A congregation in coastal Maine has filed a lawsuit against a regional body of the United Methodist Church, accusing the denomination of attempting to seize control of church property despite the congregation’s claim of independence.
Broad Cove Church of Cushing, which describes itself as a non-denominational congregation, filed a complaint earlier this month against the UMC New England Annual Conference. The church argues that while it has cooperated with the UMC by receiving pastors supplied by the denomination and compensating it for clergy services, it has never formally joined the Methodist denomination.
According to Broad Cove, the most recent pastor sent to the church has been trying to rewrite the bylaws to make it an exclusively UMC congregation, reports the Camden, Maine-based Midcoast Villager. The church maintains that its members have never voted to affiliate with the UMC.
“UMC seeks to expand its shrinking holdings by fiat, declaring that Broad Cove is a Methodist-only community and forcing its non-Methodist members either to submit or find other churches,” the complaint states, as quoted by the Midcoast Villager. “The UMC demands that Broad Cove knuckle under to the UMC's ‘Book of Discipline,’ with the ultimate goal of seizing Broad Cove's real and personal property.”
The congregation is asking the court for a preliminary injunction to prevent the denomination from asserting control over the church’s property while the case proceeds. As of this week, no ruling has been issued.
Despite the dispute, the New England Conference currently lists Broad Cove Church as one of its member congregations on its website, identifying Michael Leonard as the church’s pastor. Leonard began serving in that role in 2023.
The lawsuit alleges that Leonard “began insisting on changes to the Church's building and its congregation's practices, with the ultimate purpose of dragging the unwilling Church into the UMC.” Church members later voted to terminate his employment, after which the denomination reportedly sent a letter asserting that the property belongs not to the local congregation but is held in trust for the UMC.
Broad Cove Church disputes that claim, arguing that property deeds and other legal documents show the congregation retains ownership independent of the denomination.
The legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of widespread upheaval within the United Methodist Church. In recent years, thousands of congregations have disaffiliated amid debates over theology and governance, particularly concerning LGBT issues.
At the UMC’s 2024 General Conference, delegates voted to remove longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of non-celibate homosexual clergy from the Book of Discipline.
