Congregation Leaves UCC after Narrow Vote

The Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Toledo, Ohio, became the 66th to disaffiliate after two months of heated debate and tension in the pews of the 400-member congregation.

By Audrey Barrick, Christian Post Reporter Friday, January 20, 2006

Three congregations decided to leave the United Church of Christ less than a month after it adopted a resolution endorsing same-sex marriage in July 2005. Now, half a year later, the denomination has continued slimming down its member affiliates as the Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Toledo, Ohio, became the 66th to disaffiliate, according to The Toledo Blade.

For the past two months, debate and tension heated the pews of the 400-member Pilgrim congregation which narrowly voted Wednesday night to make its withdrawal. Despite objections and calls for discussion, the church members voted 156-77 to leave the denomination. The church constitution requires a two-thirds majority for such action.

"I'm thrilled that things worked out this way," said the church’s senior pastor, the Rev. Lawrence Cameron, according to The Toledo Blade. "It was a struggle. It was hard. Nobody likes change. But I could not in good conscience stay in this denomination."

Withdrawals from the past six months were not all departures related to disagreement with the resolution supporting same-sex marriage equality, said the Rev. Roberts Chase, who reported 49 churches disaffiliated, in a released statement Thursday. But most of the decisions to leave were caused by the controversial resolution.

An undetermined number of churches that voted to remain with the UCC indicated they will consider reducing financial support for Our Church's Wider Mission, which funds ministries at the Association, Conference, national and international settings, in 2006, according to William Morgan, the UCC's chief financial officer. Morgan also noted supportive congregations' intentions to increase contributions.

Pilgrim had its first vote on Dec. 11, 2005, when the decision to leave was declined by the members as the issue fell 12 votes short. After the second vote, applause broke out among some, others protested, and a few even walked out saying they will no longer attend Pilgrim Church.

After Wednesday's vote, the Rev. Cameron withdrew a letter of resignation he had submitted when the church had voted to remain with the UCC in December.

A committee will be formed to explore the church's options, said Dan Bollinger, Pilgrim's moderator.

The UCC, formed in 1957, has 5,725 churches and about 1.3 million members. Individual congregations within the UCC retain legal ownership of their buildings and property, making it easier for congregations to decide their own futures.