(ATHENS, Ga.) — One of the largest congregations of Methodists in the Southeast descend upon Athens, Georgia, today, kicking off the first day of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church’s annual weekend-long conference.

This marks the first such conference since over 180 members churches sued to disaffiliate; a decision that was ruled legal by a Cobb County judge. A special vote will be held in November to formally disaffiliate.

The provisions come after the denomination finds itself split over LGBTQ+ issues. Chief among them are the ordination of gay clergy and the allowance of same-sex marriage. Other key issues involve whether or not disaffiliating churches can legally keep the land and buildings that their congregations meet in.

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