George and Laura Bush support Highland Park UMC in disaffiliation dispute

Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush have publicly supported their longtime congregation, Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, following its recent vote to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church (UMC). A spokesperson for the couple confirmed that both participated in the congregational vote and expressed gratitude toward lead pastor the Rev. Matt Tuggle for his leadership during the ongoing conflict.

The vote to leave the denomination occurs amidst active litigation between the church and the UMC Horizon Texas Conference. The regional conference has challenged the validity of the disaffiliation, with Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. appointing a new pastor and reassigning Tuggle. Despite this, the church continues to recognize Tuggle as its senior minister.

The legal dispute centers on allegations from the conference that the church attempted to unilaterally sever ties by amending its bylaws in 2022 to remove references to the UMC. Highland Park leadership maintains that these changes were legally valid under Texas law and has filed a counterclaim seeking the dismissal of the conference's lawsuit. Highland Park, founded in 1916, remains one of the largest congregations in the region, reporting over 5,000 regular attendees.