At the 2023 Session of Annual Conference, Rev. Paul Stallsworth requested a decision of law on questions related to the closure of Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church in Wilmington. Bishop Connie Mitchell Shelton’s ruling, which will go to the denomination’s Judicial Council, and the original brief are published on the Episcopal Rulings page.
The closure of Fifth Avenue is being contested in a lawsuit by members of the former congregation. The NC Conference is asking the Court to dismiss the lawsuit on First Amendment grounds, among others. Read an update on the Fifth Avenue Lawsuit.