In May of this year, the Rio Texas Conference of the UMC filed suit against 40 of its own churches because negotiations around disaffiliation had broken down. Both sides have spent a good deal of money on litigation, and it remains to be seen which will prevail. Meanwhile, 17 churches are appearing before their assembled conference body this Saturday, seeking ratification of their disaffiliations from the conference. This segment deals with the history of the conference, the events leading up to the lawsuit and where things currently stand, and the implications of potential legal eventualities.
Links:
List of the 17 disaffiliating churches on December 2 - https://riotexas.org/events/2023/10/3/special-called-session
“Rio Texas Conference Asserts Fiduciary Responsibilityin Legal Suit” - https://peopleneedjesus.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/rio-texas-conference-asserts-fiduciary-responsibility-in-legal-suit.pdf
Plaintiff Petition - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54b8639ee4b076c29fb6eae7/t/6463ee52292c436b126e2778/1684270676012/Plaintiff+Original+Petition.pdf
My interview w/ Lloyd Lunceford, church disaffiliation lawyer - https://youtu.be/hxaB8FFGsk0
“Five conferences merge to become two” - https://www.umnews.org/en/news/five-conferences-merge-to-become-two
“Me & Bishop Dorff” account of Bishop Dorff being somewhat of a pushover for the left - https://loveprevailsumc.com/2015/08/12/me-bishop-dorff/
“Rio Texas bishop resigns after admitting wrongdoing” - https://www.umnews.org/en/news/rio-texas-bishop-resigns#:~:text=United%20Methodist%20Bishop%20James%20E,1%2C%202016.
Bio on Bishop Robert Schnase - https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/person-detail/2464082
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