Published: June 13, 2025
MONROVIA — The Global Methodist Church of Liberia (GMC) is pushing back against allegations by the United Methodist Church (UMC) that its members vandalized and violently seized control of the Ganta United Methodist Hospital and mission station, calling the accusations “false, misleading, and politically motivated.”
In a strongly worded statement, GMC officials denied any acts of vandalism at the Ganta compound following a recent court ruling that dismissed the UMC’s lawsuit over control of the mission properties. They described what took place instead as a peaceful “victory march” involving jubilant members celebrating a legal win. GMC leaders also claimed that hospital staff participated in the celebrations and insisted that no reports of violence, damage, or arrests were filed with local authorities.
“It is a shame and utter embarrassment that a religious leader would be bent on issuing threats and spreading misleading and disjointed propaganda instead of finding Christ-like methods of resolving the self-imposed conflict faced by his denomination,” the GMC stated, referring to UMC Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr.
Court Dismissal at Center of Dispute
The controversy follows a May 27 ruling by the Sanniquellie 8th Judicial Circuit Court, which dismissed the UMC’s summary proceeding intended to reclaim the Ganta mission assets. Judge Pape Suah ruled that the proper legal remedy for the UMC was ejectment—not summary proceedings—and simultaneously granted the GMC equal standing in all property claims within the Gompa District.
GMC officials say the ruling confirms their legal right to access and use the mission’s properties, including the hospital. They accused the UMC of misrepresenting the facts to provoke public outrage and gain leverage in an ongoing denominational dispute.
Competing Narratives Over Ganta March
Following the court’s decision, GMC members marched through the Ganta compound, which includes the hospital and several mission buildings. GMC leadership insists the event was nonviolent and celebratory. According to their statement, local nurses and hospital workers even joined in the event, and no one lodged formal complaints with police or hospital administrators.
In contrast, Bishop Quire and other UMC officials have condemned the incident as an unlawful takeover, alleging that GMC members engaged in vandalism and violent behavior. At a recent Liberia Council of Churches meeting, Quire accused the GMC of staging “physical attacks” and warned ominously, “the worst is about to happen.”
The GMC described such remarks as inflammatory and “unchristian,” arguing that the UMC has provided no evidence of misconduct and that the remarks only serve to deepen division among Methodists in Liberia.
Denominational Schism Deepens
The dispute is part of a wider fracture within the global Methodist community. The Global Methodist Church was formed in 2022 by conservative UMC congregations who opposed the denomination’s liberalizing positions on same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy—positions formally adopted at the UMC’s 2024 General Conference.
Since then, more than 125 churches in Liberia have broken away from the UMC and joined the GMC. At the denomination’s official launch on Feb. 14, 2025, more than 100 congregations were officially recognized under the new body’s umbrella.
Legal battles over property have since erupted in various counties, including Nimba, where the Ganta Mission Station has become the flashpoint. Seven UMC properties in Liberia—including churches, a college, and hospitals—are reportedly in legal dispute between the two sides.
What Comes Next
The UMC has indicated that it will refile its case using the proper ejectment procedure, while also warning of what it describes as “brand misappropriation” by the GMC. The denomination says it is prepared to escalate the case to the Supreme Court if necessary.
In the meantime, tensions continue to simmer. The GMC has issued a warning that no UMC member or official is permitted to enter GMC-held properties, including Ganta, without prior approval from local GMC district authorities.
The GMC is preparing to host its Mount Nimba District Conference in Ganta from July 7–13 and has reiterated its commitment to “peace, scriptural holiness, and lawful resolution.” It also called for calm, accusing the UMC of weaponizing misinformation in place of legal argument.
Stakes Go Beyond Theology
While the roots of the dispute are theological, the control of physical properties—church buildings, schools, and hospitals—has become the most visible and contentious issue in the Methodist schism in Liberia. With each side claiming both moral and legal high ground, religious leaders warn that the consequences for church unity and public trust could be far-reaching.
Both denominations remain entrenched in their positions, and unless a broader settlement is reached, the battle over control of Liberia’s Methodist institutions appears destined for more legal showdowns in the months ahead.
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