United Methodist Judical Council Meets

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Anyone else out there following this story?

http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIu...ent_groups.htm

It would be a serious set back for LGBT Christians if this largest of "mainline" Protestant denominations makes the denial of church membership to LGBT persons a regular feature of church law and practice.

Those of us involved in Soulforce actions directed towards the United Methodist Church need to be thinking about a response. How do we continue to move forward when the church is going backwards?

Steven Webster

[Steven E. Webster]

Here's a link to the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA).

http://www.mfsaweb.org/

They led a direct action at the United Methodist Judicial Council this past few days urging the Council to reconsider their decision #1032 allowing United Methodist pastors to exclude LGBT persons from membership.

Although MFSA has not always had the smoothest of relationships to Soulforce, it appears that they are more and more taking up the methods of Gandhi and King. Good for them! Soulforce obviously can't do it all.

The next United Methodist General Conference will be about two years from now. If the Judicial Council does not reverse its decision #1032, there will certainly be a big struggle over the issue of membership of LGBT persons in the United Methodist Church (UMC). The United Methodist Church is a "mainline" Protestant denomination like the United Church of Christ (UCC). It would be a shame to seen the mainline Protestants go two different directions: the UCC to greater inclusion and the UMC towards exclusion and more Fundamentalist control.

Steven Webster

[Steven E. Webster]

Here's a link to a good opinion piece:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...n/14445762.htm

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,
Either Monday or Tuesday May 1st or 2nd the United Methodist Judicial Council will announce it's decision on a motion to reconsider decision 1032. If they vote to reconsider, than there may be further proceedings later this year. Or they may make an immediate decision either to set-aside or to uphold their decision no. 1032. Please pray for those of us who are United Methodist!

[keltic63]

I've been reading this Steven and thinking about a response. So far, I have nothing to offer. I do want you to know that this thread isn't being ignored.


and of course, prayer is good, you've got that from me.

[Vanessa White]

Hi Steven: I also would like you to know that I have been reading your posts and following a little bit. I am feeling rather powerless right now, however. My family and I just made an active choice to join a Methodist church two years ago, believing that they were an embracing denomination. It almost feels too close to consider how that could be damaged for us. Haven't really known how to post before today. I will follow the coverage of what is decided or upheld by the council. Prayers for all, Methodists and non alike. Peace be with you all, my friends, Vanessa

[keltic63]

I find it interesting that this is not being discussed on the UMC discussion boards.

[suzer1013]

I'm sure it will be discussed, once a decision is rendered.

I have left the UMC, with the November Judicial Council decision being one of the primary reasons. Like Vanessa, I had joined thinking it was an embracing church. I haven't read the boards here or over at UMC lately -- just checked them today. I've been feeling a need to protect myself from all of this lately -- it just hurts too much. In fact, I think I'm distancing myself from Christianity or any organized religion altogether -- there's just too much pain involved for me.

Still, my curiosity gets the better of me, so I'll be keeping an eye on things at least for a while.

I'm so glad some Soulforce voices were added to the discussion on the UMC boards -- it makes them a bit more bearable.

Love to all....

Susan

[awediot]

Suzer1013,
I do understand the need to distance... please though, keep in mind the difference of distancing from organized religion, Christians, and Christianity all together... They are quite different things. Ya know baby/bathwater, nose/face thing...

Jesus save me from your followers...

[NathanATX]

Originally Posted by keltic63

I find it interesting that this is not being discussed on the UMC discussion boards.

I fixed that.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,
Here's the decision just posted.

http://archives.umc.org/interior_jud...N=1001&EN=1042

As you read the decision and the dissent you will see that our United Methodist Judicial Council is bitterly divided as is the whole denomination. From the signatures, it looks like it was a 5-4 decision (9 voting members of the Judicial Council.

This will be the big battle leading up to the next General Conference.

I have some ideas for a direct action that individuals might take involving exposing oneself to a church trial. Lay persons are also subject to church trials in the United Methodist Church although such trials have been very rare for the last century (I don't know of any, as a matter of fact).

Are there any members of the United Methodist Church in this forum? What are your reactions? Ideas?

Steven Webster

[Vanessa White]

I am a member, although only in the last two years. I am extremely disappointed and saddened by this. I don't have any ideas right now, I feel personally rejected by the church itself, although our pastor has been a tremendous force in helping us to feel welcome in our congregation. I really feel numb about what to do or say.

