A regional physique of the United Methodist Church is the rightful proprietor of church property in Arkansas that belonged to a congregation whose expulsion vote was rejected by the convention, a choose has dominated.
The UMC Arkansas Annual Convention introduced Tuesday that Particular Circuit Choose Gary Arnold has dominated in its favor in lawsuits involving disputed property of the First United Methodist Church of Jonesboro.
“Everlasting possession of the historic church campus positioned at 801 S. Primary St. in Jonesboro, Arkansas has been granted to the Arkansas Convention. Particular Circuit Choose Gary Arnold will difficulty a written report within the coming weeks,” the convention mentioned.
Get our newest information for FREE
Join day by day/weekly emails with prime tales (and particular provides!) from The Christian Submit. Be the primary to know.
Pastor John Miles, the chief of the First Methodist Church of Jonesboro, a breakaway congregation that’s making an attempt to regulate the property, mentioned in a video message Monday that he plans to enchantment the ruling.
“Sadly, the choose dominated towards us,” Miles mentioned. “Which means we won’t be able to renew occupation of 801 South Primary anytime quickly.”
“Our choose made it very clear from the start that he didn't suppose we had a case. Now I wish to be completely clear with you, we consider he's improper. We consider we have now a powerful case. We have now our enchantment arrange and we're going to proceed that enchantment. ”
FUMC Jonesboro, the a part of the congregation that stayed with the denomination, launched a short assertion on its Fb web page approving the most recent choice within the property dispute.
“The First United Methodist Church may be very grateful for yesterday's courtroom ruling in favor of the Arkansas Convention and FUMCJ. As we transfer ahead collectively, we stay steadfast in our dedication to reconciliation and unity,” they mentioned.
In July 2022, after an 18-month discernment course of, First UMC voted to separate from the UMC, with 69% of the 1,300 voting members in favor and 31% towards.
The vote got here because the UMC paved the way in which for congregational separations amid a long-running debate over the mainline Protestant denomination's stance on homosexuality. Up to now few years, greater than 7,500 church buildings throughout the nation have disaffiliated from the UMC with the approval of their regional conferences.
In November 2022, the Arkansas Convention rejected the outcomes of the primary vote to secede from the UMC, whereas additionally approving the secession vote of 35 different congregations within the regional physique.
The convention additionally rejected the disaffiliation requests of the First United Methodist Church of Cabot and the First United Methodist Church of Searcy. In 2023, the Arkansas Convention would approve votes to secede for 129 extra church buildings, in accordance with UM Information.
In December 2022, the Jonesboro church filed go well with towards the convention after a second vote to secede was denied. The UMC convention additionally suspended Pastor Miles, arguing that the second expulsion vote violated the UMC Ebook of Self-discipline.
The breakaway congregation claims the UMC has “no authorized, useful or equitable curiosity in any actual or private property held by the Jonesboro Church.”
Shortly after the church filed go well with, 12 judges recused themselves from the case, citing conflicts of curiosity or the necessity to keep away from the looks of impropriety.
The Craighead Circuit Clerk's Workplace needed to ask the Arkansas Supreme Courtroom to nominate a particular choose to preside over the lawsuit.
In March 2023, Choose Arnold allowed the lawsuit towards the convention to proceed, denied the movement to dismiss the criticism, and scheduled a trial for January 2024.
