GC Newsletter: Sunday, April 27

You are cordially invited to worship with
the Reconciling Ministries Network
Sunday afternoon, April 27, 2008, at 2 p.m. at
First United Methodist Church, 800 West 5th Street, Fort Worth Texas

Leaders:   
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung,
Northern Illinois Annual Conference
Rev. Dr. Don Guest, Co-Pastor,
Glide Memorial United Methodist      
Rev. Dr. Heather Murray Elkins,
Drew University

No R.S.V.P. necessary

There will be a van circling, from 1-1:45 p.m., from Park Central Hotel to First UMC for worship for those who need. Also, others who might help give rides, please line-up with the other drivers.

Cell Phone Giveaway Video on YouTube

Video shows Central Conference delegates receiving cell phones at luncheon by Institute for Religion and Democracy. More at GeneralConference2008.org.

Young People Envision Fully Inclusive Church

"I have so many friends that will not come to church with me because they believe the church does not want them and God does not want them," Joey Heath told the crowd.  "If we are going to have policies like [Decision 1032], then we are going to have to stand before God and explain why we turned his children away," he continued.  Joey Heath is the young adult who was denied membership in a South Georgia Church he liked and wanted to join after graduation from college.  Heath told how he grew up in the church, at 11 was elected to the district youth council and then the conference youth council, then Wesley Foundation leadership.  When he came out at the Wesley Foundation, he was asked to step down from leadership.

Heath reminded the crowd that "John Wesley once said 'all the world is my parish.' We must be united in making all of the world our parish, including our lesbian, our gay, our bisexual, our transgender, our black, our white...our whatever!” These labels too often divide us and keep us from coming together as the body of Christ at his table.

Rachel Birkhahn-Rommelfanger, American University senior at the "Young Adults Speak Out" event yesterday emphasized "The generation is changing. We're in a different place and we want be listened to.  We would like the church to meet us where we are.  I know that it's hard to change, but I want you all to know that the change is coming.  Young people have chosen a future of hope: that all people will be welcome in our church today."

That was the theme of much of the witness of the young adults who spoke at the event, which started at First Christian Church and continued with a two-route march to the General Worth Park in front of the Convention Center.

Sean Delmar, a master's student and transgender person at Boston, on the deacon track, observed, "I see a church that is already doing what it is supposed to be doing.  Some of you have already heard my story, about how when I was in the midst of becoming a man and I did not know the love of Jesus, the local bishop's office reached out and said, 'how can we help you?' When I had no hope, this church reached out and said 'How can we love you?'"

If this church can find ways to do this kind of loving and welcoming, the young persons we so much want will begin to come back and transform this great church.  Will you help?
Outside Hecklers Harass Young Adults

Friday evening when the young people held their 24- hour drumming circle, several self-identified Christians appeared to protest against LGBT people with signs and shouting. They attempted to exhibit superior understanding of the Bible and quickly escalated their attacks to denounce women with short hair and women in leadership positions.

Early in the evening, Reconciling parents formed a line between the groups facing in to the drums and joining in the faithful witness. For a time several young people engaged the protesters to divert the attacks and reduce the harm.

These folks were not United Methodists. But their actions are related to the same message we hear in the UMC when LGBT people are excluded from full participation in quiet ways… by votes, by inaction of friends, by silence, by being portrayed as “extreme” when we desire to belong at our local churches.

Homosexuality is not sin. We thank the young people for showing the path to authentic and exuberant welcome.