[suzer1013]

Well, then, it looks like I made the right decision in January to leave the United Methodist Church. I am not one of the strong ones who can stay and fight for GLBT rights. I just want to belong to a church where I am not called sinful because of who I love, and where a pastor does not have the right to deny membership because of who I love.

At this point, church (any church) is not where I find God, or Jesus' teachings. I find that when I look at the ocean and the sky, when I do a kindness unto others, when someone does a kindness unto me. I find God in the trees, in the veins of a leaf, in the laugh of a baby, in the wind, and in the perfectness of a seashell. I don't need the UMC or any church to tell me my worth. The UMC should be embarrassed and ashamed of its actions, and the actions of some of its members.

Susan

[NathanATX]

I am so ticked off.

[Vanessa White]

I agree with Susan that I define my relationship with God and Jesus Christ on the beauty that is around me every day. But I also appreciated being part of a church community that welcomed me along with my family. A part of me believes that knowing the church feels this way sends a message to our daughter that we are devalued as a family in some way. This is really painful.......

[keltic63]

even with the dissenting opinion, which most people will never see (for lack of knowledge that it even exists) the message that is being sent is clear to LGBT people (and others, I'm sure) "You're not welcome here!"

Yes, I know there are groups, churches, organizations, and individuals in the UMC who are welcoming and affirming, but the OFFICIAL word is "Membership is for a select few, and definitely not 'your kind'." Very sad, indeed.

[suzer1013]

Oh, and yes, when I post expressing my sorrow on the UMC message boards, once again scripture is thrown at me and I am mocked. How on earth can these people consider themselves Christians?

Thank you, Keltic, for your response over there.

I really am not sure I would make a good Soulforce member. It is very hard for me to see the humanity in these people, let alone find any kind of love in my heart for them.

They will NOT make me cry. (But they already have )

Susan

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,
I refer you to my blog at www.morevile.blogspot.com.

There I've just published my take on the Judicial Council decision. I believe this may be an "opportunity" for voluntary redemptive suffering. That is a serious matter. Anyone want to dicuss how one would approach the current situation in the United Methodist Church using the principles of Soulforce?

Steven Webster

[suzer1013]

Steven -- I really enjoyed your blog. My brain is on overload right now (it is not so hard to get to that point lately ), so I'm not sure I have a good response. As for me, I'm in so much pain right now, I can't imagine putting myself in a place to go through a church trial. There are certainly plenty of churches in Georgia that would be willing to serve me up on a silver platter, so to speak.

Wow. It would take someone much stronger than I to do that, and they would have my ultimate love and respect. I got an e-mail from the MFSA today, which had some suggestions on action to take. Did you get that one from them? Perhaps it's a place to start.

I'm afraid I am at the point of "running away" altogether from religion -- it's just the space I'm in. I feel rather guilty about it, too. I once thought I could help work toward a solution (which is how I found out about Soulforce), but now I'm not so sure about that. I feel too weak. Perhaps I just need a good long break.

Do you know whatever happened with the letter written by the 75 GLBT pastors to the Judicial Council? I'm wondering what impact, if any, that has had.

Susan

[Vanessa White]

Steven: Although the realities of it are difficult to consider, reading your blog gave me additional information about what this all means. I did mistakenly believe, that, since I have a progressive, embracing pastor, that my family and I would be free of any problems with this directly, although the decision itself was disturbing about the church in general. So, now that I know that my pastor cannot protect me from removal, if a trial were to result in that, I only see my options as leaving the church, and stating fully my reasons for doing so, or to go forward in redemptive suffering, and become fully involved in the process of educating others within the church of the realities of being a gay person and loved by God in the same sentence. The latter holds a tremendous emotional risk for me, because my partner believes that we are sinners by being gay anyway (talk about your polar opposites) and I know without a doubt that she would not even want to publicly admit to being a lesbian, let alone willingly participate in a trial or redemptive suffering. I need many thoughtful prayers on this from whomever is watching and reading. Susan, I hear you clearly about taking a break, and a part of me feels much the same way. But, I have our eight year old child to consider and what kind of message I need to send her to carry her into adulthood. I am so grateful for all of you here, I kind of feel like I can go forward with most anything if I can rely on this support system. Vanessa