Difficult Day

Just before dinner General Conference voted on what is perhaps the most divisive matter among us: whether or not our denomination understands persons who are involved in same-sex relationships to be engaging in sinful behavior.

The particular issue raised this afternoon involved a petition to change the statement "The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching" found in paragraph 161 (g) of our Social Principles. Instead of this statement, the petition asked our Church to acknowledge that we are not of one mind on this issue and that people on "both sides" of the issue are making a sincere witness to their faith.

This change made (and makes) good sense to me, for two reasons: 1) it offers an honest statement of sentiment among us and 2) it removes the condemning language regarding gay and lesbian persons. I, therefore, voted in favor of changing the language in the Discipline.

Which meant I ended up voting in the minority. The petition failed by a vote of 55% to 45%. I'm disappointed, though not surprised. Having been a member of the UMC for 23 years (18 as pastor), I know how difficult this issue is for us. We read the same biblical text related to this issue and take away different meanings. We've been shaped by different life experiences.

But for me, the issue isn't defined by legislation, voting results or even biblical interpretation. Its about the value of people in God's eyes. When I voted today, the faces of gay and lesbian family members, friends, parishioners and clergy colleagues were in my mind's eye. My love for them, and more importantly, the love I know God has for them, compelled me to vote for change.

That change didn't come is, as I said, disappointing. I don't resent the 55% of my sisters and brothers who voted differently then me. I know God loves them too, no more or less than God loves me. I trust we're all seeking to be faithful. And I rejoice in a God who sticks with us through all our deliberations, stumblings and struggles.

While munching a bagel in my hotel...

Last night I was in my legislative committee until midnight, so I'm taking the morning off. Marti Swords-Horrell (there's a familiar name!) is our reserve delegate, so she will sit in for me this morning with full voice and vote. Among other things, this gives me a chance to update you on what's been happening here.

First, though, an apology about the lack of pictures in this blog. I've been taking them and trying to upload them, but with no success. I'll keep trying, so keep checking back.

Since Friday most of my time has been in legislative committee (subcommittee). Mine is the Ministry and Higher Education committee, a group of about 100 from all over the world. Our committee was assigned over 230 petitions to review and make recommendations to the large body. Every petition must be reviewed and a decided upon! That's why we were at it until 12 midnight and will return to it over lunch.

The issues before us include:

• whether a pastor has the authority to deny a person membership in the church (we recommend rejection of this one),
• whether a local pastor (unordained but licensed persons pastoring churches) can vote for General conference delegates (this one we recommend approval),
• changes in the process of ordination to make it more streamlined (some petitions approved, some referred for further study)

For the most part there's been a pretty broad consensus on the issues. Most of us want to make the path to ordination more inviting to young people, less burdensome and more understandable, while not watering down the requirements.

Even around an issue with significant disagreement such as whether a UMC clergyperson could preside at the union ceremony of a same-sex couple, the debate was civil and respectful. I think all the work done to set the tone in our first couple of days here has made a difference. Our bishops emphasized the need to engage in "holy conferencing," listening to each other, speaking the truth in love and trusting God to speak in our midst, sometimes in challenging ways.

Our subcommittee voted not to change the current language in the Book of Discipline barring clergy from presiding at same-sex unions by a vote of 49-34. I can't say I was surprised by the vote. I think those numbers accurately describe our divide on issues related to the full inclusion of gay and lesbian persons. But I was encouraged by the spirit of our debate.

The rest of the week will be spent in plenary or "big group session" with all 992 delegates meeting together to officially vote on the petitions processed in the legislative committees. Those with overwhelming support of the legislative committees will most likely be accepted with little debate, but some will, no doubt, be dealt with by the whole body.

I'll check in with you later. Hope you are well!

Hope, Focus and Getting it Done

Yesterday morning was our time to hear about the state of the Church and where God is leading us. It was a reality check and a time to reclaim our vision. Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher identified our struggles in this way:

"Our United Methodist soul is fractured by [declining membership, divisive issues and the glitziness of modern culture]. We are plagued with deep fear and anxiety, resulting in symptoms that mimic the reactivity of the world rather than life, ministry, death and Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ."

I think she nailed it! But then the message moved on to "so what do we do now?" The answer offered was to concentrate our energies on 4 areas of ministry: leadership development, congregational renewal and growth, ministry with the poor and stamping out killer diseases.

I was struck by how these four issues coordinated with a couple LUMC's 4 critical issues we identified as crucial to our life together: living out a lifelong spiritual journey, reaching 20 and 30 year olds, engaging in vital worship, and retooling the building for ministry/mission.

It seemed to me LUMC's issues of Lifelong Spiritual Journey and Reaching 20 & 30 Year Olds link with both Leadership Development and Renewing Congregations. I also noted none of our issues link up with poverty or disease relief. We do this in many ways (and perhaps that's why we didn't identify these issues), but I wondered if we need to think about how we can grow in these area. I was moved almost to tears by a little 7 year old girl named Katherine from the Pittsburgh who stood before 1000 delegates and told us how she had raised $40,000 to buy nets to protect children in Africa. I could see our kids doing this.

After the presentation around the 4 areas of focus, the first ever "Young People's Address" was given by 6 young adults: Kira, 24, from Russia; Becca, 17, from Michigan; Rev. Annie Arnoldy, 29, from Colorado; Andrew, 16, from Colorado; Matt, 20, from Washington; and Jason, 24, from Nebraska.

This was a powerful presentation. Each young adult shared how important the UMC was to them and what their hopes and dreams were for the future. The four areas of focus were named in concret ways as vital to these young adults. Matt summed up the presentation in this way:

"We have shared stories of persecution, homelessness, and what it means to be a young person in a world desperately in need of Jesus." Then he paused and looked everyone one of us in the eye (amazing, since that's 2000 eyes!). "What you do with what you have heard is really up to you."

