RMNBlog

Jurisdictional Conference Reflection: Western

By Rev. Dr. Karen Oliveto 

Attending the Western Jurisdictional Conference after General Conference is a soothing balm, a family reunion, and a pep rally all wrapped up together as we seek to understand what it means to do and be church in the unique social location of the western United States.

As it has in previous jurisdictional conferences, the WJ continued its unwavering commitment to full inclusion in The United Methodist Church. Reaffirming the 2004 We Shall Not Be Silent resolution, the WJ once again committed itself to radical and extravagant hospitality, particularly to the poor, those with physical, emotional, and developmental disabilities, those of different races and ethnicities, and those who are lgbtqia.

Several resolutions were passed that reaffirmed and strengthened previous positions including:

• A call to biblical obedience: Understanding that God’s grace and love are available to all persons, the WJ is on record as believing that the UMC is in error in its position that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. As a result, the WJ calls on bishops, clergy, local churches and ministry settings the challenge to operate as if the statement in Paragraph 161F does not exist, creating a church where all people are truly welcome.
• An apology: As a result of the spiritual violence towards glbtqia persons caused by the actions of General Conference, the WJ passed a resolution calling for letters to the editor of the major papers within the jurisdiction, apologizing for the actions of GC, acknowledging that GC’s actions continue to dehumanize and demonize our lgbtqia sisters and brothers.
• Concrete plans: The delegates urged the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops to develop a concrete plan of action for the WJ, so that it may uphold full inclusion in every aspect of our ministry.
• Recommended penalty: The delegates recommended that if any bishop in the WJ is charged, tried, and convicted of ordaining or appointing a ‘self-avowed practicing homosexual”, an appropriate penalty for the trial court to assign would be a suspension from the exercise of the episcopal office for a period of 24 consecutive hours.

The Jurisdiction as a whole is seeking more fluid conference boundaries as we work to strengthen our ministries and witness in the West. A time of Appreciative Inquiry provided an opportunity to explore ways we can do this, through 10 action groups. One group worked on Biblical Obedience. All ten groups were not only encouraged but empowered by the WJ and the Western Jurisdictional Leadership Team to continue to develop and implement their plans.

For many years, the WJ delegates have passed lgbtqia-affirming positions. However, this was the first year that there was greater solidarity between the delegates and the bishops. Bishop after bishop spoke of his or her disappointment with GC actions regarding lgbtqia persons. Then, when the WJ College of Bishops announced their assignments, retired Bishop Melvin Talbert was assigned the “Strategic Plan for Biblical Obedience”. It should be noted, however, that there was no explanation about what this position or plan might be, although one can assume it is related to Bishop Talbert’s call for justice at GC, when he declared that the Book of Discipline is wrong on issues related to homosexuality and that we are called to bold biblical obedience as we provide ministry with/for/to/by all persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. 

While in previous years the WJ has made positive declarations related to full inclusion, this was the first time that it seemed as if we are going to do more than just talk. Across the UMC connection, people look to the WJ to provide prophetic and faithful leadership in this matter. So many United Methodists are suffocating in closets in other conferences. The actions of the WJ literally become a matter of life or death.

Dr. Karen Oliveto is the Senior Pastor at Glide Memorial UMC in San Francisco, CA and a Western Jurisdictional delegate from the California-Nevada Annual Conference. 

Jurisdictional Conference Reflection: South Central

By Laura Young

For folks in the South Central Jurisdiction, the 2012 conference season is almost over. As you know, once every four years we double up on our vitamins and push through a series of very important and very demanding conferences that propel us into the next quadrennium. General Conference, Annual Conference, and Jurisdictional Conference have come and gone, and we’re getting to take a quick breather. I said “almost over” because our South Central Jurisdiction (SCJ) came home with work left undone.  Bishop Earl Bledsoe continues to be in our prayers as he appeals the decision to retire him involuntarily. Latest link here: http://www.unitedmethodistreporter.com/2012/07/bishop-bledsoe-appealing-involuntary-retirement/

This unprecedented event created a need to keep an open annual conference pending the result of his appeal. That open spot is the combined North West Texas/New Mexico Conference who share a bishop that is scheduled to retire on September 1^st. Two retired bishops have been appointed to serve these conferences on an interim basis: Bishop Dan Solomon will serve the North West Texas Conference, and Bishop William Hutchinson will serve New Mexico. SCJ delegates have been told that, depending on the outcome of Bishop Bledsoe’s appeal, we may have to reconvene for the purpose of electing one additional bishop. This decision will be made after the Judicial Council has had an opportunity to meet and rule on Bledsoe’s appeal. That meeting is scheduled for November 9^th.

