I am still sitting with a profound feeling of awe and wonder. To see God’s mighty hand at work in our church is an incredible thing to witness.

I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude for each one of you — for your faithfulness and for your bold support of our ministry together here at The Woodlands Methodist Church. So, thank you for showing up today. Thank you for filling our worship spaces. And thank you for casting a ballot. Our congregational vote was a success because of your involvement and your support of our shared mission to Win People to Jesus Christ, Disciple Them in Faith, and Help Those in Need.

Here is the final disaffiliation vote result: 2,678 YES votes — 96.3%

Say what you want about the numbers needed to achieve a two-thirds majority of the vote. They do not tell the full story of your dedication and conviction, or of the investments and spiritual growth we are witnessing at this moment in the life of our church. I just think our Kingdom potential is too great, and too dynamic, to fit in a mathematical formula. But make no mistake — we are experiencing God’s exponential blessing right now.

To those of you who find yourself in the minority of the vote this evening, I say three things: You are loved. You still have a home here. And your voice matters. I do believe there is much more that unites us than divides us. We have much to learn from each other, as we heal and uphold relationships after the example of Jesus Christ.

For now, keep praying for our church and for our leadership team. While our congregational vote was a defining moment in our disaffiliation process, we are not done yet. The Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church must vote to finally approve our disaffiliation from the denomination at a special called conference on December 3, 2022.

Please know there is much more work to determine our next steps. In the weeks ahead, I will continue to keep you updated as our discernment leadership team studies the best options for future affiliation. There will be more information to come.

I am so expectant, and so affirmed by the Holy Spirit working in every area of our ministries. Thank you for playing a role in it, as we continue to move forward in faith.

— Mark