General Conference 2008

LG cell phone box obtained

Cell phones were provided to Central Conference delegates by the Renewal and Reform Coalition (The Confessing Movement, Good News, IRD/UMAction among others). Each cell phone box included a post-it note with the number of the cell phone and the name of the delegate that took the cell phone. This box was found in the Fort Worth Convention center after delegates had concluded business. This cell phone box contains a post-it note with the name of Dion B. Rombaoa, a Central Conference delegate from Central Luzon Phil.

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Washington Post: Methodists Struggle To Reflect Diversity

The Washington Post reports:

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Once the epitome of Main Street, U.S.A., the United Methodist Church is rapidly becoming an increasingly international family.

Put another way: The church of President Bush and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) is also the church of Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

And as the Liberian president stood before thousands of fellow Methodists here Tuesday, she presented herself as the personification of the church's global missions and urged a renewed effort to fight poverty in Africa.

Sirleaf, who in 2006 became Africa's first democratically elected female head of state, pointed to Methodists' centuries-old health and education ministries in her West African nation. Methodists built the first secondary school in Liberia, the College of West Africa, of which Sirleaf called herself a proud alumna.

"For more than 175 years, you, the Methodist Church, has stood by and with the Liberian nation," Sirleaf said. "The church must continue to work to assist us meet the challenges for the people of Liberia."

Challenges are abundant across the world, Sirleaf said. A widening gap between rich and poor nations threatens regional stability; climate change threatens natural resources; and rising food prices threaten to unleash a tide of hunger across the world.

"You are meeting at a critical moment in the history of the Christian church and the human family," she told the almost 4,000 Methodists gathered here at their quadrennial General Conference.

Indeed, they find themselves in the middle of an intense debate about exactly how their church can reflect its increasingly international membership and its sexual diversity at home.

While Methodist congregations are shrinking in America, they're booming in Africa and Asia -- 30 percent of the 11.5 million-member church lives outside the United States. Sirleaf's Liberia has 168,000 Methodists; this week, delegates formally received its West African neighbor, Ivory Coast, into the church. With 700,000 members, it's now the church's largest regional conference.

More than 275 of the almost 1,000 delegates gathered here to draw up church policy are from Africa, an increase of 100 from the last General Conference.

Still, Methodists have yet to decide how to fully reflect their diversity in church governance. On Monday, delegates scuttled a plan that might have given more influence to churches in Africa, Asia and Europe, instead deciding to study the matter further and report back in four years.

The meeting here, which ended yesterday, also reflects a wider struggle for the soul of America's mainline churches, as conservatives and liberals increasingly cross national and hemispheric lines in search of allies.

Several delegates warned that actions taken here directly affect Methodists in Africa and Asia, many of whom are conservative.

Delegates held to traditional Methodist rules on homosexuality, refusing to support or celebrate same-sex unions and maintaining language that calls homosexual activity "incompatible with Christian teaching."

Yet, efforts to remove a transgender pastor from ministry in Baltimore died quietly. The failure to enact a ban most likely means the Rev. Drew Phoenix, who entered the ministry as the Rev. Ann Gordon, cannot be defrocked solely because he is a transgender man before the next General Conference in 2012.

Liberal Methodists say a conservative coalition crossed ethical lines when it handed out more than 200 free cellphones to delegates from Africa and the Philippines. The giveaway sparked charges of racism, neo-colonialism and old-fashioned graft.

Conservative activist Mark Tooley of UMAction, a member of the coalition, called the cellphone brouhaha "very silly."

But the Rev. Troy Plummer of the gay-friendly Reconciling Ministries Network noted that the fliers advertising the giveaway called on delegates to elect a slate of conservative candidates to the church's supreme court.

Those candidates lost. Delegates elected church moderates and liberals instead.

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Methodists Struggle To Reflect Diversity
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UMNS: Same-sex couple says ‘I do’ outside church assembly

According to the United Methodist News Service:

Just days after their denomination reaffirmed its position against same-sex unions, United Methodists Julie Bruno, 47, and Sue Laurie, 52, held a marriage ceremony on General Worth Square, across the street from the convention center where the General Conference was meeting to pass official denominational stances.

More than 200 guests—family, friends and delegates—attended the outdoor ceremony on May 2. The couple are members of United Church of Rogers Park, a United Methodist church in Chicago.

