ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nationwide, some United Methodist churches are disaffiliating because they don’t believe in same-sex marriage or that a pastor can be a part of the LGBTQ+ community.
One local pastor in St. Petersburg explained why his church isn't disaffiliating.
"Allendale is a United Methodist Church that is committed to doing the work of antiracism, loving and affirming LGBTQ+ people, standing with those being marginalized or oppressed," Rev. Andy Oliver explained.
That’s why Oliver, a pastor at Allendale United Methodist Church, proudly performs same-sex marriages.
"We are a church that officiates same-sex marriages and we do so because it’s the right thing to do," Oliver added.
In the past week, 55 United Methodist churches in Florida disaffiliated. Six of those are here in the Tampa Bay area.
"I just want to make sure that trans and the LGBTQ+ community know they are loved by this pastor and this church and the United Methodist Church," Oliver said.
The Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church states that the 55 churches were disaffiliated, citing paragraph 2553 in the Book of Discipline.
This outlines two issues, same-sex marriage and a pastor’s sexuality.
It reads, 'Because of the current deep conflict within the United Methodist church around issues of human sexuality, a local church shall have a limited right, under the provisions of this paragraph, to disaffiliate from the denomination ...'
"I’m reminded as our state legislature meets right now, that we have families that feel the need to flee the state," Oliver explained.
That's why the pastor feels the need to be a shoulder of support.
"I just want to make sure that the trans and the LGBTQ+ community knows they are loved by this pastor and this church and the United Methodist Church," he said.
Those United Methodist churches that disaffiliate will have to pay certain costs, including unpaid bills and insurance. If they fulfill their financial responsibility, they can leave and keep the property.
The split in the church and new Florida laws have some parishioners afraid.
"We’ve had a few families already leave the state because they did not feel safe here," Oliver stated.
For that reason, he explained his church isn’t going anywhere and standing strong in a denomination that’s divided.
"My job as a pastor is to stand with those that are hurting and being oppressed," he explained.
10 Tampa Bay reached out to all Tampa Bay area churches disaffiliating. The executive director for New Hope in Brandon sent us a statement.
"New Hope has always been strongly rooted in Scripture and orthodox Christian beliefs. It is simply who we are. Unfortunately, we continued to see evidence of the UMC moving away from these fundamental beliefs. The more the UMC drifted from both its mission and its theological foundation, the more obvious it was that we needed to go a different path," Mandy New wrote in a statement.
With a membership of roughly 1200 people, New Hope will relaunch as New Hope Church of Tampa Bay, taking "Methodist" out of their name.
Sylvan Abbey UMC in Clearwater responded, "No comment."
We are still waiting to hear from the four other Tampa Bay area churches who are disaffiliating.
Church officials stated they expect more churches to disaffiliate before the end of the year.