Seventy churches in Georgia separated from the United Methodist Church in the context of LGBTQ issues

Last week, around seventy churches in Georgia announced freedom from the United Methodist Church (UMC). It is assumed that the sudden split has mostly occurred over LGBTQ issues, inciting the latest schism in the USA’s third-largest Protestant organization.

Last Thursday, the churches received permission to disaffiliate from the UMC in the North Georgia Conference, and the majority of these churches are in rural areas. The news published on the North Georgia United Methodist Church Conference’s website planned out the disaffiliation process 2019 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, which will be laid out through 2023.

The Board of Trustees took the initiative in 2021 to walk alongside churches asking for disaffiliation. They adopted the plan with the help of District Superintendents, whereas the final step in the ratification process was the Annual Conference.


The UMC proposed a disaffiliation agreement during a special session in 2019, where the governing body allowed churches to quit the denomination by the end of 2023. During the session, approval was passed, citing reasons of conscience and changes in the requirements of the Book of Discipline. The difference is also about the need for the practice of homosexuality or marriage of self-declared practicing homosexuals as committed and adopted by the 2019 General Conference.

The 70 churches seeking disaffiliation represent around 9% of the followers in the Conference and 3% of the Church membership. After conducting the voting process, Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson and other members of the Annual Conference prayed for the disaffiliated churches. While some of these churches will remain independent, others will dissolve. The disaffiliation process will be effective from June 30, 2022.

Haupert-Johnson blessed all congregations who withdrew, praying that they would remain united in ministry. He also wished these congregations to perform their mighty task of healing divisions and overcoming the challenge of splitting.