CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — During the United Methodist Church’s Legislative Conference last week, the church voted to remove several restrictions it had on members of the LGBTQ community, including language in its laws which has stood since 1972 and said “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

The decision passed 523 to 161 and came among other similar decisions by leaders which included the removal of a ban on the ordination of homosexual clergy and the to allow clergy to perform same-sex weddings.

West Virginia Bishop Sandra Ball emphasized in an update on social media that individual pastors will continue to decide who they want to perform marriage ceremonies for, and that churches will continue to decide what kind of weddings are held in their buildings.

12 News spoke with Pastor Michael Atkinson at the First United Methodist Church in Clarksburg to hear his thoughts on the change in policy.

“The removing of the restrictive language gives the freedom of the clergy and the church to make decisions based on who they are and what they believe,” Pastor Atkinson said.

Pastor Atkinson said his own beliefs on the place of LGBTQ people in the church was “something he had to wrestle with over a period of time.” He said his beliefs were really challenged when he befriended a choir director who happened to be homosexual.

“Can God use people who are gay to build God’s kingdom? What I saw and witnessed was that people were growing closer to God as a result of his ministry. And that in it of itself said to me that God definitely can use people who identify as LGBTQ,” Pastor Atkinson said. 

Pastor Atkinson said that the Sunday after the legislative conference was a significant one for him. “It was the first time in my ministry I felt as though the church could truly be gracious to all people,” he said.