I've been thinking a lot about that challenge. Words are great, but actions speak.

It's Begun

The flight from Ithaca to Phili to Dallas/Ft. Worth was smooth. Even the luggage arrived!

The picture on the is of the mobile hanging in the lobby of the convention center we're meeting in (just so you know I'm really in Texas!) [I'm having trouble uploading pictures, so check back later.]

General Conference began with worship Wednesday evening. It was a powerful experience: massed choirs, lilturgical dancers, video displayed on enormous overhead screens, banners and the combined voices of 6500 Methodists filled the auditorium. Bishop Jance Huie of the Houston Area preached on the conference theme of “ A Future with Hope.” Bishop Huie named some of the enormous challenges facing our church in these days: declining membership, worldwide poverty and disease, wars and global warming. She said while 1st Christians were known by the way they loved one another, 21st Christians will need to be known by the way they manifest hope in God’s redeeming work in the world.

After worship, we had initial business to conduct: establishing the policies and rules we’ll use to do the rest of our work. We got done around 11 p.m.

Today has been a powerful day, too. The morning was spent introducing the 4 areas of focus around which our denomination will orient its life in the years ahead: developing principled lay and clergy leadership; planting new churches and renewing existing churches; working with the poor to eliminate poverty; and irradicating the diseases like malaria and AIDS. A pretty ambitious agenda. I’ll speak more about this tomorrow.

Prayers, Petitions, Parties

What is General Conference all about? The title of a recent article summed it up this way: “Prayers, Petitions, Parties.” The 10-day global gathering of United Methodists in Fort Worth will involve each of these activities.

• Worship will begin and end every day’s session and prayer will punctuate all deliberations, presentations, debates and decision-making.
• General Conference will consider close to 1,600 petitions submitted by UMC lay and clergy members, local churches, annual conferences and church agencies dealing with everything from the creation of a new hymnal, changing the mandatory retirement age of clergy, approving the denomination’s proposed $642 million 4-year budget and wrestling with the UMC’s official position on gay and lesbian Christians.
• Several denominational anniversaries will be celebrated (that’s the party reference!): 100th anniversary of United Methodist Men, 40th anniversary of the merger which created the United Methodist Church and the 60th anniversary of the mission funding program the Advance for Christ and His Church.
  
  

During the first week of the General Conference delegates will meet in one of 13 sub-committees called legislative committees to consider the petitions related to a particular area. Pastor Bill is assigned to the “Ministry and Higher Education” legislative committee which will review the 229 petitions primarily related to ordained ministry.

Want more information? Go to http://www.gc2008.umc.org/.

General Conference 2008 - Who Cares?

On April 23 – May 3 The United Methodist Church will hold it’s General Conference in Fort Worth Texas. I'll be attending as one of four clergy delegates from our annual conference (the North Central New York Conference). As the top policy-making body of the international United Methodist Church, General Conference is the only body that officially speaks for our 11.5-million member denomination (13 million if including baptized children who have not become members). During the nine-day session, 992 delegates will revise the Book of Discipline, which regulates the manner in which local churches, annual conferences and general agencies are organized. The conference revises The Book of Discipline (book of church law) and Social Principles and adopts resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for churchwide programs for the next four years.

For United Methodists, General Conference is a big deal. That said, most of us know little about what goes on there or what impact General Conference might have on the day to day affairs of a local church like the Lansing United Methodist Church. I'd like to change this by sharing with you as much as I can about what General Conference is about. Look for articles here, in the “Church At Work” bulletin insert, and in our monthly newsletter (The Sunbeam). Also, during General Conference look for photos and daily reflections on on this blog while I'm in Fort Worth.

This is our Church and what happens in Fort Worth this spring will shape our future together. Let’s be informed.

Christmas Gifts

We had over 475 people attend our two Christmas Eve services. I was amazed and thrilled by the turn out. There's nothing like seeing all those faces illuminated by candle light and hearing so many voices blended together singing "Silent Night." It absolutely never ceases to blow me away. It is one of the greatest gifts I receive for Christmas.

As is often the case, with a gift comes a responsibility. In my case, the responsibility is to make an observation and name a pressing challenge arise out of this experience. First for the observation: people came to church Christmas Eve to hear a familiar story, sing well-known hymns and receive a chunk of bread dipped in juice. Pretty routine, ordinary fare, yet they came.

Or should I say "were drawn." Sure, many were there out of habit (not necessarily a bad habit), some tagged along because they were visiting family members who wanted to come, and still others came because there was nothing else to do. But still others came because they wanted to hear about this crazy God of Love who visited his people in a new born baby. Something about that story touches people, all sorts of people.

As for the challenge, well, it arises out of the observation: people came. There were a lot of people from the congregation present Christmas Eve (which is good!) who brought visiting family and friends (which is great!). But I also saw a number of church members Christmas Eve who I don't see very often. I'm challenged to wonder what needs to happen in their lives and in the life of the congregation to increase their level of participation.

I'm also challenged to wonder about another group of folks I met Christmas Eve, people from the community who aren't a part of any church but who came Christmas Even even so. I recognized people I've talked with in line at the post office or sat next to at a school play. "Magi" types who found their way into the church Christmas Eve, responding to something (Someone) within them, people who may follow different paths but who bring wonderful gifts and who belong and are beloved of God.

I wonder what could happen this year (should we just say must must happen this year?) in order to extend God's embrace to people like that. I wonder what must change in me, in you, in our church, to allow this to happen.

I'd be grateful for you input.