United Methodist General Conference April 2008

[chuck2pastor]

To my new Soulforce friends:
When I went to college, I became involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and the students there complained about the United Methodist Church. I went to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the students there bewailed the liberalism of the UMC. So have all the congregations I have served as pastor. After 25 years of serving the church that I grew up in, and where I found Jesus, I am not prepared to say about it that "Jesus has left the building." There are pockets of hope in the church as witnessed by those congregations and organizations who have identified themselves as "Reconciling". In reaction to our infamous judicial council decision saying that a pastor could deny a person membership because of being gay, a group called Grace for All was formed and I am a part of that group. At their last meeting a week ago, I came out to them and received support such as I thought was not possible.

I cannot see myself joining another denomination as pastor, unless it would be the UCC or MCC; no other denomination is as accepting of gays and lesbians on an official, denominian-wide scale. I am holding my breath to see what happens at the 2008 General Conference. It just might be time to switch denominations. Or perhaps for me to leave pastoral ministry.

[BenL]

Originally Posted by chuck2pastor

In reaction to our infamous judicial council decision saying that a pastor could deny a person membership because of being gay, a group called Grace for All was formed and I am a part of that group. At their last meeting a week ago, I came out to them and received support such as I thought was not possible.

I cannot see myself joining another denomination as pastor, unless it would be the UCC or MCC; no other denomination is as accepting of gays and lesbians on an official, denominian-wide scale. I am holding my breath to see what happens at the 2008 General Conference. It just might be time to switch denominations. Or perhaps for me to leave pastoral ministry.

Oh, Chuck, good news and bad all mixed up here in your post. But I must commend your willingness to stick it out and bring change from within. "Grace for All" is such an apt name for the group you describe. We all have to continuously remind ourselves that God's love is available free to all, no litmus test required. Good luck. We'll be praying both for the UMC as it gathers and the Soulforce witness/action.

[archyboi]

Hi,

I'm a member of First United Methodist Church of Conway, AR, in good standing. I am a life-long Methodist. I am a Wesleyan-Tillichian-Outlerian Methodist. I am a member of my church's Church and Society Committee. I am a member of the Arkansas Chapter of Methodist Federation for Social Action. I will be at General Conference as a representative for my MFSA Arkansas Chapter.

I wish to meet y'all at the Friday night get together. I'm looking forward to pitching in on the Action demonstrations. I wish to share my extensive knowledge too.

Let's start a on-going conversation.

[antonyh]

http://www.generalconference2008.org

Visit often! See you in Fort Worth, TX

[antonyh]

I wanted to share an article that Stephen Webster got published at the United Methodist site (a small miracle on it's own):

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/c...393&ct=5182207

Very powerful!

[andrewlittle]

A beautifully written commentary, Steven. I sent the link to Jenna so she can read it, too. It's much closer to home for her.

[BlueGirl]

Originally Posted by antonyh

I wanted to share an article that Stephen Webster got published at the United Methodist site (a small miracle on it's own):

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/c...393&ct=5182207

Very powerful!

Thank you very much for sharing that article with us. I've just made copies, one to send to the minister of the Methodist church that I've been a member of but am going to withdraw from and no longer attend (as well as any other church). He has no problem with my being gay but the Sunday school teachers evidently do. One of them, who claimed to be a friend, said I shouldn't tell anyone I'm gay. She'd ask me out to eat or shop once in a while when it suited her for some reason, most likely just to give her an ego boost (long story), then treat me like I was dirt under her feet or nothing at all until the next time. I guess she was afraid of what people might think if they knew I was gay and knew that she associated with me, even if it was only once in a blue moon.

BlueGirl

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

The Dallas Morning News ran the UM News Service Commentary that I wrote. It got alot of comments there from readers.

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/a...ual-viole.html

This Dallas Morning News article has a quote from me. Very good local story about Northhaven UM Church and a staff member who was a United Methodist pastor before she came out as lesbian.

http://www.dallasvoice.com/artman/pu...ticle_8688.php

The Fort Worth Star mentions us in broader article

http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_n...ry/592310.html

I worshiped this morning at a local United Church of Christ congregation in Fort Worth, First United Church of Christ. They are about to officially declare themselves "Open and Affirming."

Steven Webster
Now in Fort Worth for General Conference

[Emproph]

but I still have no idea as to the scope of its meaning.

IRD Endangers United Methodist Church By Joining Lawsuit
By Steven D. Martin
Mon Apr 21, 2008

This posting comes after about a month of research into the facts surrounding the GBCS's legal case, a matter of public record and of interest to all United Methodists. As I have been aware of the controversy around the GBCS's Methodist Building trust, I was stunned to discover that the IRD brought interveners to the matter. This action truly puts the church in peril.

