The United Methodist Church, one of the country's elite religious institutions is presently fighting to whisk off the pranks and deals of the devil or Satan, which according to scripture, came to steal and destroy God's children, but with little or no pathway to finding any solution to the ruckus which is causing serious stirs in the church, putting leaders against leaders and members against members.
The Church has over the past months been faced with the dilemma of confusion that resulted from calls from some elements of the Church for Bishop of the Church, Rev. Samuel J. Quire to state the acclaimed religious institution's position on same sex marriage.
The calls, according to them, is on the back of reports that the Bishop, while in the United States, put pen to paper in favor of accepting or agreeing to the operationalization of such practice in the Church. Bishop has since denied the claims, and has insisted that the Church, as a body of Christ does not subscribe to the dogma of same sex marriage which contravenes the teachings and the word of the God.
The Methodist Prelate was few months ago subjected to ignominy at a local church in Nimba County where he had gone to preach and clarify the Church's stance on same sex marriage. Members of the church walked out while the Bishop was on the podium addressing their concerns and other Church matters, while others booed and even attempted assaulting him.
These ugly developments followed a denunciation of the Bishop by one Rev. Wilson, an official of the Liberia Annual Conference of the Church, accusing him of double standards and being silent on the Church's position when it comes to the issue of same sex marriage which overseas leaders are in support of, and want the church in Liberia to make it determination.
At the weekend, the issue was resurrected following the suspension of few pastors by Bishop Quire, who according to reports, have been at the center of instigation confusion and intoxicating the minds of other members to stand up to the authority of the Bishop.
The suspended pastors took to the airwaves, challenging their suspension, and even vilified the Bishop for allegedly imposing on the Church an anti-Christian culture of same sex marriage, in total abomination to the word of God and the doctrines of the church.
However, the situation reached its hype Sunday when confusion broke out at two different Methodist Churches in 72nd and New Georgia, one reportedly in support of the pastors Bishop Quire has handed suspension for gross insubordination, while the other is said to be against a same-sex wedding.
Social media was awash with scenes of melee at the two churches, with police officers seen on the scene to separate opposing members and at the same time protect the facilities.
Others said the melee resulted from opposition by Church members to gay wedding at the New Georgia, while the tension at the 72nd Methodist Church was blamed on Bishop Quire's attempt to get rid of the pastor who has been vocal against his alleged consent to the Gay Marriage in the Church.
The situation at the church is said to have shed light on the deep division amongst members in light of the issue which is nationally abhorred as anti-culture and anti-Liberia societal norm.
At the same time, the situation has claimed the attention of the Liberia Council of Churches, which has urged parties to the confusion in the United Methodist Church to find an amicable solution to lingering crisis that has the propensity to undermine the spiritual growth of the Church.
In a statement, the Council expressed belief that reconciliation would be illusive if leaders in the United Methodist Church do not see the urgent need to square off their concerns for the common good of the church.
LCC called on all engaging parties to remain calm and find means through which their differences can be placed on the table to ensure that normalcy returns to the church of Jesus Christ.
The statement which is under the signature of President, Dr. Samuel Reeves, Jr, reaffirmed LCC continuous commitment to sit with all parties in the dispute to find a lasting and peaceful solution to the ongoing problem confronting the spiritual needs of the Church.
The statement said: "The Council believes that the United Methodist Church, being one of the oldest Christian denominations since the founding of Liberia should spiritually reflect on the need for reconciliation and restored sanity to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Liberia Council of Churches reminds the parties to the conflict in the United Methodist Church that reconciliation brings conflict into peace, turns enemies into friends and restores a once broken relationship with fellow Christians."
LCC also called on Elders of the United Methodist Church in Liberia to join the Liberia Council of Churches to help bring to closure the ongoing crisis in the Church through dialogues and continues engagements.
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Early October 2024, tension within the United Methodist Church in Liberia heighten over the failure of the Liberia Annual Conference to make a definite position following the latest decision of the global annual conference of the United Methodist Church to legalize same-sex marriage across its denomination.
Recently, the global United Methodist Church repealed its 50-year ban on LGBTQ clergy, and approved new language opening doors for same-sex marriages.
Speaking at a news conference in Monrovia over the weekend, Mr. L. Olandor Boyce, Secretary of the Liberia Annual Conference Delegation to the 2020/2024 UMC General Conference held in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, from 23 April to 3 May 2024, accused the Bishop of the United Methodist Church in Liberia, Samuel Quire of refusing to call for a special annual conference session to take a decision regarding the future of the UMC in Liberia in the wake of the General Conference passage to legalize homosexuality and other "unchristian acts."
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