According to the Reconciling Ministries Network, there are 324 gay UMC clergy in the U.S., including candidates for ordination. Of those, about 160 are in same-sex marriages.
But there have been consequences for those willing to resist church rules. The denomination has charged many members with disobedience and put them before church trials for violating the ban.
“We’re hoping that what will happen this week is that the precarious situation will disappear,” said Helen Ryde, a member of the steering committee of the first-ever United Methodist Queer Delegate Caucus, before Tuesday’s vote. Ryde is also an organizer for the Reconciling Ministries Network.
The General Conference is the denomination’s first legislative gathering since 2019. Nearly 800 delegates are representing the denomination’s estimated 11.5 million worldwide members.
This article originally appeared here.
