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Methodists Move Toward LGBT Inclusion
religion Dispatches ^ | 10 Jun 2011 | CANDACE CHELLEW-HODGE

Posted on 06/10/2011 3:02:32 AM PDT by Cronos

In my article last month about the historic vote by Presbyterians to endorse the ordination of gay and lesbian ministers, I issued a challenge to the Methodist Church, the last mainstream denomination holding out on full acceptance of LGBT people. It seems there were already Methodists taking up the challenge to make their denomination more welcoming.

Just days after the Presbyterians moved to approve gay and lesbian clergy, the Washington Post reported that “the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church narrowly approved a groundbreaking same-sex marriage resolution.”

The resolution, passed at the church’s annual local conference, would amend the church’s Book of Discipline to allow pastors to perform same-sex marriages and ceremonies in member churches in jurisdictions where legislatures already have approved gay marriage laws, such as the District.

The measure was not expected to pass by its sponsor, Washington’s Foundry United Methodist. The pastor there, Rev. Dean Synder, said the resolution was presented “as an occasion to have a conversation. This is very exciting, very moving.”

The resolution must pass muster at the denomination’s General Conference next April in Tampa. Back in 2008, the General Conference rejected an attempt to remove a line from the Book of Discipline that calls homosexuality “incompatible with Christian teaching.”

The move in Washington was followed closely by 70 Methodist ministers in Minnesota vowing to marry same-sex couples seeking the church’s blessing. At present, the denomination forbids its clergy to preside over same-sex weddings, even in states where it is legal, or for its buildings to be used for such ceremonies. Ministers in violation could be de-frocked.

The move by the ministers comes as Minnesota voters prepare to vote next year on a constitutional amendment that would define marriage in the state as being only between one man and one woman. The statement was brought to the UMC’s annual state denominational conference last month by Rev. Bruce Robbins, pastor of the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis. The statement gives a nod to the other denominations who are ahead of them:

We are convinced by the witness of others and are compelled by Spirit and conscience to act. We thank the many United Methodists who have already called for full equality and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the life of the Church.

Neither measure goes as far as approving LGBT people for ordination, but the question remains: could this coming UMC General Conference be the tipping point for the Methodists as it was the Presbyterians' last denominational gathering? A lot has changed since 2008, with more people becoming accepting of LGBT people and marriage equality. Remember, back in 2009, the Presbyterian proposal to allow gay and lesbian clergy was defeated in the Presbyteries—with narrower margins than the two previous votes, until this year, when the margin finally favored gay and lesbian clergy. If these latest moves do not prove to be the ultimate tipping point for the Methodists, then we may well be witnessing the beginning of a trajectory toward inclusion similar to the Presbyterian journey.


TOPICS: Current Events; Mainline Protestant
KEYWORDS: gay; homosexualagenda; methodist; presbyterian
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To: Morgana
pretty much...
41 posted on 06/10/2011 4:11:09 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: Cronos

Dear Cronos, our only rules making body does not meet until next year. It is comprised of delegates selected world-wide in proportion to the size of a region’s membership. Thus, the regions that want lgbt are smaller in mewmbership than those that do not want it. Africa, for example, is opposed to lgbt and comprises nearly a third of our membership. The south and south central and texas is much larger than the northeastand north central in membership, and they are mostly opposed to lgbt. I expect our standards to hold.
Nonetheless, pray that God would grant us victory and that your Church would speak out public support for those Christian Communities that stand fast in our historic Christian faith.


42 posted on 06/10/2011 5:15:19 PM PDT by xzins
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To: xzins; Cronos

It won’t be just Methodists praying for you. May God bless the efforts of those who love God and desire His will. May He make those who follow Him fruitful, and quickly destroy those who reject His will.

“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say—
“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
The LORD is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the LORD be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the LORD!” - Psalms 129


43 posted on 06/10/2011 5:27:43 PM PDT by Mr Rogers (Poor history is better than good fiction, and anything with lots of horses is better still)
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To: Mr Rogers

Thanks you for your wonderful prayer and scripture of support.


44 posted on 06/10/2011 5:45:25 PM PDT by xzins
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To: fwdude
As Pat4ever told me, there are still many conservative pastors in the Wesleyan denomination. Kokomo, IN is a decidedly liberal town, though, and it makes my search a bit more difficult. Plus with my income I can't drive much more than 15-20 miles in any one direction. The church I'm in now is a good church; a little rough around the edges to be sure, but they are growing and seeking God's will.

I come from a Free Methodist background and, though there are still many conservative pastors in that denomination, they took a huge turn towards their United Methodist brethren about 15 years ago.

But anymore it's not about the denomination; it's about finding a church that is grounded solidly in the Word of God. Sure there may be some aspects of any church that we might not agree with but we have to maintain fellowship with our brethren as long as possible.

45 posted on 06/10/2011 6:35:32 PM PDT by ducttape45
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To: Cronos

All the best with that. Unfortunately, the faithful in the mainlines aren’t winning that battle.


46 posted on 06/10/2011 7:27:43 PM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: xzins; Mr Rogers
Nonetheless, pray that God would grant us victory and that your Church would speak out public support for those Christian Communities that stand fast in our historic Christian faith.

I'm not even talking of our Churches speaking out -- I'm talking of us as individuals standing out. We can't vote of course as we're not Methodists, but we can stand with you in a picket, we can write in, we can above all pray.

I'm terribly serious about this -- I see this only as fellow Christians being beleaguered.

I cannot understand the philosophy that some are espousing of "lets let them destroy this, we'll move on to the next" -- the enemy will keep moving to the next and the next and we dwindle and dwindle

I am happy that you say that this will NOT pass, but I feel we (all of us) should have this motion defeated so thoroughly it is not raise again and again in years to come, trying to push it through.

47 posted on 06/10/2011 10:18:23 PM PDT by Cronos ( W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie I Szczebrzeszyn z tego słynie.)
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To: CitizenUSA

My analogy is — we’re soldiers of Christ. We know our commanding General is incorruptible. If our platoon or division is corrupt,we don’t go AWOL or form a new division. We stay, pray to higher authority or fight out this. We don’t leave our fellow Christian soldiers behind...


48 posted on 06/10/2011 10:20:39 PM PDT by Cronos ( W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie I Szczebrzeszyn z tego słynie.)
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To: Cronos

Christ’s divisions and platoons cannot be corrupted. His church is a single entity, not a plethora of man-made denominations. I’d rather not lend any support for those denominations that are preaching outright heresy. Their leaders will ultimately pay a very heavy price for leading people astray. Do you think it will go easier on them than unbelievers? They claim to serve God by loving everyone regardless of sin, but there is no salvation without repentance. Instead of trying to rescue those who are drowning in sin, these “Christians” tell them it’s OK.


49 posted on 06/11/2011 12:20:06 AM PDT by CitizenUSA (Coming soon...DADT for Christians!)
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