THE Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma opposes same-sex marriage.
Speaking to The Fiji Times during the church’s annual conference yesterday, general secretary the Reverend Jolame Lawasa reaffirmed the church’s stance on same-sex marriage and said it would have to “iron out some of the agreement” between the United Methodist Church (UMC) in America and the Methodist Church in Fiji.
“We have made our stand,” Mr Lasawa said.
“The Methodist Church opposes same-sex marriage. That is still our stand at the moment.
“We have discussed it with some of the church members from America, they have moved away from the UMC. Some of our congregation has moved away from there.
“They are here and are requesting if they can be connected to the Methodist Church of Fiji. So, we have discussed it and we have taken it to the head office in Suva to discuss it to iron out some of our agreement between the UMC and the Methodist Church. We have a bilateral agreement in relation to the church here in Fiji, and also with UMC.
A Fijian church community in Nevada, California, had approached MCIF to accept them into their fold, after they split from the United Methodist Church in the United States. The reach out to MCIF comes in the wake of a decision by the United Methodist Conference of America in 2019, to allow LGBTQ clergy and ministers to officiate in same-sex marriages.
The group have been told they have to wait until next year and the MCIF needs to look into its agreement with UMC.
