most weapons in other countries. The church also declared every church to be a "weapon-free zone".

LGBT issues

According to The United Methodist Book of Discipline (set by the General Conference every four years), the Church "affirms that everyone is an individual who has a sacred value, is created in the image of God" and encourages United Methodists to serve with and for all people. In accordance with his view of Scripture, the Church considers "the practice of homosexuality (being) incompatible with Christian doctrine." It states that "self-professed homosexual practice" can not be ordained as minister, and supports "... law in civil society that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman." However, this official position is still controversial and warmly debated in denominations; for example, Western Jurisdiction UMC chooses to elect the first openly gay bishop to be a denomination. According to a Pew Research poll, the majority of United Methodists in the US support the inclusion of homosexuals, 60% of United Methodists say "homosexuality should be accepted," and 49% support same-sex marriage.

United Methodist Church prohibits same-sex unions. It also prohibits any United Methodist council, agency, committee, commission or council to grant United Methodist funds to any gay organization or group, or use those funds to promote acceptance of homosexuality. Pdt. Jimmy Creech was dismissed after a church hearing that was published in 1999 for his participation in same-sex union ceremonies. Other ministers have been dismissed for leading at same-sex marriage and several other scheduled trials. Pdt. Frank Schaefer, who was fired and convicted of having inaugurated his son's same-sex marriage, was replaced in 2014 because "religious high court upholds a June decision by a regional appeals committee to restore Schaefer's ministerial post". Other pastors, who inaugurated same-sex marriage, have avoided trials. In 2016, it was announced that Pdt. Val Rosenquist "will evade the church court and retain her work after she has worked with retired Bishop Melvin Talbert at a April type marriage of two church members". In 2016, the Judicial Council subsequently ruled against a mandatory penalty for pastors who abandoned the current option. Nevertheless, the United Methodist Church "begs [s] family and church not to deny or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends" and is committed to serving with everyone, affirming that God's grace, love and forgiveness are available to all.. Also, while "the minister can not lead a wedding ceremony... the bishop says, the pastor can help the same-sex couples in looking for another place for their marriage, providing pre-marital counseling: attending the ceremony, reading the Scriptures, praying or offering a homily ". Denominations, also, for unadjusted employees, decide that "now same-sex couples of some church employees may receive church benefits" if the country or country allows same-sex marriage.

In 1987, a United Methodist church court in New Hampshire defiled Methodist Rose minister Mary Denman for openly living with same-sex couples. In 2005, the pastor's credibility was removed from Irene Elizabeth Stroud after she was convicted in a church court of violating church law by engaging in lesbian relationships; This conviction was then upheld by the Judicial Council, the highest court in the denomination. The Judicial Council also affirmed that a Virginia pastor has the right to deny local church membership to a man in open gay relationships. This assertion, however, is based on the right of the senior pastor to assess the congregation's willingness to join as a full member of the church. On the other hand, hundreds of United Methodist ministers have publicly opposed the official position of the United Methodist Church and publicly disclosed their "lesbian, gay, or bisexual" sexual orientation, actions that could lead to their suspension. The United Methodist Church's official website reported that "Methodist Methodist Retired Bishop Melvin Talbert, for the second time, has opposed church legislation to lead a ceremony celebrating the union of two people." An Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, the New York Annual Conference, has voiced disagreement with the religious group's official stance on homosexuality and "announced that they will not consider sexual orientation in evaluating a candidate clergy." New York's body also ordains the first openly gay and lesbian priest. In addition, the Washington-Baltimore Conference of UMC approved the appointment of a lesbian who openly partnered with the diaconate. In 2016, the West Jurisdiction chose the first lesbian bishop to openly and partner. Though not elected, UMC reports that North Central Jurisdiction considers the nomination of a gay priest for the bishop. In addition, the Northeast Jurisdiction passed a resolution calling for a change to the Book of Discipline.

However, two United Methodist bishops "canceled two resolutions in the Northeastern United States calling for opposition to church restrictions". Similarly, the United Methodist Bishops of the African Central Conference unanimously called for "God's selfless commitment as the ultimate authority for faith and practice in the Church" and stated that "sexual relations are affirmed only in the covenant covenant of the faithful, monogamy, heterosexual marriage , and not in union or same-sex polygamy ". At the same time, the Alabama-West Florida Conference "passed a resolution enforcing the denominational rule on homosexuality" and the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference "approved a resolution urging the conference to demand the accountability of the clergy to the Discipline rules of our general agreement," and to call the clergy to challenge those rules only 'through the legitimate channels of the sacred conference, rather than breaking the covenant.' "Southeast Jurisdiction also chooses to preserve the current language in the Book of Discipline.