This action represents a serious blow to the United Methodist Church. It almost guarantees that at the very least, UMC offerings will go to pay legal expenses rather than feeding hungry children in Sudan, Haiti, or any number of places around the world. This matter shows that the IRD is truly unconcerned with the mission of the church- it is only concerned with that mission's destruction.

[Steven E. Webster]

Originally Posted by Emproph

but I still have no idea as to the scope of its meaning.

IRD Endangers United Methodist Church By Joining Lawsuit
By Steven D. Martin
Mon Apr 21, 2008

Emproph, thanks for posting this. I try to keep up with Talk2Action.org.

The Institute for Religion and Democracy (IRD) is a Washington D.C. based, right-wing think tank that is very much behind the ongoing schism in the Episcopal Church, and they would like to accomplish the same mischief in the United Methodist Church.

The IRD board consists of Neoconservative, right-wing Catholics and Reconstructionists (Howard Ahmanson is a billionare who funded the Chalcedon Foundation for Rusdoony as well as the right-wing Anglicans in this country who are trying to tear apart the Episcopal Church.)

They want to quash any kind of "liberal" social justice work in the mainline churches. Their domestic politics fits right in with the Grover Norquist crowd. Their international politics is pro-Iraq War and pro-Neo-conservative, pro "American Empire". They especially want to discredit the strong pacifist tradition in the United Methodist Church.

Mark Tooley, mentioned in the article that you linked to, is IRD's point person on the United Methodist Church---he's a former CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) analyst.

Like Karl Rove, their main interest in LGBT folks is the usefulness of the "issue" to divide and conquer.

While I loved Mel White's book on "Religion Gone Bad," I don't believe he touched on this piece of the "vast right-wing conspiracy." Mel knows the right-wing Evangelicals. IRD represents the right-wing Catholics and their ties to the Evangelical wing of mainlline churches.

Steven Webster

[Emproph]

Originally Posted by Steven E. Webster

Mark Tooley, mentioned in the article that you linked to, is IRD's point person on the United Methodist Church---he's a former CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) analyst.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Soulforce has been a beautiful presence at the United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas as a part of a rainbow coalition of other LGBT United Methodist organizations and other progressive UM organizations. We are working well with allied groups and providing them some of our resources and experiences in nonviolence. I'm particularly enjoying working with Reconciling Minsitries Network and with Anthony who posts to this list (see elsewhere in this thread).

There was an important victory today. Moderate and Progressive candidates swept the Judicial Council elections! That means the United Methodist General Conference has thrown out the court that gave us the awful "Decision 1032" which summarily granted local church pastors the "sole authority" (without review by their District Superintendants and Bishops) to deny membership in the local church to LGBT persons.

Here's a link to a story: http://www.umnexus.org/?p=75

The 5-4 right-wing majority was turned out and now the court has an 8 to 1 majority of moderates and progressives.

NOW WE NEED A TEST CASE TO OVERTURN DECISION 1032! Or maybe the General Conference will yet pass new legislation that will nullify the effect of Decision 1032.

We still have the rest of this week before General Conference ends.

I'll try to keep you all posted.

Steven Webster

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Our adversaries brought alot of very negative petitions to the General Conference about transgender persons. We have had some of the best panels and workshops available on the transgender issue led by transgender people themselves. Soulforce sponsored one such event and the Reconciling Ministries the other. The events were coordinated and complemented one another. One was a press conference and the other a picnic.

The good news so far is that these negative petitions have been killed in committee. They could still raise their ugly heads in the plenary sessions, but, so far, things are going well. Keep us in your prayers.

If the United Methodist Church adopts negative language about transgender persons, I believe it would be the first major denomination to do so, and it would be a bad precedent for others to follow (not to mention an embarassment because it would reveal a great deal of ignorance.)

Steven Webster

[Emproph]

Avidly watching.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

We did not succeed in getting rid of the old clause "we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider it contrary to Christian teaching."

We did not succeed in introducing language that would legislatively reverse Decision 1032 which allows pastors to deny LGBT peple membership.

I spoke with a Methodist Bishop this evening who agreed with me that
we have probably won over a majority of U.S. delegates int he General Conference, but the number of delegates from Africa is large enough to throw elections towards more right-wing politics.'
I can't take much time to write now. We are, in fact, in negotiations with leadership of the General Conference concerning plans for direct action, possibly including arrests. These arrests could happen just several hours from now.

Please pray for us.

Steven Webster

[HarmlessEccentric]

I am praying for all of Soulforce's people in Texas. I've been following the progress of GC on the internet thanks to the streaming video, and I was deeply disheartened to watch our brothers from Africa saying such unkind things about us. Their world is so different from ours, and I don't know how to help them understand. But our cause is right, and so our victory, though too long delayed, is inevitable. Our opponents know that, too- even while they have the upper hand, they know that in the end, justice and fairness will prevail. Hang in there; my whole church is praying for Soulforce and Reconciling Ministries and their difficult work at the conference, and what you're doing is sowing seeds that will grow.

