Gbahn Town, District Number 8 in Nimba County — As the Supreme Court of Liberia prepares to rule on the dispute over same-sex marriage within Methodist Churches, divisions continue to deepen among Methodist families in Liberia, across Africa, and worldwide.
By D. Franklin Doloquee
Some young people who benefited from education and support provided by the United Methodist Church are now labeled the United Methodist Church as members of a “same-sex marriage” church because they refused to join the breakaway Golbal Methodist Church, the independence Methodist Church.
The disagreement, which has persisted for nearly a year, has split congregations and prompted competing claims over church properties.
The breakaway group, known as the Global Methodist Church and Independence Methodist Church, denied engaging in same-sex marriage practices and has accused the main United Methodist Church of such behavior.
Since the matter reached the Supreme Court, both groups have been in disarray, and Methodist Congregations across the country remain divided.
A surprising show of unity occurred over the weekend in Gbahn Town, Nimba County District Number 8, where hundreds of families gathered for the funeral of retired Judge James N. Gilayeneh Sr. Among the mourners were Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr., several Supreme Court and circuit court judges, members of the National Bar Association and the Nimba County Bar Association, representatives of government ministries, including Health, Agriculture and Commerce, as well as many community members, alongside with Representative Nya Garsaye Flomo of District Number Two in Nimba County, Senator Nya D Twayen Jr and former District Number 8 Representative Larry P. Younquoi, among others,
Pastors and executives from the Global Methodist Church attended the funeral alongside leaders from the United Methodist Church to pay their respects.
Representatives of the Global Methodist publicly acknowledged that the late Judge Gilayeneh had been like a father to them and that his wife, Rev. Gilayeneh, was like a mother.
Their remarks emphasized family ties despite the ongoing dispute.
Questions remain: Were Global Methodist members seeking forgiveness from the United Methodist Church after they attacked the wife of the late retired Judge James N. Gilayeneh, Rev. Gilayeneh, at her Ganta Mission station office?
Their attendance and public expressions of respect suggest a desire for reconciliation, but neither side has issued a formal apology or statement of reconciliation.
The late Judge Gilayeneh served as a judge affiliated with the United Methodist Church during the period when the dispute over alleged same-sex marriage practices first emerged.
