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Local members react to major church vote on same-sex marriage, gay clergy

On Tuesday night after days of debate, the United Methodist Church stood firm in its position that gays should not be able to serve as clergy, and the church will not perform same-sex wedding ceremonies.

The reaction was swift across the country following the vote in St. Louis by nearly 900 worldwide church leaders.

"I'm so disappointed," said Sherilyn Brewer, who's been a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church since she was a child.

Her family helped found the congregation, which is now on Celanese Road in Rock Hill.

[United Methodist Church on edge of breakup over LGBT stand]

On Wednesday, she hung a rainbow banner on the church sign for everyone to see.

"We want people driving by to know, ‘If you're looking for a church that will open their arms to you, this is where you want to be,’" she said.

That's a message that may become more difficult for the 12 million-member church to promote after the vote at the conference.

In a close vote, the United Methodist Church decided it will keep language that says the practice of homosexuality is not compatible with Christian teaching.

Lauren Adams, who is church secretary at Aldersgate, told Channel 9 the vote didn't surprise her, but she had hoped for a different outcome.

"As part of my generation, I don't understand why gays should be treated any differently than heterosexual people," she said.

Steve Holler, who pastors the church, called the decision heartbreaking.

"There are tears in my eyes today for my denomination. We've always been big enough to accept and love everyone. Now we're facing this," he said. "We're called to love everyone from God, down to our enemies. Name someone who doesn't fit that list."

The St. Louis conference was held to deal with this single issue. The role of the LGBTQ community in mainline Christian churches has been a battle for years.

Joe Long, who oversees nearly 70 United Methodist congregations in four South Carolina counties, said the decision was made after a respectful debate and prayer and the message of the church hasn't changed.

"All people -- heterosexual and homosexual -- all people are of sacred worth, created in the image of God, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is for everybody," he said.

Church leaders in Rock Hill believe if the vote only included the U.S. Church leadership, the outcome would have been different. However, it's a worldwide vote and differing views on homosexuality in other nations made the difference.

It's not clear when the church might take up the issue again. However, local United Methodist leaders said its a lengthy process to call such a conference. They wouldn't speculate on whether the church might split over the decision.