At the 2026 Indiana Annual Conference, clergy and lay representatives from across the state voted by an overwhelming majority to affirm a statement supporting all families — and objecting to Governor Mike Braun's proclamation designating June as "Nuclear Family Month."

For those unfamiliar with how the Indiana Conference operates, annual conference is not simply a gathering where budgets and finances are approved. It is the primary decision-making body of the conference. Clergy and elected lay members gather from churches across Indiana to worship, conduct business, and vote on motions and resolutions that express how the Church understands and lives out its faith in the world.

This year, among several resolutions adopted by the conference, delegates overwhelmingly passed the motion to approve the following statement.

Statement in Support of All Families

The Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church objects to Gov. Braun's proclamation of June as Nuclear Family Month. The United Methodist Social Principles state that the Church views families as our society's foundational community where faith and human development are nurtured.

Gov. Braun states in this proclamation, announced on the first day of Pride Month, that a family consisting of a husband, wife and children make up the family structure as designed by God. The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church affirms families in all their diverse forms. We recognize the gifts of marriage and children, as well as the gifts and struggles of single parents. As a church, we offer each individual and every family, regardless of their family structure, our love and support. As Paul points out in Romans 13:10, Love is the fulfillment of the Law.

We also recognize that not every person is able or called to have children, and we celebrate the families they form with their partners and friends. The Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church recognizes that families with children go far beyond what Gov. Braun has decided is the God-designed man, woman and child. Traditional families, as well as those with two moms, two dads or other combinations of families and friends are all families the Church acknowledges and celebrates — and who God loves.

Gov. Braun states he wants to strengthen families. As a Church, we agree that all families deserve love, support and strengthening. This includes the services he demonizes in his proclamation as "welfare programs," which is short for life-saving public programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, child care vouchers, Head Start programs, and other vital systems and services. Loving families includes loving those in poverty, those with disabilities, those who are aging — all of us. Strengthening families should involve adequate funding for the systems and services they depend upon to thrive.

We urge United Methodists and all Hoosiers to speak boldly against any attempt to marginalize the many Hoosiers and families who fall outside of Gov. Braun's description of nuclear families. Finally, the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church would like to state unequivocally that every Hoosier, and every Hoosier family, are beloved by God and valued citizens of our state.

For some, a statement like this may seem political. Within the Methodist tradition, however, speaking about social issues is not a departure from our faith — it is an expression of it.

The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church are rooted in a long-standing belief that love of God and love of neighbor cannot be separated. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, rejected the idea that personal faith should be disconnected from the realities people face in daily life. Methodists have historically advocated for education, healthcare, workers' rights, care for the poor, and the dignity of every person — because we believe that personal holiness and social holiness belong together.

The Statement in Support of All Families was one of several motions and resolutions approved during the 2026 Indiana Annual Conference. Other approved resolutions addressed:

• The rejection of Christian nationalism
• Support for the rights and freedoms of people with disabilities
• Standing with immigrant neighbors
• Advocating for fair and safe immigration reform
• Protecting unaccompanied immigrant children

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