I think many Methodist churches and facilities are built and owned by the United Methodist church as a whole. So I could see some problem with an individual member church wanting to break away and take an asset with it (though the money should not be the primary concern of the larger church organization).
I grew up Methodist in GA back in the 60’s and 70’s, but I have been a non-denominational Bible-based church constituent for many decades since then.
Church politics are sad. It takes so much away from the real message. Non-denoms that own their own facilities seem to get that.
It is the primary concern here, millions in endowments and real estate flowing to a smaller far-left leadership and to lefty ministers who are driving their own churches into the ground.
In my neck of the woods the Methodists built everything on their own, made repairs, one 100 year old church remodeled only to be told after they decided to leave and become indpendent that the Methodist counsel or whoever is in charge in the state would rather see the building become a “coon hunters barn” than another church. They couldn’t afford to buy it back even tho they paid for everything so they disbanded. Late last year one Methodist Church in a small town in our area had to pay the Methodists $85,000 to remain in their building even tho they personally as a congregation paid for it all. I call it evil.
“I think many Methodist churches and facilities are built and owned by the United Methodist church as a whole.”
The UMC follows the Catholic model in that local churches are built and paid for by the local congregations/parishes while the denomination typically holds the title and ownership.
In Fresno there was the case of St. Luke’s Church where the congregation had built the church and then leased it to the UMC while retaining ownership. When the congregation voted to leave the UMC the UMC tried to seize the property arguing that they ‘traditionally’ had this right even if they didn’t actually hold title.
In a rare correct ruling the California Supreme Court found that the congregation held the title and that the apostates and heretics of the UMC could go pound sand.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/high-court-decides-breakaway-church-can-keep-property.html