The Work of Liberation Continues

This message goes out to the vibrant and diverse community of UM-Forward. As the work of liberation continues, we celebrate your ongoing partnership and witness.

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus, the one who brings good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom to the oppressed! With 2020 bringing both new and familiar challenges, we are reminded that the work of liberation continues. Those committed to this work must constantly evaluate their call and determine the path that best fits their vision and their needs. The Leadership Team of UM-Forward is no different. In recent months, new visions, new formations, and new strategies have emerged.

Five members of the UM-Forward leadership team have recently resigned their roles in UM-Forward. Rev. Dr. Jay Williams, Rev. Jonah Overton, Cameron Overton, Rev. Dr. Adama Brown, and Kyle Walden have discerned that their season with UM-Forward has ended and their work in that collective completed. They are currently advancing the call to collective liberation and human flourishing apart from UM-Forward, and through the Liberation Project.

The Liberation Project

The Liberation Project is a convening of liberationists who collectively emancipate systems of oppression, resurrect new life, and collaborate with and for the mutuality and fullness of humanity. While its work is expansive and moves beyond traditional denominational systems, in the context of an extraordinary global sea-change, The Liberation Project is called to a radical reformation of The United Methodist Church. From art to music to word, The Liberation Project is reclaiming the heart of freedom through Christ’s liberative work. With a constructive, celebratory posture keen on ‘liberation discipleship,’ The Liberation Project will resource and empower liberationist congregations as it joins with the divine in creating a more flourishing world.” For more information on The Liberation Project, visit theliberationists.com.

UM-Forward

UM-Forward is currently working on a project to promote racial justice, as well as continuing to create a spiritual home for those seeking a radically welcoming faith community for all persons that fully includes persons of color, queer, and trans persons. Toward that end, UM-Forward is birthing a new methodist liberationist denomination, and continues its own collaboration with United Methodists.

As they depart, Jay, Jonah, Cameron, Adama, and Kyle rejoice in the vision that UM-Forward offers to those seeking a path to the liberation God intends for all people. As an organization led by persons of color, queer, and trans persons (POC+Q+T), UM-Forward has advanced the liberation struggle. UM-Forward has borne witness to this vision through gatherings like Our Movement Forward (May 2019), the Advent Gathering (December 2019), and the Lenten Gathering (March 2020); the N.E.W. Plan legislation to the originally scheduled 2020 General Conference; and a host of theological statements, “Ain’t I a Christian, Too? (August 2018), the Loved and Liberated Proclamation (May 2019), Living in God’s Liberating Light: The Epiphany Statement (January 2020).

UM-Forward will continue to be a collective that unapologetically seeks the liberation Jesus describes in the Gospel.

Our Shared Blessing

Continuing leaders of UM-Forward commend to God’s grace those who are departing, and encourage all to learn more about The Liberation Project. Those departing also commend to God’s grace UM-Forward. Again, the work of liberation continues.

In liberation and in grace,
Adrian Hill, Marla Marcum, Rev. Jonah Overton, Rev. Wil Ranney, Rev. Dr. Jay Williams, and Rev. Vicki Woods

UMForwardOctober 7, 2020