https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/us/united-methodists-vote.html

«But in the United States, the vote poses a significant risk for a denomination that struggles to attract young people. United Methodists have one of the oldest religious populations in the country, with a median age of 57.

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“This feels like one generation locking down the church for the next,” said William H. Willimon, a retired bishop of the United Methodist Church and a professor at Duke Divinity School. “That’s a death sentence.”

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Six in 10 United Methodists in the United States believe homosexuality should be accepted.

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“The wound may one day be healed by the grace of God,” she said, “but the scar left behind will be visible forever.”

For many, the church’s slogan, “Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors,” now feels shattered.

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The denomination has split about a dozen times in its history, notably over slavery and race.»