Shiloh Methodist Church in Jonesboro, has joined the growing list of more than five dozen congregations that have been permitted to disaffiliate from the Arkansas United Methodist Convention.
According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the vote on May 13 marked a significant milestone as the total number of departures in the past six months has now surpassed 100. The primary reason behind these disaffiliations, as stated by the congregations, revolves around "issues related to human sexuality."
The decision to allow disaffiliation has resulted in a notable reduction in the number of congregations across the state, bringing the count to just under 500. This move comes in the wake of the national United Methodist church's approval of a disaffiliation process, which requires a two-thirds vote by a congregation to proceed with disaffiliation.
Notably, the Arkansas United Methodist Convention had previously denied First United Methodist Church in Jonesboro's request to disaffiliate. They were among three churches in Arkansas to be denied disaffiliation.