Although there is no official policy, the UMC Judicial Council decided, in 2008, that the ordained transgender priests could serve in denominations in denominations. In particular, the first transgender priest at UMC received tremendous support from his congregation. In 2016, the South Carolina Annual Conference passed a resolution urging support for the protection of non-discrimination for transgender people. By 2017, the Northern Illinois Conference commissioned M Barclay as a Deacon and became the first non-binary transmiter assigned to the denomination.

A committee known as the Connectional Table, which itself has no legislative authority, voted in favor of a law to be presented at the 2016 General Conference calling for a local option that would allow "pastors to perform ceremonies celebrating same-sex unions in the United Methodist Church if they want, pastors who do not want to do such a ceremony will not be required to do so. " In 2016, the General Conference decided to postpone talks and authority over several issues of human sexuality to the Council of Bishops (COB), which would "appoint a commission to reevaluate the rules on gay and lesbian and transgender and marriage priests".

On April 28, 2017, the Judicial Council decides that sanctifying a bishop in marriage or similar-sex partnership is a violation of the law of the church and that public marriage records may be regarded as evidence of self-recognized homosexuality. With regard to the specific case of Bishop Karen Oliveto, the first openly gay denomination, the Judicial Council decides that he "remains in good standing" pending the outcome of the administrative or judicial process beginning in the Western Jurisdiction, since the Judicial Council itself has no jurisdiction reviewing the status of Bishop Oliveto. The Judicial Council also ruled that the Council of Designated Ministers should evaluate all candidates on issues of sexuality.

On May 7, 2018, the Council of Bishops at the United Methodist Church, has proposed allowing individual pastors and regional church bodies to decide whether to ordain LGBT pastors and perform same-sex marriages, although this proposal can only be approved by the General Conference.

Military services

According to the The Book of Church Resolution of Methodist Unity , "the United Methodist Church summoned all who chose to take up arms or who ordered others to do so to evaluate their actions in accordance with the teachings of the historic church, restricting efforts to war, on proportionality, legal authority, discrimination between combatants and non-combatants, just cause, and possible success.... "

United Methodist Church opposes conscription which is incompatible with the teachings of Scripture. Therefore, the Church supports and extends its service to people who are seriously opposed to any war, or war, and therefore refuse to serve in the armed forces or to cooperate with the conscription system. However, United Methodist Church also supports and extends its services to people who consciously choose to serve in the armed forces or to receive alternative services. The Church also states that "as Christians they are aware that both the ways of military action, and the way of not acting are always right with God."

The United Methodist Church declares that war is incompatible with the message and teachings of Christ. Therefore, the Church rejects war as an instrument of national foreign policy, to be employed only as a last resort in the prevention of crimes such as genocide, brutal suppression of human rights, and unwarranted international aggression. This confirms that the first moral obligation of all states is to settle in a peaceful manner any disputes arising between or between them; that human values ​​must be greater than military claims because governments determine their priorities; that the militarization of society must be challenged and stopped; that the manufacture, sale, and deployment of armaments should be reduced and controlled; and that the production, possession, or use of nuclear weapons is condemned. Consequently, United Methodist Church supports complete and general disarmament under strict and effective international control.

Pornography

United Methodist Church teaches that pornography is "about violence, degradation, exploitation, and coercion" and "deplores all forms of commercialization, harassment, and sexual exploitation." The Sexual Ethics Task Force of The United Methodist Church states that "Research shows it [pornography] is not an 'innocent activity'. It's dangerous and generally addictive. People who are addicted to pornography are physiologically altered, such as their perspective, relationships with parishes and families, and their perception of girls and women. "

Stem cell research

UMC supports federal funding for research on embryos made for IVF which remain after procreative efforts have ceased, if embryos are provided for research rather than being destroyed, not obtained by sale, and those who donate have provided informed consent in advance for research purposes. UMC stands in the "opposition to the creation of the embryo by research" as "the human embryo, even at an early stage, commands our reverence." It supports research on stem cells taken from the umbilical cord and adult stem cells, stating that there are "some moral questions" raised by this issue.

