Voting members of Highland Park United Methodist Church voted overwhelmingly over the weekend to sever ties with The United Methodist Church, formalizing a split following months of escalating legal disputes over church governance.
Out of 4,775 total votes cast by the Dallas congregation, 90.35 percent voted in favor of a resolution to disconnect from the international denomination, according to United Methodist News Service. Beginning Sunday, the congregation will officially worship as Highland Park Methodist Church. Church leadership stated that daily operations, theology, and pastoral ministry will remain unchanged, with a target completion date for operational transitions set for Dec. 1, 2026.
The historic vote follows a lawsuit filed in Dallas County District Court by the Horizon Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church in August, as reported by WFAA. Regional denominational officials claimed that 2022 amendments to the local church’s governing documents illegally bypassed denominational oversight, removed requirements under church law, and violated contract terms regarding property held in trust. The conference subsequently amended its civil petition in October to seek a permanent injunction blocking the congregation from enforcing the altered bylaws.
Despite the congregational decision to disaffiliate, church representatives acknowledged that the separation resolution will not automatically resolve the ongoing civil lawsuit in Dallas County. The litigation regarding corporate amendment procedures and property rights will continue through the state judicial system.
Founded in 1916 alongside Southern Methodist University, the prominent Dallas congregation has grown into one of the largest Methodist churches in the nation. Church officials confirmed that no injuries, security incidents, or public safety threats occurred during the two-day voting period at the campus.
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