Hope in the Midst of Pain

by T.C. Morrow

I went to Tampa with an eye toward hope wherever it might be found. I had a great conversation on one of my flights down, I ran into fellow Wesley Seminary alums that I wasn't expecting to see, and I had the privilege to welcome people arriving to Sunday's Love Your Neighbor worship service with Dr. James Cone preaching. There was great music, fellowship, worship and good news in some of the legislative action, like support for the DREAM Act.

Yet in the midst of such positive points there was a lot of pain.

We must name the wrongs and the harm that have come from keeping the status quo in the Book of Discipline on language describing “homosexuality.” We must lament and we must call out for justice. But we are also an Easter people. From the midst of unfathomable pain comes new life. As I sat in the Tampa airport waiting for my flight home, I read an email stating hope that the time at the General Conference will provide renewed energy for BWARM, the Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling United Methodists. I know the experience, as exhausting as it was, has given me renewed energy for equipping welcoming spaces for ALL to hear the gospel and to be in life sustaining Christian community. It may be too soon for many, but I kept looking for points of hope throughout my week in Tampa.

Though pained that the General Conference could not agree to state that we the people of the United Methodist Church do not agree about homosexuality, I do find great hope in the fact that Rev. Adam Hamilton and Rev. Michael Slaughter proposed the amendment and spoke to it. I am sure that they have each taken some heat after their speeches on the floor on Thursday and I hold each in prayer.

On Thursday after the General Conference failed to pass the Hamilton amendment and failed to pass removing the “incompatible with Christian teaching” language, a group of advocates for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in the United Methodist Church gathered around the communion table on the floor of the General Conference, sang "What Does the Lord Require of You, " and shared communion together. I joined the group and sang and sang. I can't carry a tune, but I can be present. Taking communion in that space, in spite of the votes that had just occurred, was very Spirit-filled for me.

I pray that this witness that occurred at the end of the Thursday morning session, and other events like Dr. Cone’s sermon, the Love Your Neighbor luncheons (videos at http://gc12.org/blog/) and the Friday Altar for All event, may give hope to thousands of gay and lesbian United Methodists, and our allies, across the world who are in deep disappointment. It is okay to be disappointed. It is okay to be hurt. But I pray that none settle into despair. We are an Easter people. Hang onto the moments of hope you had, whether you were in Tampa, watching online or receiving updates on Twitter. Those moments of hope will enliven our own ministries within our local congregations and indeed empower the Common Witness Coalition’s efforts for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the life and ministry of the United Methodist Church.

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T.C. Morrow is a member of BWARM (Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling United Methodists) and Foundry UMC in Washington, DC. She is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary and is passionate about interfaith collaboration for social justice.

A Moment of Personal Privilege

by Stephanie Gottschalk

Listen to the full message here.

My name is Stephanie Gottschalk, I am 31 years old and a first-time delegate to General Conference, I love you, and I believe in the value of your voice. I came here charged to employ that belief in holy conference.

I came to general conference in order to hear other voices, share my own and to be in Holy Conferencing. While here, I have been captivated by the beautiful visions that I have seen at the 2012 General Conference. We've dreamed dreams of a church that addresses the changing needs of our world. We have talked of a time when our church empowers the voices of the the young and marginal.

I have been captivated by the visions for our future painted by this General Conference. We dream of a church that addresses the changing needs of our world. We talk of a time when our church will empower the young and the marginalized. We all yearn for meaningful change. As a young person I came to this holy conference with you, so that together we could discern the changes that will make these visions real.

I am happy to say that through the many conversations that I have had with other young people, I have discovered this to be true. I have made many friends with people who look like me and don't look like me, from around the world. I have experienced powerful worship services and have had even more powerful holy moments. I have also had deep conversations with people that I have agreed to disagree with.

Yet General Conference has also opened my eyes to a painful reality.

The pain of coming to the table with a heart open to listen and finding closed-door meetings, manipulation of the process, and systematic ageism. I feel betrayed by what I have witnessed. The lack of integrity in a system in which important and SACRED work is done. Fear and mistrust have led to actions which, in turn, breed more fear and mistrust.

I have heard of specific and repeated behaviors dismissing, intimidating and disempowering many, but especially young people.

In committee work, a few young people were ignored when they asked questions. Others have been told they cannot understand legislation because it is too complex. After being kept away from the conversation surrounding restructure, young people were pressured to endorse legislative compromises that they were not invited to help draft.

However, I am most upset that we will be forever be known as the General Conference, which on Wednesday, adopted a restructure plan that takes away all guaranteed youth and young adult voices from it's most central committee.

This isn't right. It isn't right, it isn't just and it isn't holy...

I love you. I love Jesus, and I love the United Methodist Church. I am not saying these truths because I'm disenfranchised or giving up. I'm saying these things because I care and becuase I'm not leaving.

To all of you who have listened, comforted and supported us when we have been hurt, you are our heroes... Thank you.

...But to change this system... we need more.

We need you to be our champions: We need you to stand up for the  underrepresented of our church family when you see things happening that aren't right. We need you to trust us with the gospel that you shared with us; calling out unjust behaviors when you witness them and to consider your own assumptions about the young people you encounter. By doing this work together we can start living into being the holy body of Christ.

Bishop, can you please pray for this body, for those who have been harmed, and especially for those of us who have hurt others here.

Though she ran out of time, she tweeted her suggestions on how to better include young people and make holy conferenceingactuallyhappen.

1. Be intentional about nominating (youth, young laity, young clergy) 4 general boards, agencies, jurisdictional committees.

2. Name behaviors, injustices, absences, and misunderstandings that you witness in others and in the church.

3. Be mindful & aware of your own assumptions & behaviors about others, including young people. Does it build up or tear down?

Please share online & face to face w/others. We truly need young leaders in practice in order to live fully as the church.

