SHE JOINS US LIVE TONIGHT AT SAINT LUKE’S. YEAH, ABBY, JUST NEARLY 1200 MEMBERS HERE AT SAINT SAINT LUKE’S VOTED TO LEAVE THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WHILE LESS THAN 100 WANTED TO STAY WITH THE DENOMINATE. NOW, SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS ARE PRAISING THAT DECISION AND A LOT OF PRAYING ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD VOTE AND WHAT DIRECTION WE FEEL GOD IS CALLING US TO. AFTER EIGHT WEEKS OF PRAYING AND WAITING, OKLAHOMA’S LARGEST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH VOTED SUNDAY TO LEAVE THE DENOMINATION. PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT THIS VOTE WAS ABOUT INCLUSIVITY. IT WAS ABOUT PUNITIVE LANGUAGE AND THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES SPOKE OF DISCIPLINE, CLAIMING THE BULK OF DISCIPLINE NEEDS CHANGES TO FIT THEIR MISSION. OUR THEME FOR THE YEAR IS LOVE, GOD, LOVE ALL. THIS IS A DAY FOR CELEBRATION. THIS IS A NEW STEP IN SAINT LUKE’S CHURCH. GOD’S PULLING US IN A NEW DIRECTION, AND I’M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHERE HE BRINGS US. KOCO REPORTED LAST MONTH DOZENS OF CHURCHES HAVE SPLIT WITH THE UMC. MANY ARE MOVING FOR INCLUSIVITY. THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH DOES NOT RECOGNIZE GAY MARRIAGES OR HAVE OPENLY GAY CLERGY. CHURCH LEADERS ALSO CITED OTHER ISSUES LIKE, QUOTE, FINDING SOCIAL PROBLEMS. SOME MEMBERS SAY THEY FEEL THIS DECISION WAS A WEIGHT LIFTED. I FELT AT PEACE THAT PEOPLE WERE LAUGHING. PEOPLE WERE FELLOWSHIPPING, TALKING AND CHATTING, AND IT WAS JUST JOYFUL. NOW THAT ST LUKE’S HAS DISAFFILIATED, I CAN CONFIDENTLY TELL PEOPLE LIKE, YES, COME TO ST LUKE’S. WE ARE INCLUSIVE, WE’RE ACCEPTING, WE’RE WELCOMING THE PEOPLE. THERE WILL MAKE YOU FEEL WELCOMED AND WE’RE WE’RE CONFIDENT THAT THERE WON’T BE ANY EXCLUSIVITY. OTHERS TOLD KOCO THIS REFLECTS WHO THEY ARE. A CONGREGATION WHO SERVES AND LOVES EVERYONE AS JESUS WOULD. NOW, THIS THURSDAY, ST LUKE’S WILL BE CONSIDERED BY A BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO GO BEFORE THE OKLAHOMA ANNUAL CONFERENCE. AND THIS WILL REALLY DETERMINE THEIR DISAFFILIATION. WE’LL HAVE A FINAL VOTE HAPPENING NEXT MONTH. NOW, OTHER CHURCHES IN THE STATE ARE ALSO CONSIDERING THIS RIGHT NOW. LIKE NEW COVENANT AND EDMOND.
OKC church's congregation votes to disaffiliate from United Methodist Church
St. Luke's congregation overwhelmingly voted Sunday to disaffiliate with the United Methodist Church, getting more than 1,200 votes agreeing to leave.
