Reconciling Ministries Network

The Signs of Love Conquering Fear Are Everywhere!

A Letter from the RMN Board of Directors

The signs of love conquering fear are everywhere! Supporters of Reconciling Ministries are doing more than ever before. The RMN Called to Witness campaigns in 2011 celebrated 67 regional events where 1595 reconciling persons engaged strategy, reconciling process, public narrative storytelling, and building teams. Of the 682 participants at Sing a New Song, over 100 were young adults.  We placed 500 calls to United Methodist delegates to General Conference. We gave $891,812 to support the mission locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally through Reconciling Ministries Network.

Your generosity made it possible for RMN to gather in coalition with the Methodist Federation for Social Action and Affirmation in early 2011 to plan Love Your Neighbor for both a regional and churchwide impact. Now we are living into the reality of a multinational church and underwrote our first staff persons to engage central conference relationships. You even helped us contract with media experts to conduct focus groups in Cote d'Ivoire and test messages in Uganda, Liberia, South Africa, and other countries to find common cause and build bridges.

Salting the Wounds

by Sean Delmore

The 2008 Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference (NJC) voted to support UMC clergy who perform same-sex marriage ceremonies in California.

In their rush to celebrate clergy colleagues an entire continent away, the NJC ignored its *own* clergy who might perform same-sex weddings, whether they're marriages in Massachusetts, or civil unions in Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and the District of Columbia.

Lately, there's been a lot of handwringing and fearful vote-counting before GLBT advocates even dare to introduce affirmative legislation. I understand & embrace the need for strategy and careful discernment.  But I really wish that while the NJC was voting to affirm California clergy, they had paused long enough to add words of support  – or even a prayer – for clergy in their own Jurisdiction who suffer because UMC policy forbids them to perform same-sex unions within own churches.

In their supportive rush to put a symbolic band-aid on the California limb of the body of Christ, the NJC rubbed salt into the wounds of its own clergy who struggle to meet the needs of their GLB congregants within a homophobic church.

While I'm sure it was unintentional, it's a good reminder that fears and caution keep us from asking for all that we want, and giving voice to all that we need.

The Day of Jubilee will Come!

By Jayson Dobney

I am more certain of that now than ever.

Sitting at home, riveted to my computer watching votes being taken across the country for episcopal leaders last week - and talking to friends in various jurisdictions to see how things were going  - I realized that first and foremost: I am a United Methodist nerd.

There was heartbreak.  No doubt.  Heartbreak at seeing allies defeated, heartbreak from talking to friends who struggled with making decisions about voting, heartbreak at seeing our progressive coalitions sometimes split.  Hearbreak at the ruling of law issued by Bishop Shamana of the Cal Nevada conference.

But, there was also a story of such magnitude that it also provides me a glimpse of the future.  Frank Wulf stood for election as bishop as an openly gay man in the Western Jurisdiction!  What a wonderful day.  What an act of bravery and leadership.  Read the story here:  http://www.umc.org/

OK, so he didn't get elected, and he might face consequences now that he has come out in such a public arena.  But his actions have been truly inspiring - at least to me.  In the face of so much that has happened in the last few months at General Conferences, Annual Conferences, and at Jurisdictional Conferences, this, at least, was a moment that showed us what our church will look like someday.  Thanks Frank Wulf for this gift.  Thank you for showing more leadership than a whole council full of bishops.

I now know, deep in my heart and in my gut, that we will see the day when we elect the first, and then the second, and third, and many more, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons as bishops.  We will leave behind the fights over membership, ordination, and marriage, and instead will have voices at the tables of leadership.  My dreams have been so small.  I had never even contemplated the possibility of a GLBT person elected as Bishop - God has a way of doing that.  Expanding our vision to things we never thought possible.

That Day of Jubilee will Come!

Pastor is church’s first openly gay bishop candidate

The United Methodist News Service reports on an openly gay candidate for Bishop in the Western Jurisdiction.

Standing before an assembly that would elect two bishops, the Rev. Frank Wulf shared his problem as a candidate for one of the top clergy positions in The United Methodist Church.

"The problem is that I come as a gay man, and I know where our church stands on the issue of same-sex orientation," Wulf said in his candidacy address before the Western Jurisdictional Conference, which represents United Methodists in the western United States, Guam and other U.S. territories in the Pacific.

