GREENSBORO, N.C. — Two historically black Methodist denominations may become one body in 2004 if a merger plan is approved by both churches.
The Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church have been flirting with a merger for more than 100 years. Now, officials in both churches say God has told them it is time to finally get together.
Representatives met in Louisville last month, and the unity plan will be presented to the AMEZ Church when it meets in Greensboro, N.C., July 26–Aug. 4. The two churches would have a combined membership of more than 2 million.
If the agreement is approved by the AMEZ convention, and ratified by two-thirds of its regional conferences, the plan wil be presented to the meeting of the CME church in 2002. The plan would have to be adopted by that convention, and then by two-thirds of its regional conferences.
Both churches will be meeting in Charlotte, N.C., in 2004 and could officially merge then.
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