Nick Totin | Contributing Writer
nick@nicktotin.com

The United Methodist Church (UMC) voted to continue its prohibition on LGBTQ weddings and ministers during a special meeting of the general conference in St. Louis, Mo. The delegation of more than 800 clergy and laity from multiple countries voted to approve the Traditional Plan (TP) by a vote of 438 to 384.

Another plan that aimed to be inclusive of the LGBTQ community was defeated on multiple accounts during general conference proceedings. The One Church Plan (OCP) would have allowed churches to decide individually on celebrating same-sex marriages and the inlcusion of openly-LGBTQ people in ministry.

A DFW area UMC pastor says he believes the work for inclusion will continue in the Dallas area. “Most of the Methodist leaders I know are in shock,” said Rev. Eric Folkerth, head pastor at The Woods UMC in Grand Prairie. “They believed there was a legitimate chance for a positive change at this general conference and instead the TP was passed.”

The TP faces an uphill battle to become church law as many believe it is not in line with the church’s constitution. “It should be said that it is almost certainly to be struck down by the judicial council,” Folkerth said, “but we cannot look pass the fact that roughly 55% of delegates voted in favor of the TP and that is incredibly shocking and depressing to me.”

This story is developing and will be updated.