The Chronicle is now aware of three churches in the county that have voted to leave the United Methodist denomination.

Chapin United Methodist Church made its decision to leave the same day as Gilbert’s Pond Branch and Lexington’s Mt. Horeb (the largest UMC church in the state before it decided to exit the denomination).

Chapin UMC, located at 415 Lexington Ave., chose to leave by a nearly unanimous vote of its congregation held Feb. 26. Only 24 members of the congregation voted to stay in the denomination. The church lists the size of its congregation as 2,800.

“While issues surrounding human sexuality capture news headlines, far greater issues divide the denomination related to scriptural authority — what we believe about God, Jesus, and the Holy Bible,” Carolina Fogle, director of communications for the church, told the Chronicle.

Both Mt. Horeb and Pond Branch listed issues related to sexuality among the reasons for their departure, with Mt. Horeb emphasized that marriage is between a man and a woman and Pond Branch emphasized that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teachings.

Fogle said that Chapin staying in a denomination would mean remaining embroiled in controversy, adding that it would be a poor witness to the watching world.

“We see this as an opportunity to take a loving stand for all people by standing on the unchanging and redeeming truths of the Holy Scriptures.” she said.

Jody Flowers, Chapin UMC’s lead minister, shared that those who voted to stay in the denomination did not lose, telling the Chronicle that the church they love isn’t changing. The minister emphasized that Chapin UMC changing its denominational affiliation was what the church had to do to remain the same.

 “It’s been a difficult and challenging season, for sure. Any time there is a vote of any kind there is the tendency to view the outcome of the vote in terms of ‘winners and losers,’” Flowers told the Chronicle. “‘Losers’ feel pain, and ‘winners’ can and should feel pain for losers. So it’s been a painful time for all.”

Like the other local churches to depart the UMC, Chapin faces financial hurdles to make the break final, including a tithe equal to 10 percent of the appraised value of all church property and liquid assets, among others.

Fogle said the Chapin UMC is currently in a period of discernment about its future denominational alignment, adding that its Our Way Forward team is researching and meeting with representatives of The Global Methodist Church, The Free Methodist Church, The Congregational Methodist Church, and The Foundry, which is a network of independent Methodist churches.

She said the church will stand beside its missional focus: "to help connect people with the saving love of Jesus, grow together in that love, and share that love with each other and the world!”