As of July 1st, 2023, Garwin United Methodist Church officially disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church (UMC) denomination and changed its name to Garwin Valley Community Church. We joined 100+ churches across Iowa and 6,000+ across the nation to do so this year, with more joining this fall. The presenting issue, like the tip of the iceberg, was human sexuality and gender, with the denomination becoming increasingly liberal on homosexuality and transgenderism. But the deeper underlying issues, like the 90% of the iceberg under the water, go to the heart of Christianity. Do we believe in the Creator of our bodies and His design of male and female? Do we believe in the total Lordship of Jesus over our lives? Do we believe in the authority of Scripture? Do we believe in the Gospel’s necessity of repentance from sins for salvation? Do we believe in the holy catholic church? These are not marginal, trifling questions to “agree to disagree” over but core, Apostle’s Creed, definition-of-Christianity level beliefs. This does not mean that we do not love those struggling with same-sex attraction or gender confusion. Rather, the loving call to them is the same as the call to anyone and everyone: Repent, trust in Jesus’ death on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, submit to the design of your Creator and the authority of Jesus, follow the Scriptures. Whatever the world may say, they’re wrong. This is God’s love for us. This is life and life to the fullest.

For the 6,000+ churches across the country who are disaffiliating, including many in this area, they are standing on the side of the Creator, the Lordship of Jesus, the Scriptures, the Gospel, and the Church. For many in this area, they are choosing to affiliate with the emerging Global Methodist Church, a new denomination standing on the unchanging principles of Christianity within the Methodist tradition. For our little church, this path remains open to us. Yet, our church’s history goes back before the UMC, to the old Evangelical United Brethren Church, a denomination born from German-immigrant revivalism. Despite fifty years in the UMC, many in our church had little to no affinity towards John Wesley and Methodism beyond the name. Therefore, it made sense for us to not affiliate with the Global Methodist Church but to go independent and non-denominational. It seemed crucial for us to pursue afresh what it means to be fully, robustly, and simply the Church: a community of Word & Table, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

When I was hired one year ago as the pastor, I wasn’t sure how this church would answer the above questions. Yet, over and over again, we have said yes to Jesus, yes to the Word of God, yes to the Gospel, and yes to being a Christian in the full and Biblical faith and practice. So Garwin Valley Community Church is turning a new page for a new day. Our church was birthed from a revival meeting in downtown Garwin 150 years ago and we are praying that God would do it again and stir another revival in Garwin Valley. We still have a lot of work to do, but if you’re looking for a new church home, and you want to be a part of building something beautiful, now is the time to visit. If you visit, expect rooted liturgy and hymns, but also contemporary music, relevant preaching, and a welcoming community. You can visit our website at http://www.garwinvalley.com, listen to our sermons on Spotify and Apple, and visit on Sundays at 9:30 a.m.