General Conference was disappointing and hurtful as we were unable to make any progress toward the removal of the “incompatibility clause.” The stress and disappointment of General Conference definitely impacted Annual Conference. But I’m happy to say that, while not without struggle, Jurisdictional Conference lifted our spirits.  

Before arriving in Oklahoma City for the SCJ Conference, we established a core group of delegates with a common passion for social justice. These delegates represented all thirteen annual conferences in the SCJ. We gathered for a dinner meeting and then continued to communicate throughout the conference using group text messaging. Each person made a commitment to visit with their home delegation as well as reach out to folks in other delegations. The goal was to build relationships and to discuss our favorite Episcopal candidates with both old and new friends – multiplying our votes. It’s rare that so many people ever agree on anything, but with little variation we identified our top four candidates and began visiting with other delegates at every opportunity. These efforts paid off. Our group continued to grow and making new friends became easier. Beginning with Cynthia Harvey, and with each subsequent election, we celebrated as one of our top four was elected! 

While electing bishops is the most difficult task of SCJ, much additional business gets conducted.  Squeezed in between ballots throughout the week, delegates voted on a number of items, including a proposal to combine several existing conferences. Information on those new conferences can be found here: http://www.unyumc.org/news/detail/1285. Delegates must also confirm recommendations for general boards and agencies. We’re proud and grateful that several SCJ delegates committed to social justice and full inclusion were selected to serve on the General Board of Church & Society. And then finally, late Friday evening, with the exception of the conferences intentionally left open, each of the three annual conferences receiving a new bishop was assigned the very bishop their delegates had hoped for. 

Excluding the very difficult task of voting on Bishop Bledsoe’s status, and the delayed appointment of a bishop for North West Texas and New Mexico, the SCJ Conference was a pleasant experience and we’re pleased with the outcomes. In the work for social justice, there is no such thing as an “off season.” We will nurture these new relationships and continue to work together until ALL of God’s children are equally welcomed and celebrated!       

We ask that you continue to pray for Bishop Bledsoe, the Judicial Council, and the SCJ Conference delegates and committees. We will likely meet again. And, if needed, will work to elect the most qualified, inclusive, and prophetic bishop available.

The Limits of the Catholic Spirit

By Leland Spencer

Among the many things I’ve always appreciated about John Wesley and our tradition as a whole is Wesley’s sermon “On the catholic spirit.” Note the lowercase “c” -- catholic, in this sense, means universal.

In the sermon, Wesley addresses diversity of opinion in the life of the church. He concludes that persons of faith do not have to agree on everything in order to exist effectively in Christian community. He asks, “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike?”

Although not original to Wesley, the short way to express the ideas in this sermon is the phrase “in essentials unity, in non-essentials charity, in all things love.”

I believe this. I celebrate this. I do my best to live this. I’ve preached about this, explained it to Sunday School classes, and even talked about it in quotidian conversations.

But I’m beginning to wonder if the catholic spirit has limits. Quite frankly, I’m getting tired of making excuses for hateful, bigoted ideas and beliefs, and I’m more and more convinced that I do precisely that when I tell myself and others that people who agree with the hurtful, violent language in the Discipline are discerning Christians doing their best to be faithful.

In 1844, several members of the Methodist Episcopal Church supported a southern bishop in the U.S. who held slaves. The following year, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South was officially organized. Those Methodists were not discerning Christians doing their best to be faithful. They were wrong, and making excuses about “southern culture” or “the times” is nothing more than participation in the sin those Methodists committed.

In 1939, when the MEC and MECS united with the Methodist Protestant Church to form the Methodist Church, a motion for women’s full clergy rights failed. 371 delegates voted in favor of it, and 384 voted against it. The 384 who voted against women’s ordination were wrong. They were not discerning Christians doing their best to be faithful. They let their own prejudices, biases, and fears guide their actions instead of obeying the Gospel.

At that same Uniting Conference, a majority of delegates approved the Central Jurisdiction and legislated segregation into the organization of the newly-formed church. Those delegates were wrong. They were not discerning Christians doing their best to be faithful. They followed their racist ideologies, not Jesus. Those who voted against that plan, including 36 African Americans and the 11 African Americans who abstained (refusing, we might presume, to participate in a process that put their dignity and humanity up for a vote) were right. They followed the Gospel.

And those who voted to put the harmful language in the Discipline in 1972 were wrong. They didn’t just have a different opinion than I do. They were wrong, as were the delegates who have retained or exacerbated the damaging language in each subsequent General Conference. I’m tired of pretending otherwise. My humanity -- and that of all God’s children -- is essential, and I’ve been charitable too long.

I will no longer defend or excuse bigotry in any form or fashion. It is not a sign of faithful discipleship. It is wrong, and I refuse to acquiesce any longer to my own oppression and exclusion under the guise of the catholic spirit. May history find us among the faithful, even if the faithful are in the minority. God have mercy.