June 20th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

Major change is coming to the United Methodist Church worldwide and Cumberland will soon see these changes locally.  Four local United Methodist congregations have officially disaffiliated from the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the denomination – Davis Memorial, New Covenant, Murley’s Branch, and Prosperity while six other churches are involved in a group litigation to leave as well.  They join over 5500 other churches that have walked away from the United Methodist church over a combination of issues dealing with homosexuality, church doctrine, and other theological issues. The Baltimore-Washington Conference is requiring churches who wish to leave to pay an extra year’s worth of mission shares, part of the unfunded pension obligation, and 50% of the assessed value of the church property.  Pastor Rob Pierson says that the deadline to disaffiliate under the current rules has passed and some local churches are still in the dark about what is happening…