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Stephanie came to Emanuel UMC in Pittsburgh, PA, as Pastor in 2009. She is a graduate of George Washington University and Wesley Theological Seminary, both located in Washington, D.C. She was also a reserve delegate from Western Pennsylvania to General Conference. You can read more about her here.

Statement on Divestment

This is a statement read from the floor on Wednesday during the divestment debate, in which a statement was passed but too watered down to be effective.

by Sara Ann Swenson

Hello, my name is Sara Ann Swenson, lay delegate from Minnesota. I am 23 years old, and I am here, like you, because I love this church. I also love my friends from school and around the world.

In the United States, people from my generation are missing. People between the ages of 18 and 24 make up only 5 percent of our congregations, according to statistics I recieved just yesterday from the Board of Ordained Ministry.

According to research done by the Barna Group -- some of the reasons people my age aren't here, are that we see the church as small-minded and hypocritical.

We see through you.

While many of you may see Caterpillar, Motorola, and Hewlett-Packard as safe, good business investments -- we see the broken bodies, destroyed homes, and weeping families -- many of them fellow Christian families -- that are harmed by our investment choices.

We cannot sing "There is a Balm in Gilead" with any integrity as long as we continue to make these choices.

The petition before us has been gutted of any opportunity to set our hearts and pocketbooks straight in a constructive and meaningful way.

Let's be honest, investing in these companies is investing in war and violence.
If we can't take action, let's at least stop
hiding
behind
pretty
rhetoric.

---

Sara Ann Swenson, 23, is an M.A. Student at Iliff School of Theology. She hails from Brainerd, Minnesota and is a lay delegate at the 2012 United Methodist General Conference.

Grace

Today, the 2012 General Conference of the United Methodist Church voted down a petition that would have made clear our disagreement on issues of human sexuality. The General Conference (or 60% of the General Conference, anyway) voted to continue institutionalized discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons.

The decision was shattering, all over again, to so many people in our church. Hate speech was uttered on the floor of the conference (the translator of the speech, which was given in French, actually apologized for having to translate what was said). Lies were told. And once again, we tried to block God's all-inclusive love.

You can't block God's love.

During the vote, members of the Love Your Neighbor coalition stood around the bar of the conference, praying. One delegate rose to ask whether he would still be able to vote if he joined those standing, as long as he stayed within the bar. He invited others to join him, and indeed, my little group of three people praying was soon joined by a dozen delegates. We prayed.

After the vote, we broke the bar of the conference, moving to the center communion table where communion was held and songs were sung. Several bishops joined us in the center. A smaller group stayed at the communion table singing, disrupting the next session and finally getting to negotiate with the bishops about agenda items.

It was, to say the least, an emotional day.

I don't know what to say about the decision. It's heartbreaking. But I think it's rooted in a more fundamental problem, one that was on display earlier in the week, when delegates haggled over whether to add a quotation from Romans 8 into our Social Principles. The quote--"Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus"--was opposed by some as being too easy on sinners. Yes. They opposed adding a Bible verse because it--get this--it indicated that God's grace was available to all. One speaker stated baldly that a person's actions can separate them from the love of God.

As United Methodists, we are Wesleyan. And as Wesleyans, we believe in something called prevenient grace. That means God's grace is available to you before you even know it. No. Matter. What.

We voted on the subject and the General Conference did uphold the verse...but only by 56%. A full 44% of the members of the Conference didn't think that God's grace is available to all, no matter what.

And I just don't know how you're going to get people to love their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender brothers and sisters if there's not a baseline belief that God's love is for all.

--

Here is what I am trying to remember, though. Throughout the church, on every continent, in every Annual Conference, there are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people who are in the closet. Who are afraid of showing who they truly are. If our actions today on the conference floor in any way helped those people feel they are loved, that they are not some abomination, that God loves them and so do we, then I'd say--vote result notwithstanding--that it was worth it.

--

David Hosey is a student at Wesley Seminary and is attending General Conference as a reserve delegate. He blogs at City of...

Come to the Table of Grace

Today was not a good day. But there is still hope.

From UMNS:

Insecurity of Appointment

by Hannah Adair Bonner

In two weeks, I will be one of the first people since the 1950’s to become an ordained Elder in full connection with no expectation of security of appointment. Not wanting to respond reactively, over the past couple days I have been reflecting on what that means. On the one hand, removes distractions from the spiritual element of what will be taking place that day, by taking away the sense that with ordination come rights or protections. On the other hand, it leaves me relying upon the human systems that I struggle to trust in order to receive justice in the carrying out of my calling. In the midst of all that, is God – the God who called me, the God who leads me, the God who loves me, the God under whose protective motherly wing I go for refuge. So in one way, nothing has changed because God is unchangeable and God loves God’s church. In another way, quite a bit has changed.

Recently, I was dialoguing with the male pastor of a large congregation as he explained why there were not many female pastors of large churches in the area. He told me that it was because in the past there had not been a good pool of female candidates. He said the phrase as if he had said it many times before, with little awareness of how inappropriate, hurtful and most of all incorrect that would seem to me. In his mind, he was somehow giving me a compliment that I was different from the women who had come before me, this ‘inadequate pool.’ I pray that is not true. I pray that I can claim a fraction of their courage, of their strength, of their long-suffering witness. The reality that I have watched, heard, and experienced for myself, is that gender justice does not exist and women are not playing on an even playing field. And the church, called to be a prophetic voice against unjustice, often is instead the place where we find the greatest injustice.