The delegates, who later approved four statements challenging the denomination’s position on homosexuality, listened intently as Wulf continued: "And I know that the church says … a practicing self-avowed homosexual shall not be ordained or appointed within our church."

By extension, Wulf noted that his candidacy created a quandary for jurisdictional delegates in a denomination that consistently has declared homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching."

"I know that if, by some chance, I were ever to be elected as a bishop within this jurisdiction or any jurisdiction, that all hell would break loose …," he said, explaining later that he would anticipate church judicial charges, threats and hate mail.

Full story:
Pastor is church’s first openly gay bishop candidate

Western Jurisdiction challenges homosexuality stance

The United Methodist News Service reports on four resolutions passed at the Western Jurisdictional Conference challenging The United Methodist Church stance on homosexuality.

Challenging the United Methodist stance on homosexuality, the church’s Western Jurisdictional Conference approved four statements aimed at changing denominational policies and beliefs on human sexuality.

With no debate, the legislative assembly voted July 18 in favor of resolutions that presenters said will serve as "a witness to the general church."

One resolution celebrated a May 15 ruling by the California Supreme Court clearing the way for gay marriages, which began in that state June 16. It states, in part, that the conference supports "same-gender couples who enter into the marriage covenant and encourage(s) both congregations and pastors to welcome, embrace and provide spiritual nurture and pastoral care for these families."

Another asks that church leaders look for "creative ways" to "be in full ministry with all who come to us" and declares an intention not to penalize clergy or churches "for being agents of this ministry in God’s name."

A third resolution challenges decisions last April by General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body, that kept intact the church’s position that homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching."

"We stand with our gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender brothers and sisters, both lay and clergy, who have been shunned by The United Methodist Church in polity and deed," the resolution states. "… As a welcoming and reconciling jurisdiction, we will take steps of inclusion in the sacred trust of marriage, ordination and leadership roles for all."

A fourth resolution affirms a statement approved by the human sexuality subcommittee of General Conference. That statement, which was not approved by the churchwide assembly, says United Methodists and other Christians "have struggled to find principles for applying traditional teachings to contemporary understandings of human sexuality." The resolution encourages "the medical, theological and social science disciplines to combine in a determined effort to understand human sexuality more completely."

As the only body that speaks for the entire church, General Conference affirmed its stance while holding that all people are "individuals of sacred worth created in the image of God." Meeting in Forth Worth, Texas, the denominational assembly also retained statements asking "families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends."

General Conference represents a worldwide denomination of 11.5 million people. Of those, 390,000 United Methodists are in the Western Jurisdiction, which covers the Western United States and some U.S. territories in the Pacific.

Full story:
Western Jurisdiction challenges homosexuality stance

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.

The Northeastern Jurisdiction supports California pastors

The United Methodist News Services reports that delegates to the Northeastern Jurisdiction passed a resolution in support of California UMC pastors performing same-sex marriages.

In sharp contrast to the action taken at the United Methodist General Conference last spring, delegates to the denomination’s Northeastern Jurisdiction Conference voted July 17 to support clergy in California who choose to perform same-gender marriages.

The delegates approved a resolution expressing respect for pastors in the California-Pacific and California-Nevada annual (regional) conferences “who as a matter of Christian conscience, spiritual discernment and prophetic witnessing” opt to participate in the celebration of same-gender marriages that are not approved by the church.

The resolution also asks for lenient disciplinary action against clergy who disobey church law on the issue.

The 2008 General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body, voted to retain its ban on same-gender marriages and to bar clergy from performing such marriages or consecrating them in the church. Pastors who perform same-gender unions risk losing their clergy credentials. The assembly met April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Division among Northeastern Jurisdiction delegates over the resolution prompted passionate debate from supporters and opponents. Bishop Jane Allen Middleton of the Harrisburg Area, who was presiding over the session, prayed for holy discernment before the delegates voted.

On May 15, the California Supreme Court struck down the state’s ban on same-gender marriage, ruling that the state constitution protects that “right to marry.”

Full Story:
NEJ affirms Calif. clergy on same-gender marriages
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