A Bishop’s Affirmation

By David Braden

I returned home from the North Central Jurisdictional Conference in Grand Rapids, MI yesterday. We completed our task of electing a new bishop, the Rev. Dr. Julius C. Trimble, reporting the works of the jurisdiction, and confirming the nominations list for general boards and agencies. Sounds somewhat boring, but compared with General Conference it was delightfully more restful and peaceful!

I am still not sure how I feel about electing bishops and other leaders of the Church. For a process that we pray will be led by the Spirit and trust that the Spirit will lift up a candidate anointed by God and confirmed by the Body’s votes, I still cannot seem to get past the political nature of the process. We, lay and clergy delegates of these conferences, campaign and deliver literature and speeches. We meet with progressive and conservative caucuses to await endorsements. We covenant to vote for candidates for ‘x’ number of votes. We testify to the character of a candidate. We tell the truth. We spread rumors. We lie. Where is the Spirit in that?

I was pleased to meet Rev. Dr. Julius Trimble during one of the listening sessions where episcopal candidates present themselves, their vision for the world and church, as well as answer delegates’ questions. I told Rev. Dr. Trimble a bit of my story – that I am a gay man and lifelong United Methodist. That I have LGBTQ friends who feel barred from the Church. What will he do as a Bishop for the LGBTQ folks already in the Church and those who stand outside? A colleague of mine asked the even better follow-up question of “What have you already done in your ministries for queer folks?”

Rev. Dr. Trimble provided great answers, but I was more touched by the response of him and his wife, Racelder Grandberry, at the end of the discourse. Both Trimbles came to me, laid their hands on me, affirmed that I was a beloved child of God, called me courageous, thanked me for my question, thanked me for keeping the faith and staying in the Church despite its shortcomings, prayed that I would continue telling my story, and prayed for the day when the United Methodist Church truly becomes inclusive of all people. The Rev. Dr. Trimble and his wife did not have to do this. Yet they chose to be pastoral. For me it was a spirit-filled moment.

Ultimately, there were several candidates I would have been pleased to have as my bishop. I just pray that those hurt by this process might be healed and feel the embers of the Holy Spirit continue to burn within their hearts. I pray that our new episcopal leaders might live into their role as guardians of the faith and claim their prophetic voices. Only the Lord knows how much we need it.