Centenary United Methodist Church to separate into two congregations

A Cape Girardeau church will be divided into two congregations following a landslide vote in favor of the split.

Centenary United Methodist Church members voted Sunday, April 23, 81% in favor of adopting a memorandum of understanding that would create an "amicable separation," forming a new Independent Centenary Church, while keeping the existing United Methodist Church congregation as a separate entity. Centenary will remain one church until Friday, June 30.

Centenary pastor Jennifer Long said in a statement the independent congregation will remain at the historic downtown church at 300 N. Ellis St., and the new United Methodist Church will begin forming in a couple of months. She will be leading the UMC congregation.

"Throughout this process we have sought to maintain unity in our congregation and so our hope is that as many people as possible will stay at Centenary to continue the fellowship, family, and faith you have shared so long," Long said. "But for those for whom it is a matter of conscience or who feel called to be a part of something new, another UMC option will be an exciting next step."

Centenary is charting a different course than other area Methodist churches that have made decisions in regards to their UMC membership.

The schism in the second-largest Protestant denomination is a result of theological differences in the United Methodist Church denomination, often surrounding the intersectionality of LGBTQ+ individuals with the church.

The denomination elected its first openly gay bishop in November and all five U.S. jurisdictions approved measures that would "protect, affirm and empower" LGBTQ+ individuals. The United Methodist Church denomination still maintains a ban on same-sex marriage and the ordination of any "self-avowed, practicing homosexual."

In response to this conflict — that some departing church leaders have said is more about orthodox versus liberal views on Christian life — a few congregations in Southeast Missouri have elected to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church denomination.

Disaffiliation is a specific process outlined in the UMC Book of Discipline that grants churches permission to leave the denomination with a member vote that is later ratified by the state conference. Departing churches must pay two years of apportionments — funds paid for the workings of the United Methodist Church denomination — and the remaining liability on the clergy's pension plan.

La Croix Church in Cape Girardeau, Zion United Methodist Church in Gordonville, Perryville United Methodist Church and Crossroads United Methodist Church in Bollinger County have all decided to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church denomination.

Centenary is utilizing Paragraph 2549 in the Book of Discipline that allows for the preservation of a UMC congregation and part of the congregation to split into an independent church.

Under the memorandum of understanding, the same payments will be made to the denomination as if the church were disaffiliating — which is around $189,000. Those payments must be made by Tuesday, June 20.

Centenary will also be sending a $200,000 lump sum and existing equipment — not exceeding $50,000 in value — to help the new UMC church.

Both churches will rename themselves.

Long said in her statement that she knows the decision hasn't been without "grief, disappointment, frustration and even harm."

The pastor said a special service of healing and forgiveness will be held at a later date to help with reconciliation for the strained relationships created through the process.

Each church will host an informational/organizational meeting in the Centenary Sanctuary. The UMC church will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 9. Independent Centenary Church will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 11.

"While this is an 'amicable separation' and we strongly believe Christ's call is unity, we also know that in God's divine math what starts as division can actually become multiplication!" Long said. "And it will take each of us making a commitment to see that multiplication happens."