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Updated: 8:17 AM CDT Mar 21, 2023
Oklahoma’s largest United Methodist Church has joined dozens of other congregations by leaving their denomination.| MORE | Churches in Oklahoma to decide whether to leave denomination over including LGBTQ+ membersSt. Luke’s in Oklahoma City overwhelmingly voted Sunday to make the decision to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. More than 1,200 members of the congregation voted to leave, and less than 100 voted against it.Church members are now praising the decision.“We’ve been praying about how we should vote and what direction we feel God is calling us to,” Austin Ladd, a member of St. Luke’s congregation and choir, said.After more than eight weeks of praying and waiting, St. Luke’s voted to leave the denomination.“People should know that this vote was about inclusivity,” Ladd said. “It was about punitive language in the United Methodist Church’s book of discipline.”Church members claimed the book of discipline needs changes to fit their mission.“Our theme for the year is ‘Love God. Love all,’” Ladd said. “This is a day for celebration. This is a new step in St. Luke’s church. God’s pulling us in a new direction, and I’m really excited to see where He brings us.” KOCO 5 reported earlier this year that dozens of churches have split with the United Methodist Church, with many moving for inclusivity. The United Methodist Church does not recognize gay marriages or have openly gay clergy.St. Luke’s leaders also cited other issues, such as financial problems. Some members said they feel the decision was a weight lifted.>> Download the KOCO 5 App “I felt at peace that people were laughing, people were fellowshipping, chatting. It was just joyful,” Ladd said. “Now that St. Luke’s has disaffiliated, I can confidently tell people yes, come to St. Luke’s. We’re inclusive. We’re accepting. We’re welcoming. The people there will make you feel welcomed, and we’re confident that there won’t be any exclusivity.”Others told KOCO 5 that this reflects who they are – a congregation that serves and loves everyone as Jesus would."I am very, very involved in our community market food ministry," St. Luke's member Marc Muller said. "We are out in all corners of OKC weekly and we see it all. We serve and love everyone just as Jesus would. That is who we are. We turn no one away. Those two visions do not line up with each other and there is no guarantee they ever will."On Thursday, St. Luke’s will be considered by a board of trustees to go before the Oklahoma Annual Conference for a final vote on its disaffiliation on April 22.Other churches, such as New Covenant in Edmond, also are going through the process. Top Headlines Family honors murdered man with balloon release in Oklahoma City Oklahoma County commissioners to discuss recent opioid-related settlements totaling $226M OHP: One dead, two injured in Seminole County crash Escaped inmate from Bill Johnson Correctional Center considered armed, dangerous Security guard shot at Oklahoma City nightclub over the weekend Oklahomans march at Capitol to protest upcoming required patient database Former President Donald Trump visits Oklahoma for wrestling championship
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s largest United Methodist Church has joined dozens of other congregations by leaving their denomination.
| MORE | Churches in Oklahoma to decide whether to leave denomination over including LGBTQ+ members
St. Luke’s in Oklahoma City overwhelmingly voted Sunday to make the decision to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. More than 1,200 members of the congregation voted to leave, and less than 100 voted against it.
Church members are now praising the decision.
“We’ve been praying about how we should vote and what direction we feel God is calling us to,” Austin Ladd, a member of St. Luke’s congregation and choir, said.
After more than eight weeks of praying and waiting, St. Luke’s voted to leave the denomination.
“People should know that this vote was about inclusivity,” Ladd said. “It was about punitive language in the United Methodist Church’s book of discipline.”
Church members claimed the book of discipline needs changes to fit their mission.
“Our theme for the year is ‘Love God. Love all,’” Ladd said. “This is a day for celebration. This is a new step in St. Luke’s church. God’s pulling us in a new direction, and I’m really excited to see where He brings us.”
KOCO 5 reported earlier this year that dozens of churches have split with the United Methodist Church, with many moving for inclusivity. The United Methodist Church does not recognize gay marriages or have openly gay clergy.
St. Luke’s leaders also cited other issues, such as financial problems. Some members said they feel the decision was a weight lifted.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
“I felt at peace that people were laughing, people were fellowshipping, chatting. It was just joyful,” Ladd said. “Now that St. Luke’s has disaffiliated, I can confidently tell people yes, come to St. Luke’s. We’re inclusive. We’re accepting. We’re welcoming. The people there will make you feel welcomed, and we’re confident that there won’t be any exclusivity.”
Others told KOCO 5 that this reflects who they are – a congregation that serves and loves everyone as Jesus would.
"I am very, very involved in our community market food ministry," St. Luke's member Marc Muller said. "We are out in all corners of OKC weekly and we see it all. We serve and love everyone just as Jesus would. That is who we are. We turn no one away. Those two visions do not line up with each other and there is no guarantee they ever will."
On Thursday, St. Luke’s will be considered by a board of trustees to go before the Oklahoma Annual Conference for a final vote on its disaffiliation on April 22.
Other churches, such as New Covenant in Edmond, also are going through the process.
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