Next May, Clara Ester of Mobile will join hundreds of other United Methodist delegates in Portland, Ore., for what some observers say could be a pivotal general conference for the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination.

As they have for the past several conferences, delegates are expected to reconsider the United Methodist Church's stance on homosexuality, which says that the practice is inconsistent with Christian teachings and that clergy may not perform gay marriages. The 20-plus delegates from south Alabama and west Florida will present a resolution -- suggested by a Montgomery-area congregation and approved at the regional conference last week -- that calls on the national body to maintain the status quo.

"We are divided, but I think the majority of the Alabama-West Florida Conference lay and clergy support where the (Book of) Discipline is," said Ester. The 67-year-old African-American is proud of her belief in social justice, which was honed by 38 years of running a community center in Mobile.

Ester says she continues to discern her personal beliefs regarding gay ordination and marriage. "I'm praying over that," she said.

While it makes headlines, homosexuality is just one of several issues exposing the widening gap between United Methodists who call themselves "traditionalists" and those who call themselves "progressives." Last year, one group called for an amicable parting of ways in the denomination.

"The sexual orientation issue has become a lightning rod for discontent on other issues in the church," said Rev. Will Willimon, a former bishop for the North Alabama Conference who teaches Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School. "Both sides spend a lot of time criticizing bishops and saying that if bishops would do the right thing, we wouldn't be having this problem."

But a split? Willimon doesn't see it.

"Methodism has gone through dozens of departures where groups have exited from the mainstream ... over issues like slavery and bishops and their power," he said. "I'm thinking a major division is not going to happen, mostly for financial property reasons. Any group exiting would face having to leave behind lots of resources."

There may be reasons for groups to leave, but homosexuality shouldn't be one of them, Willimon said. "This is just not a major issue in the Christian faith. It's never been a major issue," he said. "In fact, it's embarrassing in places like Alabama and North Carolina -- people arguing on the basis of sexual orientation that it's a violation of my religious freedom."

"I just think it would be sad if our church split over this issue."

Willimon said he'd rather see a "local option" on gay marriage - a proposal that was shot down by both sides at the last general conference in 2014. "I'd argue that if a group of Methodists in California needed something that strengthened their mission and their location, why does that threaten Methodists in Alabama?" he said.

Rev. Don Woolley, district missioner for the Mobile District, describes next year's conference as "a pivotal year" and a local option as "not very likely." He says that United Methodists are "log-jammed ideologically" - much like Congress.

Another solution that has been suggested is dividing the denomination into jurisdictions by ideology rather than geography.

"It's a both/and kind of thing. It would at least allow us to move forward," Woolley said.

But he added: "A much greater challenge is our lack of missional effectiveness - reaching people for Christ. If either side wins, that challenge remains."

United Methodism is growing outside the U.S., especially in Africa, where membership rose by more than a million from 2012 to 2013 and views tend to be socially conservative. However, membership continues to erode in the U.S., where it fell from 7.44 million in 2012 to 7.34 million in 2013. That compares with 7.72 million members in 2009.

The south Alabama and west Florida conference reflects that slide. According to last week's statistician's report, membership fell from 141,989 in 2013 to 139,918 in 2014. Average attendance at weekly worship dipped 2 percent.

"The Methodist Church is hemorrhaging membership," said Willimon. "We've lost about 25 percent of our strength in the past 30 years, and we're getting ready to have massive losses, because the average Methodist is 60 years old.

"Those losses won't be due to this debate. They'll be due to people dying," he said.

Rev. Robin Wilson, co-senior pastor at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church in Mobile, is part of the clergy delegation headed for Portland next year. Wilson said that "despite, our disagreements, we are united in mission and ministry to share the good news of Jesus Christ with a hurting world."

Ester, the lay delegate, echoed that sentiment. "I'm convinced that people are out there in the world waiting for us to come," she said. "In spite of the negatives I've seen, it's the most wonderful institution - the only denomination I can truly say I feel a part of."