At the foot of Collector?s Hill there?s a small congregation which embraces the beliefs and shares the same core values as US President George W. Bush.

The Centenary Methodist Church family which numbers about 80, has broken a lifetime affiliation with the Wesleyan Methodist Church and joined the United Methodist Church (UMC) ? President Bush?s church.

The Wesleyan Methodist Church is part of the United Church of Canada and Centenary is now aligned with the United Methodist Church ? the American version.

The move came as the congregation said they felt the erosion of their traditional values and themes.

?They are less liberal than the United Church of Canada,? said Centenary church member Gail Daniels.

?Many of the Methodist churches that were part of the Bermuda Synod have been unhappy with the direction of theological issues ? homosexuality and many other practices or trends,? said church member Valerie Pethen.

Trends like ?the widespread usage of inclusive language?.

Mrs. Pethen explained that members are uncomfortable with the move of the United Church of Canada away from referring to God as He and insistence that ?He? be referred to as ?mother/father God?.

?We are a small congregation,? she said. ?We have struggled but we are firm in our Christian and Biblical beliefs.?

There were also issues of leadership and support Mrs. Pethen said many members felt were lacking from the United Church of Canada.

She said that UMC is more structured. ?It is headed by a Bishop and there is more guidance, resources and support. The bishop has been here twice already this year,? she said.

Mrs. Pethen and Mrs. Daniels were both adamant that they bear no animosity towards Wesleyan Methodists. ?We are still Methodists and still embrace our brothers and sisters who have remained with UCC and I?m sure we will be doing some things together,? Mrs. Pethen said.

The decision to switch affiliations was also a legal matter for Centenary and Mrs. Pethen said the church completed that process last year. She said at that time they were free to change affiliations, remain as they were or become independent.

But members followed the route taken by Marsden Methodist Church four years ago and joined the Baltimore Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church.

This Conference has over 700 churches.

Joining this large community carries new benefits for the local churches.

?We should have a lot more access to ministers,? she said. ?Being a larger church there are a lot more facilities for training. It (UMC) has missions all over the world and an emergency response centre.?

Mrs. Daniels pointed out that through the emergency centre the church was able to provide direct assistance for victims of the hurricane in Florida.

?When Hurricane Fabian happened here they sent assistance through Marsden? she said.

Centenary will begin its new existence tomorrow with their new minister Rev. Dr. Edwin DeLong who arrived on Tuesday with his wife Lee. The morning service is at 11 a.m.

For several months Pastor Joseph Whalen of Marsden and Major Lindsay Rowe of The Salvation Army have ministered to the small Centenary congregation.

?We will now have our own pastor and he will work with Pastor Whalen,? said Mrs. Pethen.

?We are looking forward to a fresh start and phenomenal growth. We are so happy all the acrimony is behind us.?