United Methodist Church Takes 'Historic Action' Toward LGBT Equality

The United Methodist Church (UMC) took a major step toward a possible reorganization on Wednesday, creating a commission to decide whether the largest American mainline Christian denomination should restructure so it can ordain LGBT people and allow pastors to officiate same-sex marriages.

The announcement came as thousands of Methodists gathered in Portland, Oregon for the UMC’s General Conference, an event held every four years where leaders debate and vote on matters of church governance. This year the most anticipated topic of discussion has been LGBT issues — a massive point of contention for the church, whose official Book of Discipline currently condemns homosexuality and prohibits the ordination of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals.”...
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/05/18/3779705/united-methodist-church-has-a-new-method/