May 2 wrap-up: Delegates declare homosexuality no longer ‘incompatible’

The day after a historic plenary session that saw General Conference delegates end the church’s prohibition on ordaining “self-avowed practicing homosexuals,” the church’s top legislative body on May 2 voted to remove the denominational stance that declares homosexuality to be “incompatible with Christian teaching.” That language has been in place since 1972.

By a vote of 523 to 161 after about an hour and a half of debate, General Conference delegates eliminated the 52-year-old assertion in the denomination’s Social Principles that “the practice of homosexuality… is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

In the same vote, delegates affirmed “marriage as a sacred, lifelong covenant that brings two people of faith (adult man and adult woman of consenting age or two adult persons of consenting age) into a union of one another and into deeper relationship with God and the religious community.”

Read more at this link.

Church ends 52-year-old anti-gay stance

The United Methodist Church’s condemnation of homosexuality — which sparked a half-century of conflict — is now no more.

By a vote of 523 to 161 after about an hour and a half of debate, General Conference delegates eliminated the 52-year-old assertion in the denomination’s Social Principles that “the practice of homosexuality… is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

In the same vote, delegates affirmed “marriage as a sacred, lifelong covenant that brings two people of faith (adult man and adult woman of consenting age or two adult persons of consenting age) into a union of one another and into deeper relationship with God and the religious community.”

Randall Miller, who chaired the Social Principles Task Force that led the development of the revisions approved over the past week, said this was a historic moment.

“It's been 40 years of work for me and others to remove the incompatibility clause from our Social Principles and really live in through our belief that all people are sacred,” said Miller, who is gay and long advocated for the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in church life. “Just deeply grateful and it's wonderful to have come to this moment.”

Read more at this link.

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Marriage decison sparks protest, celebration... read article at this link.

Bishops react to LGBTQ inclusion votes...read article at this link.

National Day of Prayer

Today is National Day of Prayer.

Christ be with us,

Christ before us,

Christ behind us,

Christ in us,

Christ beneath us,

Christ above us,

Christ on our right,

Christ on our left,

Christ where we lie,

Christ where we sit,

Christ where we arise,

Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of us,

Christ in every eye that sees us,

Christ in every ear that hears us.

Salvation is of the Lord,

Salvation is of the Christ,

May your salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. Amen.

- The United Methodist Book of Worship #529

Enjoy the Chuck Knows Church video at this link.

Disaffiliation ends, regionalization moves forward

The United Methodist Church’s focus on disaffiliation has come to an end and a new push for regionalization is just beginning.

By a vote of 516 to 203, General Conference delegates supported the end of a disaffiliation policy added by the special 2019 General Conference and used by about a quarter of U.S. churches to leave The United Methodist Church.

“The season of disaffiliation ends today,” said Lonnie Chafin, a delegate from the Northern Illinois Conference and chair of the Conferences legislative committee. The committee supported and brought to the floor the petition that deletes Paragraph 2553 from the Book of Discipline. The paragraph only ever appeared in a digital addendum to the Discipline.

Read more at this link.

May 1 wrap-up: Gay clergy ban lifted, new retirement plan approved

During a historic May 1 morning plenary session, one of the sources of heated, often painful, dispute at General Conference for the past 40 years was removed without debate: The denomination’s ban on ordaining “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” has been lifted.

Additional petitions were passed that overturned other longstanding rules prohibiting clergy from officiating same-sex weddings or churches from hosting them. Another vote ended the policy thousands of churches had used to leave the denomination, but created a pathway for churches wishing to return.

Throughout the day following the vote, United Methodists wearing rainbow colors signifying LGBTQ support could be seen taking selfies in front of the Charlotte Convention Center, where a giant banner hanging above the main doorway declares “The United Methodist Church Welcomes You!”

Read more at this link.

40-year ban on gay clergy struck down

Without debate, General Conference has removed The United Methodist Church’s ban on the ordination of clergy who are “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” — a prohibition that dates to 1984.

General Conference during the morning plenary approved the change alongside 22 pieces of legislation on the consent calendar, which allows delegates to pass multiple petitions in bulk if they have overwhelming support in legislative committee and have no budgetary or constitutional impact.

The vote on the consent calendar was 692-51, with approval at 93%.

Read more at this link.

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+Read "Removal of LGBTQ ban comes too late for some" at this link.

+Watch an interview with Bishop Oliveto at this link.

Wednesday with the Wesleys

We all are one who him receive,

and each with each agree,

in him the One, the Truth, we live;

blest point of unity!

Partakers of the Savior's grace,

the same in mind and heart,

nor joy, nor grief, nor time, nor place,

nor life, nor death can part.

~ Charles Wesley