On Keeping Covenants and Loving Children
… My beloved son is certainly a child of God, a disciple of Jesus Christ, truly gifted, and he is gay. He doesn’t trust the church. While our bishop today is very gracious, there is no telling what the theology of our next bishop will be. While his mother’s church is very welcoming, not all churches in the denomination are, and there are no guarantees that he will be welcome. Our denomination’s churches are like a minefield: we never know if our next step into a sanctuary will reward us with safety or if we will be irreparably damaged…
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They Would Destroy the Rest of the Institution...
The premise of the document is that the church is too divided theologically to be viable; we have two wholly different views on everything from the authority of Scripture to the understanding of social holiness. It can’t be held together.
Given that analysis, what this memo really reveals…
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Long Overdue…
Above the fireplace mantel, a fancy plaque reports the room was appointed and dedicated in memory of the son of founding pastor, Ralph W. Sockman, who died at the age of 21 in 1940. Sockman was a famous and highly respected elder of our church in his day, having served as NBC Radio’s featured preacher for more than 30 years. He was the charismatic personality responsible for assembling the people and resources to build Methodism’s cathedral on Park Avenue in New York City.
I didn’t give much thought to the dedication until about 10 years ago when an old friend asked me if I knew the story of William Sockman’s death….
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Loving & Serving... A Missiological Way Forward!
The heart of a biblically-centered missiology for the church that best reflects the heart and character of God is at its very foundation a relational one. God’s own missiology, which is God’s desire for all of creation, is based in who God is, in God’s very character, and we see what this is in the very beginning of the biblical story. In Genesis 1:26, in the midst of God’s creative process, God says, “let us make humankind in our image.”
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My Conscience Won’t Allow Me…
It was 1972; The United Methodist Church was four years old and I was five. That year, the General Conference meeting in Atlanta, GA added the words ‘homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching’ to the United Methodist Book of Discipline. For most of my life, and the life of the UMC, this onerous phrase has been pinned to our denomination like a badge of dishonor…
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Simple Plan v. One Church Plan: Are Progressives Splitting the Vote?
May the coming months of creeping Plan dissatisfaction cause delegates to take a second look at this simple way for United Methodism to move forward together to a future with hope.
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Consider These Points...
As I look at the prospect of ordination in my near future, I am unsure as to whether my home conference would ordain me…
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Support With Integrity
The Simple Plan is the only plan that I can support with integrity as I strive to be an ally with United Methodist LGBTQ+ people across all the conferences of our connection.
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"Doing White"
How could any of us who have known or know about Methodist legislation that excluded some persons, continue to support excluding legislation? Family does not do that to Family!
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With Friends Like These...
If the story of Job’s friends ended after verse 13 of chapter 2, we would have a lovely story of accompaniment, of empathy, of support; something to guide us as we journey together through the most difficult moments of life. Those who are familiar with the book of Job, though, know it doesn’t end here.
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"Not saying - Just Asking"
I have long wondered why some Methodist Christians endorsed slavery, segregation and did not resist the burning of crosses at KKK events. And refused me entry to their worship services, kept me from swimming at Lake Junaluska, and denied me entrance to Duke Divinity School; all because of my race.
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