In light of the ongoing discussions regarding the relationship between the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Liberia and the legalization of same-sex marriage, the Stage Media-Liberia investigation has revealed that the Seventy-Second United Methodist Church in Paynesville has removed the name “Seventy-Second United Methodist Church” from its building.
The decision to remove the name “Seventy-Second United Methodist Church” was made after two protests were held on the same day at two of the church’s buildings.
The protest was against the removal of pastors who were allegedly preaching against same-sex marriage at their respective branches.
It can be recalled that on Sunday, October 13, 2024, news broke up about an alleged officiation of a gay wedding at one of the United Methodist churches, “Seventy Second United Methodist Church in Paynesville.
Members of the church could be seen in a live Facebook broadcast protesting and alleging the wrongful removal of assigned pastors of the New Georgia UMC and the Seventy-Second UMC by the Bishop of the United Methodist Church, Samuel Quire.
The regular worship services were immediately disrupted as officers of the Liberia National Police rushed in to restore calm at the church’s facility.
A few days after the protest, TSM visited the church to observe if clams had been restored at the 72nd UMC; however, our reporter shockingly realized that the name of the church had been removed.
TSM contacted the senior pastor of the 72nd UMC, Rev. Kenneth C. Jackson, who disclosed that the church is still under the UMC despite the removal of the name.
Jackson, as senior pastor of the church, claimed that he has been teaching regionalization for nearly three years to his congregation with an emphasis that “regionalization is ungodly.”
What is regionalization?
Regionalization allows churches in different parts of the world to contextualize the rules that guide their ministries.
Nine regional conferences will make up the denomination: one in the United States and eight in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. Each region will be given the ability to make decisions that will best support their work in their specific settings.
This ability to enact policies tailored to a specific region’s needs is already in place in the central conferences; regionalization will bring that ability to the U.S. as well.
The U.S. regional conference will continue with five jurisdictions. A committee will study the future of jurisdictions.
Jackson explained that he had engaged Quire, informing him that the church was actually against the whole idea of regionalization.
Jackson accused both Quire and Jefferson Knight as two individuals who have been teaching regionalization on the surface and not explaining to members the true meaning of regionalization and taking a position on same-sex marriage.
According to Jackson, Quire was allegedly told by Police Inspector General Gregory Cole to reinstate the suspended pastors as a way of restoring calm and harmony amongst churches but the Bishop is yet to act.
Jackson, however, described it as satanic and devilish for the church to honor a system of “regionalization,” which he believed was far from the biblical principles of the Bible.
Jackson said Quire’s decision to suspend him from the church was a result of his anti-gay and same-sex marriage posture over the past months.
He said it was a unanimous decision taken by the church to have removed the name from its edifice.
Jackson narrated that the entire saga started when he was teaching the Sunday school class on Sunday, October 13, 2024, when he saw a team of pastors who had gone to take over as pastors of the church.
Meanwhile, Jackson also disclosed that Quire and Jefferson Knight have taken the church to court on the grounds that the church is no longer taking instruction from him.
He noted that the church remains a UMC until February 2025, when the church will officially begin the process of departing from the UMC Liberia Annual Conference.
TSM also contacted Knight of the UMC Human Rights, who said at no time did the church in Liberia sign or affix their signature to same-sex marriage.
He said the pastor of the 72nd Church and others were suspended based on their consistent disrespect to the bishop.
When asked about the church’s decision to remove the signpost from the building, Knight stated that he spoke with Jackson and was told that the Men’s Department was responsible for removing the name and had promised to replace it.
Knight alleged a breakaway group in America, ” Global Methodist Church,” that is pumping money amongst churches in Liberia to mislead the public that the United Methodist Church is involved in gay marriage.
He has also confirmed that the UMC has taken to court the head of the 72nd Methodist, Jackson, and others who have refused to subject themselves to the investigative board of the Liberia Annual Conference (LAC).
When contacted, Quire said he was not doing well; however, he told our reporter that he did not know why the name was removed from the church.
Quire forwarded a contact of one of those he claimed to be leaders of the local church to respond to the comment.
Also, Adolphus E. Dupley, Administrative Council Chairperson whose mobile number was given by Quire, was contacted.
Dupley told TSM that the action by members of the 72nd UMC was part of their ongoing protest actions to prevent the removal of the current pastor, Kenneth Jackson.
Dupley said a portion of their press release was to have the church removed from the United Methodist church.
He said, “It was wrong on the part of the members of the church to resist the suspension and removal of the pastor.”
Dupley noted that the decision to break away from the UMC is a process and just can not be done in the manner and form the members are proceeding with.
