One of the nation’s largest Methodist congregations is moving into a new chapter, and thousands turned out for its first weekend of worship after an overwhelming vote to leave the United Methodist Church.
Dallas’ Highland Park Methodist Church welcomed 7,950 attendees to its weekend services, up from about 6,500 the previous week, according to The Washington Times.
But as the congregation embraces its new identity, the division with the denomination is becoming increasingly visible.
Members supporting Highland Park’s departure continued worshiping at the church’s longtime location, while those who chose to remain affiliated with the UMC gathered separately at nearby University Park United Methodist Church.
The two gatherings mark a significant development in a conflict that has already sparked legal action, leadership disputes and questions over the future of the historic congregation.
According to The Washington Times, about 90% of participating members voted in late October to separate from the denomination, and church leadership plans to complete the operational transition by December.
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During Sunday’s 9:30 a.m. service, the Rev. Abe Smith, Highland Park Methodist’s executive minister, acknowledged the unusual circumstances surrounding the church’s transition.
“You will see, there is all kinds of activity and confusion and wondering about who some people say we are, who some people say we are not, and all the pieces in between,” Smith said, according to The Washington Times.
However, the denomination is not backing down from its position.
The Horizon Texas Conference filed a lawsuit, alleging that changes to Highland Park’s governing documents in 2022 and 2023 improperly removed denominational oversight. The church has rejected the lawsuit as meritless.
Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. has also challenged the validity of the congregational vote, maintaining that Highland Park cannot independently terminate its relationship with the denomination.
For Highland Park, what began as a dispute over church governance has now reached Sunday morning worship itself.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Abby at abbytrivett.com.
