Highland Park Church Splits Over Vote
Two services will be held simultaneously this Sunday as a legal dispute determines the final ownership of the congregation and its name.
By Adriana Abebe ·
Two worship services will take place at separate Dallas-area locations this Sunday. The division stems from a recent congregational vote to leave the United Methodist Church, a move that senior denomination leaders have challenged in court.
The Highland Park United Methodist Church congregation voted to separate from the denomination earlier this week. The measure passed with more than 90 percent approval from 4,775 votes. Following the result, the group changed its name to Highland Park Methodist Church. Leaders state the entity will complete its full separation from the UMC by December 1.
Bishop Ruben Saenz of the Texas Horizon League asserts the vote did not follow UMC policy. He declares the action invalid, meaning the church remains under the denomination's umbrella. Saenz removed senior officials from the church and appointed Reverend Andy Lewis to lead the congregation. This group will retain the original name, Highland Park United Methodist Church.
The split creates a direct conflict over the use of the church property and leadership. The Highland Park Methodist Church council says it will hold its service with its existing clergy at the regular location on Hillcrest Road and Mockingbird Lane. Meanwhile, Reverend Lewis will lead the UMC-sanctioned service at the University Park United Methodist Church.
Church leaders cite a broken bond of trust as the primary reason for the push toward independence. Bishop Saenz expressed optimism in a recent video that the legal issues would be resolved. "I believe there is a faithful path forward. And it begins with honoring the covenant we have made together and restoring the governing documents," Saenz said.
Isabella Volmert, a faith reporter for the Dallas Morning News, noted that Saenz created a formally sanctioned congregation by removing the existing leaders. She reported that members who voted to leave still trust their current pastors despite the uncertainty. A non-jury trial between the two parties is scheduled for October 2027. Leaders of the newly named Highland Park Methodist Church stated they are confident in their legal position.
The dispute involves the control of a major religious institution in the Dallas area. Both groups will operate independently until the courts decide the final standing of the church. The simultaneous services mark the first public demonstration of the divided congregation.