[glbt_equality]

Originally Posted by Steven E. Webster

Friends,

We did not succeed in getting rid of the old clause "we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider it contrary to Christian teaching."

We did not succeed in introducing language that would legislatively reverse Decision 1032 which allows pastors to deny LGBT peple membership.

I spoke with a Methodist Bishop this evening who agreed with me that
we have probably won over a majority of U.S. delegates int he General Conference, but the number of delegates from Africa is large enough to throw elections towards more right-wing politics.'
I can't take much time to write now. We are, in fact, in negotiations with leadership of the General Conference concerning plans for direct action, possibly including arrests. These arrests could happen just several hours from now.

Please pray for us.

Steven Webster

This just breaks my heart, Stephen, I know they told us not to expect any change, but admit my hopes were soaring after Monday's news that five pro-gay judiciary members had been elected, and that the IRC had lost several positions. Now I'm wishing that I could have somehow stayed long enough to help with today's action. I would be proud to be arrested for such a noble cause.

Please know that we'll be praying for you!

And take heart that change is always slow. Gerrit Smith, at the 1870 Conference, wrote about Methodists who had spoken out in favor of slavery at the 1836 Conference:

"How wide and evil the influence of such an insanely pro-slavery General Conference as that in Cincinnati in 1836! Scarcely less so that of the pro-slavery words spoken, at subsequent periods, by such eminent and authoritative Methodists as Dr. Olin, Bishop Soule, Dr. Bond and Bishop Hedding - one of whom went so far as to say that a man's being a slaveholder should not be allowed to disqualify him for being a bishop, and another of whom positively declined putting a motion, which simply declared shivery to be a moral evil." (The Methodist Convention of 1870: Who wrote that last resolution? How came it to be adopted? Thanks to Syracuse University Library, Special Collections Research Center, Gerrit Smith Broadside and Pamphlet Collection.)

The writing is on the wall. This spiritual violence (which inevitably gives license to physical violence) must surely end. And someday soon, those who supported it will not be remembered kindly.

With great love and affection - Troy Carlyle

[nmwolfboy]

Steven, thanks for the updates. i am saddened that GC hasn't gone a different way, but at least the balance of the court has improved, and folks from the IRD have lost ground.

Finding that we continue to be strongly held up as scapegoats is also saddening. It certainly is a "crucified place", as the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church has named it.

i formally withdrew from membership in the UMC several years ago, principally because of the stance on homosexuality. i continue to pray for those who remain and work for the change to which they discern that the Spirit is calling the church.

The UMC, the Episcopal Church where i now belong, the Presbyterian Church within which my cousin's widow serves as a pastor, indeed the church catholic - the struggles and challenges are so similar.

Thanks again for the updates-

pax-
scott

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

(If you scroll all the way to the end of this message, I provide a link to video of the direct action we undertook with our allies at General Conference this morning.)

Last night we all went to bed expecting that a selected delegation of twelve of us would prepare to be arrested at the end of a direct action at General Conference this morning. We've been meeting with a crisis team of Bishops, Conference officials and a professional mediator almost every day for most of the last two weeks. The night before last we had a training in Soulforce principles by Soulforce staff Bill Carpenter and Equality Rider Alexy Bulokhov.

Suddenly, this morning, we had a break through. We had prepared a list of twelve volunteers from the allied groups at General Conference who were ready for arrest at the end of our direct action. The Bishops on the team proposed that rather than having our direct action end in arrests, they would bring forward twelve bishops who would begin a series of on-going meetings with twelve of our representatives to dialogue about our grievances in order to seek reconciliation and justice.

It seems, so far, that they will acknowledge that there were irregularities or mistakes in the conduct of the plenary during the debate related to our issues. There has already been some preliminary reporting out of the group of twelve plus twelve. The Bishops (in the United Methodist Church) do not have authority to fix all of our problems, only General Conference can do that. But they can provide powerful leadership and witness towards reconciliation and justice.

The direct action which is depicted in the video linked below was made possible by the willingness of our Bishops to use their authority to make it possible.

You will find a link titled "homosexuality witness" on this page:
http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1Lt...and_Sounds.htm

Steven Webster
in Fort Worth, Texas

[glbt_equality]

Originally Posted by Steven E. Webster

Friends,

(If you scroll all the way to the end of this message, I provide a link to video of the direct action we undertook with our allies at General Conference this morning.)

Steven Webster
in Fort Worth, Texas

Wow - this video is amazing, and I'm heartened by the news. I'm going to share it with the East Texas community through my website, too. Maybe all these prayers are doing some good after all!

You have all our love, support and fond wishes, Troy