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[[Image:United.jpg|thumb|right|300px| The cross and flame emblem is United Methodism's official symbol]]

[[Image:United.jpg|thumb|right|300px| The cross and flame emblem is United Methodism's official symbol]]

The '''United Methodist Church''', ('''UMC''') the largest [[Methodism|Methodist]] denomination, was formed from numerous mergers of American churches dating back to the 18th century. The Methodist Episcopal Church split North and South in 1844 over the slavery issue. They reunited in 1939 (and included the small Methodist Protestant Church) to form the "The Methodist Church (USA)." In 1968 it merged with the historically-German Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church.  

The '''United Methodist Church''', ('''UMC''') the largest [[Methodism|Methodist]] denomination, and the largest [[Mainline]] Protestant denomition in the U.S. It was formed from numerous mergers of American churches dating back to the 18th century. The Methodist Episcopal Church split North and South in 1844 over the slavery issue. They reunited in 1939 (and included the small Methodist Protestant Church) to form the "The Methodist Church (USA)." In 1968 it merged with the historically-German Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church.  

In the United States, it ranks as the second largest Protestant church (8 million and 1.5 million more worldwide).     

In the United States, it ranks as the second largest Protestant church (8 million and 1.5 million more worldwide).