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Horizon Texas Conference Sues Highland Park United Methodist Church Over Disputed Governing Documents

The Horizon Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church filed a lawsuit against Highland Park United Methodist Church, alleging the local congregation quietly attempted to sever ties with the denomination by amending its governing documents. The lawsuit centers on the church's 2022 decision to remove most references to the United Methodist Church and the Book of Discipline from its corporate bylaws and articles of incorporation. Highland Park United Methodist Church stated that the changes were made to ensure the congregation was legally protected under neutral principles of Texas law, following guidance from the Texas Supreme Court. The church maintained that it did not intend to leave the denomination and that its religious practices remained unchanged. Conversely, the conference accused the church of making these significant updates without the knowledge of its congregation or the conference leadership. Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. stated that the decision to pursue legal action was not taken lightly and expressed a goal of restoring the church's original governing documents. The church leadership noted that it has remained a member of the denomination for years, contributing over $12 million to various organizations since 2022.

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