Some churches, especially smaller ones, have argued that the plan amounts to a form of ransom or extortion.
The United Methodist Church is the country’s second-largest Protestant denomination, numbering 6.4 million U.S. members and 13 million worldwide.
Carter was not immediately available to comment.
RELATED: United Methodist Church Announces Date, Location for Thrice-Postponed General Conference
National reporter Emily McFarlan Miller contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared here.
