BIG SPRING, TX — A long-standing church within the community of Big Spring has recently seen a change. What was once known as First United Methodist Church, is now known as First Methodist Church.
Reverend Ricky Carstensen told KBest News that a new Methodist denomination called “Global Methodist Church” was launched in March 2022. This is the “traditional, conservative side of the United Methodist Church”. In June 2022, during an annual conference with First United Methodist Church, the information was presented on the lengthy process of disaffiliation if churches decided that was something they wanted to pursue. In July 2022, informational sessions were held within the Big Spring church where issues were discussed – such as the theological issue of pluralism, which is the two different belief systems co-existing under one denomination.
“We had the progressive liberal side versus the conservative, traditional side. The progressive side was more concerned with social issues, not that those aren’t important, but so much to the point that they began to focus on those social issues and take care of the social concerns rather than the scriptual part of things,” said Carstensen.
After two weeks of prayer and fasting, the administrative board voted to hold a church-wide vote on whether to stay with FUMC or transition to Global Methodist Church. On October 9, 2022, 85 percent of the church members voted to disaffiliate from FUMC. Carstensen told KBest News that the result was heartbreaking.
“The Methodist Church here in Big Spring has been United Methodist Church since 1968 and when they merged with the United Evangelical Brethren Church. So, it was heartbreaking, lots of memories, family history here under First United Methodist Church,” Rev. Carstensen continued.
On December 3, 2022, there was a special conference where the church was voted on and their desire to leave was affirmed. On Jan. 1, 2023, the local Big Spring church became affiliated with the Global Methodist Church.
Other than dropping “United” from their name, what does that mean for the local Big Spring church?
According to Rev. Carstensen, few things have changed, such as who they are accountable to, administratively and organizationally, and some of their inner workings but their worship and passion for the City of Big Spring has not changed.
He went on to say, “The goal of the Global Methodist Church is to witness boldly, worship passionately, and share the gospel with people, just like it was before, but to have a concerted effort of meeting needs in the church, in the community of Big Spring, and worldwide.”
For more information on First Methodist Church, visit: fumcbs.com
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