I am still processing what all this means for me and for my colleagues. Everyone who is here from my Conference tells me that I have nothing to worry about because I am effective. And I respond, I hope very much that I have something to worry about, because to imply that I have nothing to worry about would mean that I have no prophetic voice. No reason to fear that someone may misuse or distort this legislation to try to silence me. I hope very much that I have something to fear because I hope that I will speak up when I see injustice in our systems. I hope very much that I will help marginalized voices be heard. I hope that I will be obedient to the God who called me and speak up when God prompts me to regardless of the repercussions. I hope that I will not live my life in fear but in courage and boldness and strength - the way that the women who have gone before me have done. They suffered and they struggled and they triumphed over their obstacles at times and at other times were crushed by the rock that they were trying to push up a hill.
With all the things that have come to the floor, with all the emotions involved and all the lives impacted, it pains me that the plenary session did not find the justice issues that the Rev. Wye Hyun Chang and the Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm brought up worthy of their time. Regardless of the outcome, it would have meant a great deal to those who will be most affected by it to have the body at large be willing to discuss publicly the potential implications that this legislation could have if only for education and greater accountability. There are still a lot of questions that only time will tell the answers to, and the answers have the possibility of being very painful. As a new generation rises, will they feel they have success in making their prophetic voices heard, or will they be silenced? A system that was first put in place to protect prophetic voices, has now become in some cases one that protects ineffective ministry. As a result, that protection has been taken away in order to encourage more effective ministry. The side effect, however, could be that this legislation could be used not only to cease ineffective ministry, but also misused to silence prophetic voices. This could mean that, once again, my generation will pay the heavier price for those that have gone before them. May God give us all integrity as we move forward so that good may be done rather than harm.

---

Hannah preparing for ordination in the EPA Conference in May, and serving in a missional appointment to reach young adults in Wilmington, Delaware. She brings a background in justice and reconciliation work, and a commitment to building strong multiethnic communities. After studying at Duke Divinity School, she lived in intentional Christian community at the Isaiah House in Durham, North Carolina; and in 2008, received “Woman of the Year” recognition from the UMW of North Carolina for founding an empowerment program for urban young people at Asbury Temple UMC. Hannah comes from West Chester, Pennsylvania, is proud of her big family of five siblings, and loves connecting with God in nature.

in 140 characters or more

i have been so grateful for the presence of social media inour midst at #gc2012 :)

I “tweeted” this just now from Berkeley, California,Cal-Nevada Conference, USA. For those of you unfamiliar with twitter, it’s asocial networking site that allows people to update a status of 140 charactersor less instantaneously. People young and old alike, from the South, the North,the West, and even the Central Conferences have been using twitter to updateone another, encourage one another, and argue with one another throughout theconference. One of the hallmarks of twitter is the #, or the “hashtag,” used toclassify a “tweet” under a particular topic, which one can then follow. And inorder that we all may become familiar with new language, I will be using#hashtags all through this article.

I had to leave #gc2012 yesterday morning so I could go homeand take finals at #PSRBerkeley (Pacific School of Religion) where I am aboutto finish a Masters of Divinity program, so I am also grateful for the GeneralConference’s decision to take the schedules of students and young people acrossthe globe into account when planning events. Since leaving, I have stayedconnected on Twitter, Facebook, and (when the site isn’t jammed), on the livefeed from www.umc.org. And while I LOVE thatsocial media helps me to feel almostas though I were there with my #gc12love family, it is awfully difficult to benuanced in 140 characters, and it’s even harder to challenge flawedepistemology or systemic issues in such a space limit. There have been someproblematic things said on twitter to which I’m eager to respond at greaterlength. I’d like to leave these quotes anonymous, because I don’t want toperpetuate the feelings of entrenchment and embattlement. These are notpersonal attacks; they are intellectual critiques. I also want to make it clearthat I do not speak for everyone using social media. But my reflections comefrom my understanding and experience of the organized progressive movement(Love Your Neighbor) present at #gc2012.

1.     “For a moment there, I thought I was the only voicedefending Africans and conservative Christians from what seems to be anattitude of exclusion coming from those who criticize exclusion...” This post from facebookis an example of one of the most prevalent arguments I have encountered onsocial media during #gc2012: the left is excluding Africans and conservativesfrom having valid opinions #aroundthetable. There is a misconception that the progressivemovement, or “#theinclusionpeople” as someone called us after our #flashmob,stand wholly opposed to our central conference brothers and sisters, and thosefrom US jurisdictions who vote against progressive initiatives. This is simplyfalse. I cannot, of course, speak for everyone in the “twitterverse,” but afterhaving spent ten days in the Love Your Neighbor #tabernacle across the streetfrom the convention center, I will say that Conservatives and CentralConference delegates are always spoken of with the utmost respect, even when wespeak critically. Volunteers signed pledges on Sunday not to commit violencewith our bodies, tongues, or hearts, and I have seen the coalition live up tothis. In fact, the tabernacle has been one of the only places I have heardhonest, open multi-cultural conversation about the problematic nature of the USchurch’s continued colonial relationship with the African and PhilippinesCentral Conferences. Progressive folks are, though not perfectly, trying toreverse patterns of discrimination, militarism, and cultural superiority. Ifully recognize that many faithful conservative folks are doing the same thing;but they are not alone.

2.    “So all white men areracists now? #gc2012”  No. There has been a lotof recognition on social media of how dominated conversation has been by#oldwhitemen, often clergy from the south. But let me be clear: theserecognitions are not tantamount to accusations of individuals acting out ofracist intentions. Here is my understanding: US culture is mired in the sin ofracism. We saw this beautifully and artfully illustrated during the#actofrepentance and during our welcome by Marcus Briggs-Cloud. I believe thatwhite people of faith have great intentions of inclusivity and respect towardspeople of color. But racist culture is insidious. And it sneaks intoconversations that seem innocuous, and vest themselves in the lure of power,and wealth, and ego. And so I believe with the Apostle Paul that even when weintend to do good, “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing that Ihate.” (Romans 7:15b). Reporting the discrepancies – that while 75% of theworld is of color, yet white is called “majority” at General Conference; that38% of delegates are women while women represent only 11% of speakers (bothfigures reported on the floor) – reporting these discrepancies helps us touncover, unearth the collective sins of racism, sexism, and colonialism.Rhetoric of “post-racial society,” however, leads us away from such propheticwitness. For example, posts like this one: “Theterm "ethnic minority" no longer has meaning in our global church IfU were physically present at #GC2012 U would understand”indicate a sincere lack of understanding of global dynamics of race and power.

