Highland Park Methodist Church votes to split from UMC

Dueling services will be held this weekend after Highland Park UMC voted to leave the United Methodist Church. So the National Church Bishop says he is removing the current senior ministers from the church and has appointed new leadership to run services this Sunday for members who want to stay. The Breakaway Church members say that means nothing and that it will run its regular services as usual. Fox 4's Amelia Jones is here with what it all means. Amelia. Hi there, Heather and Steve. That's right. According to the Highland Park Methodist Church Council, the bishop's declaration changes nothing for the church in terms of services. However, members will face a decision on which service to attend this upcoming Sunday. Days after members at Highland Park United Methodist Church voted to separate from the governing body of the United Methodist Church, the bishop says not so fast. In a letter Thursday, Bishop Ruben Saenz of the Horizon Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church said the vote taken by the congregation doesn't follow UMC policies. Therefore, it isn't valid, and the church remains under the denomination's umbrella. It essentially is creating a Highland Park United Methodist Church congregation that is officially sanctioned by him, that is officially sanctioned by the denomination. Isabella Vollmort is a faith reporter at the Dallas Morning News. The bishop appointed Reverend Andy Lewis, a high-ranking official with the Horizon Texas Conference, to lead the officially sanctioned Highland Park UMC and removed its current senior pastoral officials. But the church council for the renamed Highland Park Methodist Church told us the bishop's declaration doesn't change the course for them, and they will worship Sunday with the usual clergy. I have talked to members who Voted to leave the United Methodist Church, but that was a difficult decision and they are still concerned about the future, but they. Trust their pastors at Highland Park. Local Highland Park Church officials say 90% of its members voted to split with the United Methodist Church. Members will have another difficult decision, where to worship, either the regular worship service at the church on Hillcrest and Mockingbird or the Highland Park United Methodist Church services led by the newly appointed Reverend Lewis that will take place at University Park United Methodist Church nearby. The split stems from a legal battle between the church and the denomination. In a recent video, Bishop Signs had this to say about the disagreement. I believe there is a faithful path forward. And it begins with honoring the covenant we have made together and restoring the governing documents. The church council tells us there's an irrevocable broken bond of trust between the church and the denomination. And the future legal proceedings could impact the future of the United Methodist Church. I think people who are concerned about it are concerned about the United Methodist church as an institution and how it will fare in the future. In the bishop's statement, he said the legal proceedings are ongoing. There is a tentative date for a trial set in October 2027. Meanwhile, in the statement we got from the Highland Park Methodist Church Council, it says they are confident in their legal position and are prepared to see the process through.