New conservative denomination announces split from United Methodist Church

 The Global Methodist Church on Thursday announced that it would officially launch on May 1, kick starting what the church described as a "new, theologically conservative Methodist denomination." The launch of the new denomination marks the latest step in the split of the United Methodist Church following years of debate over LGBTQ rights.
A plan for the division of the United Methodist Church, was agreed to by leading United Methodist Church bishops and leaders of centrist, progressive and conservative groups in 2019. The agreement followed a warning issued by about 1,500 churches that year that they would break away from the United Methodist General Conference over a vote to drop official language banning same-sex marriage and ordaining LGBTQ clergy. Though the church voted against the change, the division proceeded. Rev. Keith Boyette said "Many United Methodists have grown impatient with a denomination clearly struggling to function effectively at the general church level," Boyette said the new denomination was ready to accept "waves" of churches."We are confident many existing congregations will join the new Global Methodist Church in waves over the next few years, and new church plants will sprout up as faithful members exit the UM Church and coalesce into new congregations," the reverend said.