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On February 18, 2023, the delegates from the Virginia Annual Conference convened to approve the disaffiliation agreements of 34 churches that had completed the process for disaffiliation per paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline. At the beginning of the Conference, a resolution was submitted to suspend all disaffiliations until after the 2024 General Conference on the basis of perceived misinformation shared with the churches. The resolution did not pass and the Conference delegates considered the agreement of all 34 churches.

Of the 34 churches, 33 were approved, including Hopewell Methodist Church. New Town UMC in Williamsburg was pulled from the list of 34 churches to be considered separately. After a passionate debate between the conference delegates, the pastor, and the Lay Delegate of New Town UMC, the conference delegates voted 56% - 44% against the disaffiliation agreement for New Town UMC.