3.    “I’m tired of beingpersecuted for preaching the truth of the gospel.”  This is a paraphrase of reaction I have seen not only insocial media, but also on the floor of committees at #gc2012. It employs thelogic of what has been called “reverse discrimination,” a mythical concept ofoppression of those who hold majority positions, power, and wealth simplybecause they stand in opposition to the marginalized. I am not willing to moveon my position that reverse racism is a myth, and here is why. Oppressions –like racism, sexism, heterosexism, and colonialism – require more than justrhetoric. They require power, systems, structures, authority, and wealth.African American folks in this country are oppressed not because the KKKexists, but also because there is a sometimes subtle, sometimes violent,ever-present system that continues to disenfranchise them when it comes toequal pay, equal treatment under the law, and equal opportunities to jobs andservices, as well as rhetoric fromwhite folk and others that continues to demean and dehumanize. Lesbian, Gay,Bisexual, and Transgender folks are oppressed not because Fred Phelps plans toprotest at #gc2012, but also because there are systems that allow the continueddisenfranchisement of and violence towards queer people, including denial ofrights to marry, rights to equal pay and employment non-discrimination, andrights to our personal safety. Put another way: Prejudice is personal judgmentagainst an individual based on an aspect of their identity. When prejudice isacted upon (prejudice + action), the yield is discrimination. Discrimination isthe engagement of action based on prejudice. When discrimination is paired withpower (discrimination + power), the result is oppression. Oppression, in otherwords, occurs when discriminatory acts are codified in policy or in societalmores and culture. Reverse racism, or reverse oppression, is #NotAThing (is amyth) because white folks have, by virtue of the privilege afforded them in USsociety, a great deal of power, and the disenfranchised and marginalized donot. Therefore even if critiques leveled against the privileged are unfair orunsupported by fact, the marginalized cannot oppress the powerful because we donot, largely, have access to the systems oppression that categoricallydisenfranchise and dehumanize. People of privilege can claim they are beingjudged unnecessarily, but in most places, and particularly at #gc2012 whereconversation and, as we have seen, policy is so dominated by the (largelywhite) Southeast and South Central jurisdictions, people of privilege cannotclaim reverse oppression and victimhood. Enacting the kind of justice Jesus andthe prophets called for sometimes means listening to the critiques of themarginalized, and as Tony Campolo told the GBCS dinner on Tuesday night, giving up power.

 

As I havesaid, I cannot assume that all progressives using social media hold such anuanced stance. And I freely admit that there has been hurtful language andmockery on all sides. But I have seen at this General Conference the ways inwhich power and wealth have been used to systematically disenfranchise women,people of color, the poor, and yes, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, andqueer persons, and I will no longer abide the dismissal of the pain of mypeople. Our protests are not akin, as some have said, to a child throwing atemper tantrum at the dinner table; they are a biblical lament in the style ofthe psalmist. They are not the petulant whines of a sore loser; they are a callto prophetic witness and justice like those of the prophets of the HebrewBible, and of Jesus.

 

In momentslike these, the word “schism” is often raised. I would like to make it clearthat I am committed to remaining in this church. As an observer in thediscussion of human sexuality in Church and Society B, there was no point atwhich I thought to myself, “I don’t ever want to sit at table, or serve with,or preside with Dr. Eddie Fox.” (I use Dr. Fox as an example because of how farapart we sit politically.) NO, I believe the gospel calls me into radical lovefor those who disagree with me, even “to pray for those who persecute me.”However, I will not be dissuaded from my belief in the call to justice. If Ileave the United Methodist Church it will not be because I was bullied intosilence. It will be because the United Methodist Church has ceased to beWesleyan, cease to be a place I can faithfully preach the gospel of JesusChrist to a people desperate for transformation. If I leave the UnitedMethodist Church, it will be because the church fails to be the church, andthis #IWillNotAbide.

 

this cross-posted at MOSAIC and in the Love Your Neighbor newsletter at #gc2012. Jamie Michaels is a graduating student at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, a leader in MOSAIC (Methodist Students, seminarians, and young people for an All Inclusive Church), and a candidate for ordination in the Cal-Nevada Annual Conference. 

The Potter, the Clay, and General Conference

by Jordan Harris

General Conference is a ten day long experience of representatives from annual conferences all around this world. Delegates meet, debate, converse, and vote all in the name of God’s will for The United Methodist Church. Thousands of petitions, amendments and proposals are brought before the body to playfully discern what God’s will is. However how can we be sure it is actually God’s will being done, rather than one or two conferences within the denomination?

General Conference reminds me of Paul’s imagery in his letter to the Romans. In chapter nine, Paul is echoing the prophet Isaiah when he says “has the potter no right over the clay?” (Romans 9:21a). Paul, speaking to the church in Rome, is arguing for the righteousness of God here in chapter nine. He is answering the question, “in light of the resurrection of Christ, is God still righteous?” Paul here in chapter nine is calling out the people of the church, by answering the question he posed which was “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?”

This Job style question is a full frontal calling out of those who think they know better than God. This type of accountability is one that tends to make most people uneasy, to say the least. Surely we wouldn’t say to a friend, “so you think you know better than God?” Or to a co-worker “God wants us to focus on my part of the job and ignore whatever it is you have to do.” Paul and Isaiah pose this question to people who thought they knew God’s will. The people in exile in Isaiah 64 and the church in Rome in Romans 9. They did this in a loving manner in which to try and hold the audiences accountable to one another and to their common purpose.

Clay is made up of all different kinds of minerals and soil. There are differences about the different make ups of two samples of clay. One might be mostly calcium, iron and water, while the other clay is made up of mud, rocks, and organism. No two clays are exactly the same because of this. There is light clay, dark clay, hard clay, soft clay.

