Methodist Church approves split of 261 Georgia congregations after LGBTQ+ divide

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church has voted to allow 261 churches to leave the denomination amid a schism over LGBTQ  issues. The conference ratified the disaffiliation requests during a special session Saturday.  The North Georgia Conference of the UMC says in a news lease the exit marked a “solemn day.” The denomination forbids the marriage or ordination of “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." However, many conservatives have chosen to leave amid a growing defiance of those bans in many U.S. churches and conferences.