By Mark Michael The Eucharist won’t be Zooming into living rooms this Sunday in the Diocese of Western Louisiana, after Bishop Jacob Owensby rescinded an earlier authorization for “virtual consecration” in a letter emailed to diocesan clergy and lay leaders on April 17. “After a gracious conversation with the office of the Presiding Bishop,” Owensby wrote, “I understand that … [Read more...] about Western Louisiana Bishop Authorizes, Then Rescinds, Virtual Consecration
United Methodist Church
Methodists May Avoid Property Litigation While Splitting
By Kirk Petersen The United Methodist Church is trying to achieve an amicable schism over issues of human sexuality. The 13-million member church is considering a proposal that, if successful, will avoid the years of property litigation that has cost the Episcopal Church untold millions of dollars. Under the plan announced January 3, each Methodist annual conference (the … [Read more...] about Methodists May Avoid Property Litigation While Splitting
U.K. Methodists Move Toward Same-Sex Marriage
By John Martin Hopes for union between U.K. Methodists and the Church of England are in the balance as Methodists moved a step closer to allowing same-sex marriages in their places of worship. The Methodist Conference, meeting in Birmingham July 3, overwhelmingly approved a report titled “God in Love Unites Us,” by 247-48. It will now be discussed by regional synods in … [Read more...] about U.K. Methodists Move Toward Same-Sex Marriage
Council Considers Palestine, Lay Pensions and More
By Kirk Petersen The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church delayed action this week on a controversial proposal to create a "no-buy list" that would prevent church investment in companies seen as supporting Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. At a four-day meeting in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, the council also discussed how to provide interpretation and … [Read more...] about Council Considers Palestine, Lay Pensions and More
Will Sex Affect Episcopal-Methodist Communion?
By G. Jeffrey MacDonald Nearly a century of ecumenical dialogue between Episcopalians and Methodists is approaching a crossroad. In May, United Methodist bishops cleared the way for a 2020 General Conference vote on a full communion agreement that would allow the two churches to share clergy. If the Methodists approve the proposal, the Episcopal Church could take it up at … [Read more...] about Will Sex Affect Episcopal-Methodist Communion?
‘The Next Faithful Step’
In a statement released May 2, the Episcopal Church-United Methodist Dialogue Committee laments Methodists’ adoption of the Traditional Plan during General Conference but also commends “the next faithful step” toward a full-communion resolution. The statement follows: The members of the Episcopal Church-United Methodist Dialogue Committee met together April 29-30 at First … [Read more...] about ‘The Next Faithful Step’
Methodist-Moravian Unity Spreads
The Southern Province of the Moravian Church in North America voted in its synod April 20 to enter full communion with the United Methodist Church. The Northern Province of the Moravian Church will at its synod scheduled for June 21-25. The votes complement the United Methodist Church’s May 2016 vote for full communion with these two Moravian provinces. The Moravian Church in … [Read more...] about Methodist-Moravian Unity Spreads
Methodists Host Dialogue
A portion of the Episcopal Church-United Methodist Dialogue Communiqué, issued after the dialogue’s meeting of Oct. 2-4 at the United Methodist Building in Washington: The principal tasks of the dialogue group for this meeting were to review responses from members of both churches to the January 2017 document A Gift to the World: Co-Laborers for the Healing of Brokenness: A … [Read more...] about Methodists Host Dialogue