Judge’s dismissal of 36 churches’ lawsuit holds implications for other UMC departures

A North Carolina judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by 36 United Methodist churches seeking to leave the denomination without following its required exit process. The dismissal holds broader implications for the slow-moving splintering of the worldwide denomination, which currently counts 6.5 million members in the United States. According to a press release from the Western North Carolina Annual Conference, North Carolina Superior Court Judge Richard L. Doughton issued a ruling March 20 granting the annual conference’s motions to dismiss a lawsuit brought by 36 local churches seeking to leave...