United Methodist Church

More than 6,000 United Methodist congregations — a fifth of the U.S. total — have now received permission to leave the denomination amid a schism over theology and the role of LGBTQ people in the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination. The departures have been particularly large in the South and Midwest, with states such as Texas, Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio each losing hundreds of congregations.

An estimated three hundred school-age children are homeless right now in Baldwin County. The new Baldwin Family village is a thirteen-unit facility for transitional housing and homeless support services.

The discussion over sexuality within the United Methodist Church has caused many congregations to exit. Nearly 200 churches disaffiliated from the North Alabama Conference of the UMC last year. But new congregations were formed.

A retired United Methodist bishop has performed a wedding ceremony for two gay men in Alabama despite opposition from other church leaders.Bishop Melvin…