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Worship and liturgy

The United Methodist Church incorporates various approaches to public worship. The pattern of worship is commonly found in the official liturgy of the church, while the practice of the congregation throughout the denominations is quite diverse.

The general pattern is derived from John Wesley, who wrote that "there is no liturgy in the world, either in ancient or modern language, which puts forward strong, biblical, and rational piety than the English Church General Prayer." When Methodists in America were separated from the Church of England, John Wesley himself provided a revised version of The Book of Common Prayer called Sunday Service of Methodists in North America . Wesley's Service has established the Methodist formal liturgy ever since.

Like other historic Christian churches, the United Methodist Church has an official liturgy for the service of Holy Communion, baptism, marriage, funerals, ordination, anointing of office and daily prayer services. Some pastors offer healing services, while exorcisms are sometimes done by some pastors at the United Methodist Church in Africa. This service involves laying on hands and anointing with oil. Along with this, there are also special services for holy days such as All Saints Day, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Eve. This service is contained in The United Methodist Hymnal and The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992) . Many of these liturgies come from the Common Prayer Book of Anglican tradition. In many cases, the congregation also uses elements of other liturgical worship, such as candles, robes, supports, banners, and liturgical art.

A typical worship service at United Methodism will include:

• Singing. Since the time of Charles Wesley, the author of the early Methodist hymns and leaders, the festive singing has been, and remains, an important aspect of the United Methodist worship. The Church publishes the official hymn, The United Methodist Hymnal , for use in churches, and allows for music ranging from praise songs to contemporary worship music to be played as part of worship.
• Bible message. Listening to Scripture readings and a sermon based on biblical texts is almost always included in the Methodist Unity worship. Many United Methodist churches followed the Revised Common Lectionary for their Sunday Bible reading.
• Prayer. Many churches include response times or prayer times where people can share concerns or pray with minions. This response time may include celebration of baptism, confirmation, or confession of faith.
• Holy Communion. Several trials celebrate Communion on the first Sunday of each month and some celebrate only every three months. More and more congregations celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion each week, because John Wesley himself encourages his followers to practice. In adopting this Holy Communion statement entitled this Holy Mystery in 2004, the General Conference of the Church urges the congregation to move towards the weekly celebration of fellowship and use the official church liturgy while doing so./li>
• Give. Almost every service has an opportunity for those who gather to give their "tithe and offerings" to support the services of certain congregations. Through distribution, some of the prizes are handed over to Christian ministries with national or global impact.

Many of the larger United Methodist congregations have incorporated more contemporary audio and visual music styles and technologies into some of their worship, although these churches generally also offer more traditional services.

The United Methodist church assemblies usually feature a podium and baptism on one side of the altar table and the pulpit on the other. The pulpit also features the Christian Flag and sometimes, a processor crucifix.

Order of Worship

The typical American Methodist Method of Worship may include the following elements:

Gathering

Prayer

Proclamation

Response

• Affirmation of Trust
• Litany Response
• Altar and Conversion Call
• Invitation to Discipleship
• Offertory
• Docsology
• Hymn of Response

Continue

• Prayer
• Closing Prayer
• Quenching Candle
• Column Response
• The Recessional
• Postlude

Saints

The Unified Methodist Church's understanding of the "saint" is not unique among Protestants, but is significantly different from the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran outlooks. Methodist does not have the process of choosing people to be a saint. They do not pray to the saints, nor do they believe that the saints function as mediators to God. Denominations regard all faithful Christians as saints.

Methodical institutions can be named according to biblical figures (eg, "St. James UMC"). Methodist also honors the famous hero and heroine of the Christian faith and looks to these prominent saints as exemplifying holy life and commitment to Christ worthy of imitation (see 1 Corinthians 11: 1 ). Such exemplary saints include martyrs, professors of faith, evangelists, or important biblical figures such as Saint Matthew, Lutheran theologian, and martyrs to Nazis Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Salvation Army Advisory Adviser William Booth, African missionary David Livingstone and Methodism founder which John Wesley respected was among them. many are referred to as Protestant saints.

