By Solomon T. Gaye/Nimba & Bill Cooper
Report reaching this paper says, the Bishop of United Methodist Church (UMC) Liberia Annually Conference, Samuel Jerome Quire, has with immediate effect, removed and replaced several officials working with Gompa United Methodist Church and school in Nimba.
Speaking to this news outlet in Ganta, Rev. James Korlorblee disclosed that he has been relieved off his position as principal of the Ganta United Methodist Senior High School(GUMS) in Nimba and allegedly replaced with Zawolo Zuogele as the new principal of the school.
“I still remain the legitimate principal of this school until I receive a letter of dismissal from the Bishop Quire,” Principal Korlorblee said.
“I was informed verbally by the Gompa UMC station superintendent Rev. Priscilla Gilayeneh to leave the office so that it is turned over to the new principal, Zawolo Zuogele,” Korlorblee revealed.
Since the beginning of February 2025 , religious crisis over same sex marriage and regionalization have become contentious issues in the UMC and has led to conflict coupled with schisms (divisions) affecting the UMC.
The split within the UMC Liberia Annual Conference has eventually given birth to the Global Methodist Church.
In recent times the UMC has been in the media for all the wrong reasons over same-sex marriage, regionalization and for a redefinition of what constitutes a marriage within the UMC.
Like in other breakaway UMC churches, this is creating serious concern among the members of Gompa UMC in Nimba and residents in the county.
However, the in-coming principal, former Representative Zuogele, explained that he was appointed by Bishop Quire to take over the school, but the outgoing principal has refuted the claim and refused to turn the office over to him .
“The outgoing principal is a member of the Global Methodist Church, and the Ganta Methodist High School is a property of Gompa UMC,” Zuogele justified.
“The bishop has made several changes, affecting the Gompa district superintendent , assistant station superintendent, Methodist high school principal, and others will follow later,” Zuogele pointed out .
At the Methodist School’s Campus, LNP officers were seen sitting at the door of the Gompa UMC station sub office in Gompa reportedly upon the order of the police authorities in Nimba.
When contacted via mobile phone, the Gompa UMC station superintendent Rev. Gilayeneh, confirmed the appointment of two superintendents but refused to further elaborate, claiming that she was in a staff meeting .
When also contacted via mobile phone about police presence on the Methodist School Campus, ACP Mendin Larmie, said the Gompa UMC station superintendent Gilayeneh and Ebenezer Belleh went into fist fight and that led to LNP intensifying its presence in the vicinity.
“We only intensify police presence to prevent further conflict; we never deployed police,” Larmie clarified.
The ongoing struggle over property ownership, regionalization, and LGBTQ inclusion within the UMC has reached a serious boiling point, leaving many in total disarray over the future of the church.
In a related development, the recent announcement that the 72nd breakaway congregation has formally descended upon the leadership of Bishop Quire has intensified the already fraught atmosphere within the denomination.
The church, which has been embroiled in controversy over its stance on LGBTQ rights, is now facing a significant challenge as factions within the church seek to claim ownership of properties and assets built by members’ offerings and tithes.
The breakaway movement within the UMC has gained momentum in recent months, fueled by deep divisions over theological interpretations and social issues, particularly regarding LGBTQ and regionalization inclusion.
As congregations struggle with the church’s official stance, many branches have opted to disaffiliate from the UMC, citing a desire for a more biblical and religious progressive approach to ministry.
In response to the ongoing saga, one of the breakaway churches, the 72nd Global Methodist Church (GMC) has publicly criticized the UMC leadership, accusing it of being driven by “greed and money.”
The church, through its senior pastor, Rev. L. Kenneth Jackson, on behalf of his congregations, expressed his frustration with the handling of the church’s property, regionalization and LGBTQ, something he attributed to bad leadership.
“The UMC has been destroyed by a focus on financial gain rather than spiritual growth as such, we can no longer be a part of a system that prioritizes wealth over the well-being of its members and biblical teaching,” he noted.
Rev. Jackson maintained, “We feel betrayed by the leadership of the UMC head in Bishop Quire. Some of us have been with this church through thick and thin, and to witness activities being run by one man is just sad for the Ministry.”
He further vehemently opposed any changes to the church’s traditional teachings, insisting that acceptance of LGBTQ individuals would compromise the church’s moral integrity, the laws of Liberia and an affront to God, the creator.
“We are at crossroads, and it is time that we must decide the fate of our noble Church because the church should be a place where we teach God’s word and do what is right in the sight of God, and not compromise our biblical beliefs.
So, moving forward, we will not be subjected to Bishop Quire’s Leadership, and we await his lawsuit because we are prepared to protect our church building that was built by this congregation’s offerings and tithes,” Rev. Jackson added.
In response, Bishop Quire made it clear that churches seeking to disaffiliate will not be permitted to take church properties with them because the structure belongs to the UMC.
Emphasizing that properties remain under the ownership of the UMC Liberia Conference, Bishop Quire asserted, “Disaffiliation with church properties is not applicable and will not be allowed under my leadership.”
Bishop Quire added, “Again, the properties belong to the United Methodist Church, and we will not allow them to be taken away simply because a group of individuals disagrees with our policies.”