I think that it would be in order to stand at the prophetic pulpit and speak the words of Paul and Isaiah to General Conference, just as a friendly reminder to us. Who are you to tell the potter what to make? It is evident by the UMC plan legislation that we are in the business of trying to figure out what we are to do, but what is ever more evident is us forgetting that we are simply the potter’s clay. We belong to God. He is our common goal.

I enjoy being in dialogue with the people here at General Conference; however humility, that is remembering we are simply the clay is left out of the conversation. We, as United Methodists need to take a stance that we humbly are trying to figure out just want kind of pot God is molding us into.

---

Jordan Harris is a junior at Eastern University and a bible major working on the candicy process. He is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and a lay delegate to General Conference from the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference.

Wading in the Water

Powerful witness, at least for those involved, particularly after staggering defeats today.



Here is the text:

The General Conference has broken Wesley's General Rule by doing harm to young adults, people of color, gay and lesbian people, women and others.
Confusion has taken the place of Holy Conferencing.
Legalism has obscured love.
Fear has silenced faith.
But even though the action of General Conference, and the inaction of our other leadership, has done great harm, we will always be a part of God's church.
We are finished waiting. By waiting, more harm is done.
We are centered in the Gospel.
We are grounded in the Gospel.
We are joyful in the Gospel.
We are committed to following Jesus Christ to embody God's love and justice through the United Methodist Church.
We will work passionately for racial justice.
We will embody full inclusiveness for people of all sexual orientations.
We will celebrate people of all gender identities.
We are global, connectional, and repentant of colonialism.
We will be a people of peace.
We will proclaim the stewardship of creation joyfully.
We will strive for economic justice.
This is what it means to be United Methodist. We are here. We will remain in this church as long as we can preach the Gospel and faithfully make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of us all.

Being Left Behind: How it Feels to Couch Potato Through General Conference

A few months ago, I made the decision to not attend GeneralConference with a class of seminarians, opting instead to finish my finals and my supervised ministryappointment. It seemed wise at the time, but as I sit glued to the live feeds,I realize just how much I wish I were there. And just how glad I am that I’mnot.  Being left behind is a special struggle for me, as I hate being left out of anything and have an unfortunate tendency to think everyone should hear my opinions.  Why else would I blog?

I first tuned into the live stream of General Conferencejust after leaving work on Thursday night, right as Mark Miller called for apoint of personal privilege. I see Mark every week in worship and hearing himsound so injured was heartbreaking, hearing the Bishop silence him made me furious. I didn’t know exactly what was taking place but I knew that it didn’tsound like the work of the people of God. I wanted to be there, standing besidehim, to show the delegates that we who are coming up into ordination carepassionately about this issue. I was glad I wasn’t there because from my couch,it felt like an environment that could kill a young person’s desire to servethe United Methodist Church.  I wasangry. I was confused about what had taken place. I needed a word of hope to remindme that God was very present. I was grateful for Bishop Hoshibata, the bishopin my conference, for speaking about what it meant to be healed. He remindedwhy I keep reaffirming my commitment to the Church.

I still felt the need to act, but I was less inclined to flydown to be in solidarity with the other students from Drew, with the otheryoung people, with other people working for full inclusion. I decided that Icould offer my presence through prayer, so I emailed my fellow seminarians and starteda prayer vigil that will be held until the last day of General Conference.  We are praying for peaceful discussion,loving words, and Christ-centered decisions.

After I sent out the email to the school, I began to hearreports from those at General Conference that healing conversations werehappening and seeds of hope were springing up from many places. Those are themoments I mourn missing. I do not doubt that the Spirit is filling every cornerof General Conference, but it can be easy to miss it all the way fromhome.  On the other hand, I alsoget to walk away when the discussions become too intense.  I can shut Twitter when I don’t feellike hearing everyone’s opinion. I have that luxury, being all the way up inNew Jersey.

Right now, I’m listening to a debate whether or not we willuse language of prevenient grace in our Social Principles and suddenly finalsare very difficult. I don’t recognize the church that I’m studying so hard toserve. I don’t know what our identity is, at this moment. I am deeply restlessbecause decisions are being made that I will have to live out and I can onlystare helplessly at my computer screen, tweet my thoughts, and hope that God’spresence settles both on me and the delegates doing the hard work of Church. Idesperately wish to be a part of the holy conversations –both official andunofficial- taking place in Tampa. I suppose this is the way the process goes,we have to trust that those we have elected will faithfully represent our voice.I’m struggling to believe my voice has a place right now, so I’m going to headto the chapel for prayer and wait for the word of hope that seems to alwaysemerge.

JanessaChastain is finishing (if she can turn off General Conference) her second year atDrew Theological School. She is the incoming president of the Theological Student Association. She cares deeply about her school, her denomination, and how to best follow Christ's call on her life. You can find her blog at The Church Mouseor follow her on twitter at JanessaC

Religion Gets Political

by Mistead Sai

I am the Young Adult Coordinator for Conferences for the Common Witness Coalition. What I observed in this 2012 General Conference is the politics of religion. The General Conference has democratic formalities. I feel that much of the Conference is structured like the U.S. Congress. My observation at the Conferences Committee meeting is one of lighter and somber tone compared to other committees. It involves petition, second motions, and votes. I do not know how much of it is personal convictions over Christian doctrine and spirit-filled discernment about where God is leading us as the United Methodist Church.

Just recently, I was discussing with someone at the General Conference about the committee deliberations and she told me about the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral." Though I have been in the church since I was young, I had never heard about the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral applies methodological sources to theological conclusions. They are scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. I was amazed to discover that she herself had become a Methodist based on these guiding principles. I wonder if these principles are being applied at the Conferences Committee. I can only hope it is and have faith that Christ will lead us where he wants us to be as church.

