IMU Highland Park, Texas, Council Proposes Disaffiliation from United Methodist Church

The IMU Highland Park Council held an informational meeting on 11 October, during which leaders presented their perspective on pre-demand events and their commitment to trust in United Methodist leadership, particularly under Bishop Rubén Saenz Jr. of the Horizon Texas Annual Conference. The meeting aimed to inform members about the ongoing legal battle between the church and its conference.

Caroline Nowlin, who grew up at IMU Highland Park and has presided over the church council since January, addressed the congregation. She posed a central question: “Knowing what we know now, should our church continue to be part of the IMU?” Nowlin emphasized that the church council has not yet made a decision, though many members hold firm opinions. She assured attendees that the final decision would be submitted to their vote if the council recommends disaffiliation.

Approximately 800 members of the 15,000-person congregation attended the meeting, which was also live-streamed and recorded. A question-and-answer session followed, though it was not shared with the audience to encourage open dialogue. Most of the 20 members who spoke expressed unease about the conference, while a few urged caution.

The church council is set to meet on October 13 to deliberate on its recommendation. No vote on disaffiliation has been scheduled at this time. Much of the dispute centers on the degree of participation of parishioners in church decision-making, as outlined in the statutes and new legal constitution documents presented by the IMU Highland Park in 2022.

The Annual Horizon Texas Conference filed a lawsuit against the church on August 10, arguing that the modifications made by the church council to the statutes unduly removed the denomination’s and parishioners’ oversight. The petition followed meetings in December and March, where Bishop Saenz and other conference leaders urged the church to revise its statutes to align with the Book of Discipline, the denomination’s normative code and procedures.

Among other changes, the revised statutes removed references to the denomination’s prior disciplinary book and now state the church’s official name as “Methodist Highland Park.” The commercial denomination of the United Methodist Church has not yet responded to the church’s changes.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Spanish)