BUFORD, Ga., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- A 200-year-old church in Georgia has been shut down because internal faction fights keep members from getting along with their pastors.
While the closing last June was supposed to be a temporary cooling-off period after the church managed to wear out four pastors in five years, the former congregants are angrier than ever, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. They are banned from entering the grounds of Sardis United Methodist Church except to tend graves of relatives in the cemetery.
Members who sued to get the church reopened lost when a judge ruled that the denomination owns its affiliated churches. Some dissidents within the congregation had their own services in the picnic area and attempted to enter the building by breaking the locks. On one occasion the denomination called the police and security guards now patrol the property.
I think that this is the church's website. Or maybe this one. I'll research it and try to get it figured out.
UPDATE: In the comments, Derek and Wayne point out that I am linking to incorrect websites. Thanks for the fact-check.
7 comments:
John
Both of those links are 2 a completely different (and evidently quite healthy) Sardis UMC.
Here's a link to the original article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. A really sad story.
Wayne
Yes, very sad
I don't think you're going to find the church website. Here's the link, and you can see for yourself.....
sad
but a question - isn't it so that UMC pastors are appointed by the bishop not voted on ...
Lorna,
Yes, UMC pastors are appointed by the bishop. However, what pastor in their right mind would not want out of this type of toxic environment.
There is supposed to be consultation between the DS and the PPR and between the DS and the pastor so that both sides can express their wishes as far as continued appointment is concerned.
Wayne
Two-point charges would add complication to congregational evaluation.
I'm inclined to think that PPRs should have the right to vote for or against reappointment so that there is some accountability. But I haven't thought through potential implications. Off hand, I can't see any drawback.
Two-point charges disagreeing on whether a pastor should be reappointed is not that uncommon. I have heard of this happening in my (Arkansas) conference before. From what I here either A. The pastor is removed B. The charges are changed maybe recombining churches to produce a new charges C. Both the charge is changed and the pastor is removed.
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