Specifically, when it came to the Conferences committee, one of the petitions I can recall was in regards to equitable worldwide connection. The petition tried to make more equitable approach in structure and policy making. Unfortunately, people voted against it and then later struck it down. When one of the delegates motioned that it should be referred to a commission group for further discussion so the authors can explain their case for the petition, it was shot down. I question whether she did not receive the votes based on political agendas of the delegates.

I think as the increasingly global church, we must account for all and seek equality. We should apply those Wesleyan Quadrilateral principles to all matters and make united decisions into those efforts of equity and social justice rather than the politics of it all. This should be the definitive aspect of Wesley thought and the body of the United Methodist Church.

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Mistead Sai is a senior Sociology major at the University of Maryland. He plans to work with non-profit organizations when he graduates. He is active with his United Methodist Campus Ministry and seeks to be more involved in church-related volunteering & service and pursuits for social justice in the near future on behalf of his faith.

Flashmob!

Who says we don't have fun at General Conference?

What does God require of UMC?

by Young Dong (Steve) Kim


In the morning April 25, I listened to amazing addresses by clergy, laity, and young adults. Hearing an episcopal address, when bishop Peter Weaver mentioned the first Discipline of Methodist Episcopal Church 1912, I was surprised to see the size of the book because the current Book of Discipline of 2008 seemed extremely huge. I thought to myself, perhaps an enlargement of the size of the book depicts the development of the UMC. However, I questioned myself if such enlargement of the Book of Discipline does reflect any improvements of the UMC; I questioned this because of two reasons: on the one hand, how can one explain a declining membership of the UMC in U.S if UMC is in its advanced form as the large volume of the Book of Discipline suggests? On the other hand, if UMC claims to be the Global Church, how can one explain a vast amount of rules and regulations that focuses the U.S?

"If it's to be, it's up to me." This powerful statement was spoken by one of the three lay speakers who were very passionate and faithful United Methodists. One of the three speakers also delivered a strong message of change, "Unless we don’t change, the world will not change." Here, I asked myself, ‘What can UMC do to change the world?’ I stepped back and thought about an inception of UMC. In 1968, the Methodist and the Evangelical United Brethren came together to form the United Methodist Church. And since then, the UMC played a major role in five cultural currents: the current of liberation, inclusion, autonomy, participation, and globalization (Yrigoyen et al, 10-13). I have realized that these five currents are still at work in the General Conference 2012. Here, I personally think that UMC is still struggling in some of these cultural currents; for example, an issue of homosexuality in ordination, marriage, status, etc within UMC disrupts the current of liberation, inclusion, and participation. Furthermore, it seems that UMC disturbs the current of globalization because its polity does not reflect churches outside of the U.S.

"We are changed! Rooted! and United!" Two young adult speakers spoke boldly and passionately about the significance of young adult leadership in UMC. When one of the young speakers spoke, "Life is not about what you want to be, but about what others want of you," strongly encouraged/challenged me "to do justice, to do kindness, to do God’s work," for others in response to what Jesus said, "love your neighbors!" Does UMC truly love our neighbors? Does UMC being in the cloud of witnesses? I prayed with hope that UMC does.

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Young Dong (Steve) Kim, 2nd year at Drew Theological School and an intern at United Methodist Campus Ministry at Drew University called, Drew On Fire.

Love Your Neighbor Worship

Missed the amazing Love Your Neighbor worship yesterday? Do yourself a favor and watch it here:



 

The Anti-Woman Church

by Jamie Michaels

From Love Your Neighbor News: The Official Publication of the Common Witness Coalition.

I have always longed to be a mother; it is the thing I haveknown longest about myself. As a 16-year old, I was alone in my peer group inmy desire to bear children. Now, 10 years later, I can hardly bear to wait anylonger to start my own family. And I have every intention of raising mychildren in the United Methodist church, a church I expect to love all childrenunconditionally, even when the world wishes to do them harm. I expect thechurch to be a place of respite, of protection and care for them.

While women have made great strides, our world today isstill a dangerous place to be for women. Women and children are disproportionatelyrepresented among new cases of HIV/AIDS. A lack of gender parity in pay acrossthe globe leaves women to make difficult choices in feeding and caring fortheir families. And here in the United States, recent legislation about women’sreproductive rights, public debate about which has been dominated by malevoices, has threatened the health and safety of women. There is a War on Women,and the church should be standing on the side of women’s health.

However, this General Conference’s attitude and actionstoward women over the last several days calls into question our commitment tothe health and wellbeing of women. On day 5 of General Conference, we had yetto see a woman bishop presiding on the plenary floor [day six, we did have one]. In the committee onSuperintendency, language referring to bishops has been overwhelmingly male.And yesterday morning in subcommittee, Church and Society B voted to remove theUMC from a moderate, well-respected, ecumenical and interreligious group: theReligious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC). The RCRC, founded in theUnited Methodist building on Capitol Hill in 1973 after the watershed SupremeCourt case Roe V. Wade, has always existed to advocate for women’s rights tomake choices that are good for their bodies, good for their lives, and mostimportantly, choices that are safe. The removal of the UMC from this coalition representsnothing short of an attack on women’s health.

I have long since resigned myself to remain in this (often)anti-gay church. I don’t know if I can remain in a church that is anti-woman. Icertainly do not feel comfortable raising children in a church that may notadvocate for their health and wellbeing. Whether we will continue down thispath in the plenary remains to be seen. Will we unite as God’s church to liveup to Jesus’ call to stand for the most vulnerable in our world? Will we liftup in our policies what we often give lip service to in our words andliturgies: that we value the life, health, and contributions of women equallyto men? Or will the church join the global War on Women, alienating me, myfamily, and women everywhere? Will the church become anti-woman?

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Jamie Michaels is a third-year seminary student at Pacific School of Religion, a candidate for ordination, a self-proclaimed Methodist super-nerd, and a passionate justice-seeker.

