The United Methodist Church could rip apart. Issues of LGBTQ pastors and same sex weddings could prove irreconcilable this weekend. The Greenville News


The holy matrimony of the United Methodist Church could be over early this week.
After years of resolutions and studies that amount to marriage counseling, the church may conclude that issues of LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage are irreconcilable differences.

Sometime between now and Wednesday, Methodist delegates will take a vote that could dramatically reshape the nation's third-largest Christian denomination.

Here's what you need to know:

Who will be voting?

864 delegates, clergy and laypeople, who gathered in St. Louis Saturday and will be there through Tuesday.

What will they be voting on?

There are dozens of plans, but two main ones:

► The One Church plan is endorsed by the majority of the representatives of the bishops. It would allow individual churches to have LGBT pastors and perform same-sex marriages, and would give protections to congregations that choose not to do so.

► The Traditional plan would enforce existing rules that do not allow for LGBT pastors and same-sex marriages. It is supported by many traditional pastors, some of whom have pledged to leave if the One Church plan is adopted.

What led to the division?

The majority of the church's members are in the United States, where acceptance of LGBT issues is growing but church membership is shrinking. International membership is growing strongly, however, and homosexuality is illegal in many of the African nations where the United Methodist Church is strong.

What happens if the United Methodist Church schisms?

The United Methodist Church is vast, with 31,000 churches, and it supports many camps, hospitals, schools and charitable works.

If people leave, that means local churches would have to pay higher apportionments to the larger church or services and staff could be cut.

Is a split in the church a foregone conclusion?

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The delegates could leave St. Louis without making a decision. The General Conference meets again next year for its regularly scheduled quadrennial gathering.

Nashville Tennessean reporter Holly Meyer contributed to this article.

More: The United Methodist Church could split this weekend. Here's why and how.

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