The XIV article of the United Methodist Articles of Religion explicitly rejects the "prayer of the saints" (praying to the saints). The text reads "-Of Purgatory - The Romish doctrine of purgatory, forgiveness, worship, and worship, as well as images such as relics, as well as the prayers of saints, are likable, created in vain, and grounded on no scripture, but against the Word of God. "

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Organization

Government

The Church is decentralized by the General Conference as the official governing body. However, administratively the church has a governmental structure similar to that of the United States:

• General Conference - The legislative branch that makes all the decisions for doctrine and government.
• The Council of Bishops - When considered together with the various public bodies of the church, takes on a role similar to that of the executive branch. The Council of Bishops comprises all active and retired bishops and meets twice a year. According to the Book of Discipline 2000, "The Church expects the Bishop's Council to speak to the Church and from the Church to the world, and to give leadership in the effort for Christian unity and interreligious relations." The Council is chaired by a President who served for two years. The President has no official authority other than lead. Administrative work is handled by the secretary of the council.
• Judicial Council - A judicial branch of nine people elected by the General Conference to decide on constitutionality issues in church law and practice.

General Conference

The United Methodist Church is organized into conferences. The highest level is called General Conference and is the only organization that can speak formally for the church. The General Conference meets every four years (quadrennium). Legislative changes are recorded in the revised Book of Discipline after each General Conference. Non-legislative resolution is recorded in the Book of Resolutions , issued after each General Conference, and ends after eight years unless otherwise passed by the subsequent General Conference sessions. The last General Conference was held in Portland, Oregon in 2016. This event is currently played between the US jurisdiction of the church. Bishops, Councilors, Committees, Council, Elders, etc., are not permitted to speak on behalf of the United Methodist Church because this authority is reserved for the General Conference pursuant to the Book of Discipline .

The plenary sessions are led by an active bishop who has been selected by the delegation committee to the Conference. It is not unusual for different bishops to lead on different days. The lead officer is usually accompanied by members of parliament.

Conference jurisdiction and center

Subordinates to the General Conference are conference jurisdictions and centers that also meet every four years. The United States is divided into five jurisdictions: Northeastern, Southeastern, North Central, South Central and Western. Outside the United States the church is divided into seven central conferences: Africa, Congo, West Africa, Central & amp; Southern Europe, Germany, Northern Europe and the Philippines. The main purpose of the central jurisdiction and conference is to elect and appoint the bishop, head of the church administrator. The bishops thus choose to serve the episcopal regions , consisting of one or more Annual Conferences .

The decision between the four-year meeting was made by the Council of Mission (usually consisting of church bishops). One of the most important decisions in recent years by one of the councils was a decision by the Council of Mission of the South Central Jurisdiction which in March 2007 approved a 99-year lease of 36 acres (150,000 m ² ) at Southern Methodist University for George W. Bush Presidential Library. The ruling caused controversy in light of Bush's support for the Iraq war that has been criticized by church bishops. The debate over whether the decision should or can be submitted for approval by the Southern Jurisdiction Conference at the July 2008 meeting in Dallas, Texas remains unresolved.

Judicial Council

The Judicial Council is the highest court in the denomination. It consists of nine members, both laymen and priests, elected by the General Conference for a period of eight years. Lay ratio for clergy takes turns every eight years. The Judicial Council interprets the Book of Discipline between sessions of the General Conference, and during the General Conference, the Judicial Council's rules on the constitutionality of law passed by the General Conference. The council also determines whether the actions of local churches, annual conferences, church institutions, and bishops are in accordance with the laws of the church. The Board reviews all the legal decisions made by the bishops. The Judicial Council can not enact any law; it can only interpret the existing law. The board meets twice a year at various locations around the world. The Judicial Council also hears requests from those who have been charged with a fee violation that may result in defrocking or revocation of membership.

Annual Conference

The Annual Conference , roughly equivalent to the diocese in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church or synods in some Lutheran denominations such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is the basic unit of organization within UMC. The term Annual Conference is often used to refer to the geographic area it covers and the frequency of meetings. Pastors are members of their Annual Conference rather than local congregations, and appointed to local churches or other indictments annually by the bishop who stayed at the conference at the Annual Conference meeting. In many ways, United Methodist Church operates in the liaison organization of the Annual Conference, and the actions taken by one conference are not binding on the other.

District

The annual conference is subdivided into District , each served by the District Superintendent . District supervisors are also appointed annually from elders who are ordained in the Annual Conference by the bishop. The district superintendent, having completed their duties as an inspector, routinely returned to the local congregation. The Cabinet of the Year Conference consists of bishops and district supervisors.