Learning Solidarity

by Katie Wineland


Thursday night was a powerful night of solidarity for the Common Witness Coalition. First, during plenary session, Mark Miller--one of the most gifted worship leaders in The United Methodist Church-- took a point of privilege on the floor of the plenary to express the brokenness and hurt he has felt as an openly gay man taking part in some of the conversations around human sexuality at General Conference. Before he was ruled out of order, he invited LGBTQA individuals to stand with him in plenary hall, and coalition members and others stood in solidarity with Mark within and beyond the bar.
After plenary and closing worship, the Common Witness Coalition held a silent demonstration at the doors of plenary hall. Hundreds of us, wearing rainbow stoles, joined hands and formed a silent—silenced—tunnel at both exits. Delegates and bishops, church members and visitors walked by us as they left the hall for the evening; some ignored us, but many also spoke words of blessing and words of prayer. A few people hugged and prayed over each of us, and many joined hands and stood with us. Once everyone had left the hall, we broke our silence with a song— “we are all your sons and daughters, and we are singing, singing for our lives.”

As we joined in the Tabernacle for worship and conversation following the demonstration, around my table we discussed what it really means to be in solidarity with the LGBTQ community. Many of us were keenly aware that the silence of the demonstration eliminated any distinction between LGBTQ individuals and allies. Each of us who stood in the line truly stood in solidarity-- a radical posture of being with-- indistinguishable from the LGBTQ community. With this vulnerable posture of solidarity comes risk, especially for those of us seeking ordination in this church, and I was keenly aware of that as every bishop of The United Methodist Church walked past us. But I also had hope as some bishops joined us, standing in solidarity and entering into the silence. To be sure, there is risk involved in action, but the greatest risk is inaction and complicity to injustice and exclusion in the body of Christ.

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Katie Wineland is a rising senior at Bluffton University in Bluffton, Ohio studying Biblical Studies, Peace & Conflict Studies, and Mediation. She is seeking ordination as a deacon in West Ohio Conference, where she is also a Certified Lay Missioner in Hispanic Ministry and a six-time lay delegate to Annual Conference.

On Ugliness

Today'scommittee work as been rough for me. So it isn't as nasty perhaps assome committees can be, but it is certainly not a pretty picture ofthe church. I fought back tears at the committee vote againststriking language penalizing clergy who bless same-sex marriages. Thecommittee was not affirming language, it was simply removingunnecessarily negative language. And that has been the entire day.

Granted,subcommittee and committee work are interesting in that plenary cancompletely ignore all the work and conversation that went into it.So, perhaps, there is still hope. But I have been rather frustratedbecause I do not have a voice as a visitor to conference, so myoutlook is not so cheery.

See,I had to sit and listen to debate over a footnote to paragraph 311.2dthat repeats our embarrassing Social Principals assertion thathomosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Some arguedthat no one ought to be alarmed at the removal of the footnotebecause a footnote has no legal teeth. One delegate cautioned,though, that the only reason for getting rid of the footnote is tomove towards support of homosexuality. Gasp! No. Getting rid of thefootnote does two things: 1. it cuts down on the bulkiness of theDiscipline, and 2. it cuts out something that was only added to bemean and hateful.

Idid smile a little when another delegate suggested that we add all ofthe Social Principals as a footnote if we liked them so much, but hewas kidding. I still think he should have made that the amendment.

Iam a preacher's kid, I have been a lay delegate to Annual Conferencefor four years now: I have seen the church ugly. But it still hurts.It hurts that we cannot even take out unnecessary condemning andpunitive language--- I am not asking for affirmative language (rightnow), just an end to explicitly hateful language that has no purposeother than to remind us that we are a church more interested inmaintaining the status quo than we are in Jesus' message of lovingour neighbor.

Iam reminded of last night about singing that we are a gentle angrypeople. Unfortunately, I don't feel too gentle right now. I needsomeone or something to remind me, as Bishop James King did Wednesdaynight in his sermon, as those involved in the witness last night,that we are beautiful people capable of beautiful things. 

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Shannon Sullivan will be graduating from Drew Theological School in Madison, New Jersey, in May, and will serve a two-point charge in the Baltimore-Washington Conference starting in July. She is also a member of the OnFire leadership team. She blogs at You'll Never Guess What the Heathens Did Today. 

Standing with Mark Miller

Are you live streaming General Conference?

Today was a powerful witness on the floor of General Conference, led by Mark Miller (and followed by another powerful witness in solidarity). More photos and information to come, but if you missed it, check out the youtube video of the plenary and worship. Mark begins speaking at 51:15.

Praise God for our courageous leaders.

Invite

by Melissa Zimmerman

This is an excerpt of Melissa's General Conference blog from April 25. 

...As dinner approached, I was invited to bring my dinner and eat with a particular organization. Because it doesn’t really matter what this organization was, I will refer to it as UMO. Realize that this organization could be yours. It could be UMW, UMM, UMYF, a group of Sunday School teachers, a particular United Methodist Church, a caucus group, or more. You may be able to figure out which group it is based on some of the things I say, but it doesn’t really matter. As you read my story insert whatever church group you belong to, especially if it has very few young people and wants them.