Local churches

The Book of Discipline is a handbook for local churches and ministers and explains in detail the organizational structure of local United Methodist churches. All MW churches must have a supervisory board with at least three members and no more than nine members and it is recommended that no gender has more than two thirds of the majority. All churches must also have a nominating committee, a financial committee and a church council or an administrative council. Other committees are advised but not necessary such as mission committees, or evangelistic or worship committees. The deadline is set for some committees but not for all. The church conference is the annual meeting of all church officials and all interested members. This committee has the exclusive power to assign salaries to priests (compensation packages for tax purposes) and to elect officers to committees.

Administrative office

There is no official church headquarters even though many of its largest administrative offices are in Nashville, Tennessee and are physically located near Vanderbilt University (which has a historic Methodist bond but is no longer associated with the church).

While the General Conference is the only organization that can formally speak for the United Methodist Church as a whole, there are 13 institutions, councils and commissions of the general church. These organizations address specific topic areas of broad denominational concerns with administrative offices throughout the United States.

• Discipleship Ministries (Nashville, TN)
• Board of Public Pension and Health Benefits (Glenview, Illinois)
• The General Council of Churches and Communities (Washington, DC)
• The Global Ministries General Council (Atlanta, GA) (GBGM)
  • United Methodist Committee on Relief (Atlanta, GA)
• The General Council of Higher Education and the Ministry (GBHEM) (Nashville, TN) (GBHEM)
• The General Commission on Archives and History (Madison, New Jersey) (GCAH)
• General Commission of Religion and Race (Washington, D.C.) (GCORR)
• General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (Chicago) (GCSRW)
• General Commission for United Methodist Men (Nashville, TN) (GCUMM)
• General Council for Finance and Administration (Nashville, TN) (GCFA)
• United Methodist Communications (Nashville, TN) (UMCom)
• United Methodist Publishing House (Nashville, TN)
• United Methodist Women (New York City, NY) (UMW)

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Education

Throughout its history, United Methodist Church has placed great emphasis on the importance of education. Thus, United Methodist Church was founded and affiliated with about a hundred colleges and universities in the United States, including American University, Syracuse University, Boston University, Emory University, Duke University, Drew University, Denver University, Evansville University, and Southern Methodist University. Most are members of the Schools, Schools, and Universities Associated with Methodist Association. The Church operates three hundred and sixty schools and institutions abroad.

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Clergy

The United Methodist clergy consist of elders, local pastors, associate members and deacons. They have membership in annual conferences and not in local churches. In addition, priests temporarily hold membership in annual conferences while they are under appointment to a local church or an extension of service. There are several service offices at United Methodist Church.

Certified laymen can also be appointed to serve a church but under the supervision and direction of an elder.

History

The first Methodist priests were ordained by John Wesley, a priest of the Church of England, because of the crisis caused by the American Revolution that alienated Methodists in the United States from the Church of England and its sacraments. Today, pastors include men and women ordained by bishops as elders and deacons and appointed to ministries. Elders at United Methodist Church formed and submitted to the authority and appointment of their bishop. They generally serve as pastors at local congregations. Deacons exist in the service service and can function as musicians, liturgists, educators, business administrators, and a host of other fields. Elders and deacons are required to obtain a master's degree (generally M.Div.), Or another equivalent degree, before assigning and then at the end of the ordination. Elders who have full connections are each members of the Order of the Conference of their Annual Elders. Likewise, each deacon in full contact is a member of their Annual Conference Orders.

Female ordination

The Methodist Church has permitted the ordination of women with full-priestly rights since 1956, when Maud Jensen was ordained and received in full connection at the Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference. This action is based on his understanding of biblical principles. ^{[Gal. 3:28]} The United Methodist Church, along with several other Protestant churches, states that when the historical context involved is understood, a coherent Bible argument can be made in favor of female ordination.

Bishop

All pastoral appointments are made and determined annually by the local bishop at the suggestion of the Cabinet of the Annual Conference, comprising the Provost/Dean Area (if one is designated) and some District Inspectors from the Annual Conference District. Until the bishop has read the appointment at the Annual Conference sessions, there is no official appointment. Many Annual Conferences try to avoid making a change of appointment between sessions of the Annual Conference. While appointments are made once a year, it's most common to make a promise to continue for several years. Appointments in extension ministries, such as military chaplains, campus ministries, missions, higher education and other ministries outside the local church are often longer.

Elder

The elders are summoned by God, established by the church, and ordained by a bishop for the service of the Word, the Sacrament, the Order and the Service in the church. They may be appointed to the local church, or to the extension of the legitimate ministry of the church l

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