So, I was invited to dinner. I thought, “well, why not,” and I went to join them. The person speaking to them was the president of UMO. After she spoke, another woman spoke. This woman started to speak about how important it is that the young people stay involved in UMO. The sharks were circling. Then, looking straight at me (there were probably 8 people eating lunch down here and I was the only young stranger) she starts talking to me about how important it is to stay involved in UMO. Then the sharks started to bump up against me a bit. She asks me if I am involved in UMO. I say that I am not, and I explain that when I was at home, most UMO events met during the day on a weekday. In recent years, they have started to reach out to young people, but I am now in a different state at Seminary. In an effort to salvage myself a little, I explain that my sister and godson’s mom are both getting involved in UMO. Then, the sharks swam in and started to attack. “You know all pastors become members of UMO when they are ordained.” “You can have a group at seminary.” “It doesn’t take a formal group with a President to have a UMO group, you just need to do fellowship.” “You know, I have read so many books through our reading program that I never would have read before. It is so easy to use. Here is where it is in your church and how it works.” And on and on. They do a lot of great things, but very little is something I need or want at this point in my life. Finally, as I sit there wondering why on earth I would want to add a reading list of church books when I am already in school, I decide to voice this. I interrupt and explain that the books aren’t really interesting, since I am in school. Really, it is the mission aspects of UMO that are appealing. They then asked if I had ever attended their mission retreat, explained that often churches will help those who cannot pay for it to get the money, and that it has a ton of wonderful aspects. Finally, the conversation shifted away from me and we were told that UMO will meet to eat every lunch and dinner and have an evening prayer at the end of each day. I have not yet decided if I will go back. 1) It is rather scary to be attacked by sharks wanting my flesh…I mean wanting my participation in a group. It might be effective in driving me away. BUT 2) I have a strong urge to go back a few times so that I gain their trust enough to tell them how bad that introduction was. They had the best of intentions. They genuinely wanted me to get involved, get the connections and to benefit from what they have to offer. This inundating me with information and not listening to what I am interested in, however was not the way to do it. The scary part is that I have done this also. Honestly, if this is how we approach young people for organizations within the church, I worry about how we approach those outside the church. EEK!!

We should take this as a lesson! Listen before inundating with activities! This does not mean ignoring or not inviting them to something. It does mean slowing down, giving a couple ideas and asking if anything sounds interesting without pressure. I want to hear their stories! I want to know why this is important to them! I just don’t want to hear it all at once, and I want to hear why this should be important to me. A 24-year-old student who reads plenty of books and has plenty of friends for fellowship. Why should I join the UMO? For that matter, why should a 24-year-old grad student with plenty of friends who is already a member of a social club join a church? What do we have to offer? Why does this make a difference? Until we answer these questions AND act on them, not on what we think is interesting about the social opportunities, we cannot expect to see change.

Now let me be clear. I love the people in this organization and others. It is a great and important organization that does a lot of great work for our church. It was just a little frightening to experience exactly the same thing that is happening to every young person who walks in the doors of an older congregation...

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Melissa Zimmerman is a student at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, who is working through the process toward ordination as an elder in the Indiana Conference. She loves reading, Dr. Who, and anything related to the furthering of the church's mission (even sitting in 10 day meetings!!) Her full blog can be found at Traveler 21.

Charged. Rooted. United.

I workeveryday with children and youth. Usually, when they ask me how old I am andlearn that I am ‘already 24!’ I am automatically ‘old.’ And yes, from a child’sperspective, I am old. Especially when many of the children with whom I work haveparents just years older than myself.

Steppingbeyond my daily work environment where I am ‘old,’ it is quite different to behere at General Conference, where one of my main ‘identities’ is linked withbeing ‘young’ and being a ‘young adult.’ Looking at the faces of the delegates,the volunteers, the agency staff, the marshals, the pages and the pressgathered here in Tampa, I am young. We, the young people, are underrepresentedas part of the global church gathered here.

Thismorning during our plenary session, two young adults addressed the body. KrinAli, from the United States, presented to us in person. Joy Eva Algodon-Bohol,from the Philippines, was denied her visa to the United States and thereforespoke to us via video feed.  Sharingstories of youth and young adult ministry across the world, the address focusedon our role as young adults in being: Charged. Rooted. United.

Charged inour faith and as prophets and messengers, rooted in our tradition and in the church,we, the young people of the United Methodist Church, are united across theworld despite our ethnic, cultural, identity, and theological differences.

But, whereare the young people? 

Will thechurch exist in twenty years?

I did notgrow up a United Methodist. I joined the United Methodist Church in 2008 afterbecoming active in the campus ministry at American University during my studiesthere. If not for the existence, empowerment and space for questioning andtheological discernment of campus ministry, I would not be a United Methodist.I would not be a United Methodist Young Adult Missionary. I would not be hereat General Conference working as a Young Adult Legislative Coordinator. I wouldnot be here in Tampa without the spiritual, prayerful, and financial support ofmy congregation and United Methodists around the world.

As regionalyouth funding is cut, as annual conferences reduce campus ministry funding andcut campus minister positions, and as national youth funding and representationremains a small portion of the church budget, I cannot speak to the future ofthe church with hope.

Youngpeople need the church just like the church needs young people. And yet, weremain underrepresented. Without the proportional presence of young people inthe decision making of our church body, inequity remains within the church. Althoughmany delegates support the inclusion of young people as delegates to GeneralConference, older delegates who have served multiple times to GeneralConference are once again here – their seats remained filled and young peoplecannot fill the seats and be present here as delegates if these seats ofprivilege are not made available to us. In order to fill these spaces, theseroles, we must be assisted in, empowered and prayerfully supported to step intosuch positions. To achieve age equity of representation, we must work togetheracross boundaries of age, of ethnicity and of identity, to achieve such equity.Just as we must work beyond boundaries to achieve racial, ethnic, and culturalequity as a global church.

So. Whereare the young people? Where will our church be in twenty years if the presence,the voices, the opinions of our youth and young adults are not heard now? Weare not the future of the church. We ARE the church. Just like all other UnitedMethodists around the world.  Might ourdelegate representation, our funding, our presence as a church reflect that.

Where arethe young people?

We arehere. Charged. Rooted. United. Waiting to be heard.  Waiting to speak. Waiting to be supported. 

Michelle Dromgold is a Mission Intern of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. She is currently serving at the Kindertreff Delbrücke at the Salem Gemeinde in Berlin, Germany. There, she works as a social worker with an emphasis on intercultural and interreligious dialogue amongst the children and youth at the after-school program and with local United Methodist Congregations. She is a member of Dumbarton United Methodist Church in the Baltimore Washington Annual Conference and was active in the campus ministry at American University.