"We have talked for many years about the pros and cons of a wedding. We decided to do it now while our church family is gathered," Bruno said.

Invitations were distributed on the evening of May 1 as delegates and visitors left the convention center, but Bruno said the ceremony was open to the entire church.

The couple exchanged vows, and the guests read a printed declaration of marriage in unison.

Only one clergy person, the Rev. Julie Todd of the New England Annual (regional) Conference, participated in the ceremony. Todd blessed and consecrated communion elements that the couple served to their guests.

The United Methodist Book of Discipline prohibits the denomination’s clergy from conducting ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions. On May 2, the delegates affirmed the church’s definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Bruno and Laurie, who is the outreach coordinator for the Reconciling Ministries Network, said other United Methodist clergy wanted to participate in the ceremony. The couple wanted their ceremony, however, to be "less about upsetting people and more about being role models," showing that "ceremonies are going on regardless" of the church’s position on homosexual marriage. The Reconciling Ministries Network advocates for full inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in the life of the church.

"This is about us today, not about clergy breaking rules," said Bruno.
Long relationship

Bruno, a lifelong United Methodist, and Laurie met during a Bible study at a United Methodist church 25 years ago. They bought rings for each other after 10 years, but the Fort Worth event was their only formal ceremony.

Joan Bruno, Julie’s sister, said the ceremony felt like an affirmation of the couple’s relationship and celebration of their church family because she has considered them married for many years.

"It’s been 25 years already. She’s been my sister-in-law forever," said Joan.

"They’ve been together longer than my straight parents, so this is a very powerful experience that, for me, speaks to what loving, committed relationships are," said David Braden, a friend attending General Conference as an alternate lay delegate from Northern Illinois.

Braden said he was still distraught over the April 30 legislative decision retaining the church’s stance that the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching." However, he said he believes this ceremony was helping him to heal.

"I can go home from this conference feeling more fully human knowing there are people in this church who affirm loving relationships and are dedicated to God," Braden said.

Julie Bruno said that she and Laurie hoped the celebration would provide healing for others hurt by the assembly’s decisions. She called their marriage an "Easter celebration after what felt like Good Friday."

"This is our Easter gift to our church family," Bruno said.

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Same-sex couple says ‘I do’ outside church assembly
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Funding Ban Continues But Softened

The Petition is amended as follows:
Amend ¶612.19 as follows: 
19.  To ensure that no annual conference board, agency, committee, commission, or council shall give United Methodist funds to any gay caucus or group, or otherwise use such funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality or violate the express commitment of the UMC "not to reject or condemn lesbain and gay members and friends." (¶161.G).  This shall include ensuring that no such funds are used to support any United Methodist campus ministry that through its official programming or a formal caucus affiliation opposes the biblical understanding that sexual relations are only appropriate within heterosexual marriage. The council shall have the right to stop such expenditures.  This restriction shall not limit the Church's ministry in response to the HIV epidemic, nor shall it preclude funding for dialogs or educational events where the Church's official position is fairly and equally represented.

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Associated Press: Methodists attend gay union ceremony near church convention

According to the Associated Press:

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — More than 200 Methodists attended a lesbian couple's commitment ceremony Friday in defiance of a vote to uphold a church law that says gay relationships are "incompatible with Christian teaching."

The ceremony was at a park across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, where some 3,000 people are meeting for the United Methodist Church's general conference. It is held every four years to set church policy.

Methodists this week rejected replacing a sentence in its Book of Discipline — which says the church "does not condone the practice of homosexuality" — with other phrases, including one saying Christians differ on the issue. The measure to change the language also was rejected at the last conference in 2004.

Methodists this week also voted against a proposal to change a policy allowing pastors to keep gays and lesbians from joining the denomination's churches.

"There was a lot of robust debate as there has been for 36 years, particularly over the phrase that refers to 'incompatible,'" said the Rev. Gregory V. Palmer, president of the church's Council of Bishops. He also called for finding common ground.

At the ceremony, some said that acceptance of gays in some churches encouraged them but that the denomination as a whole had a long way to go.

No clergy member presided over the commitment ceremony of Julie Bruno and Sue Laurie of Chicago, a couple for 25 years, although about three dozen ministers attended.

Officiating at a same-sex union ceremony violates church rules for clergy and would leave them vulnerable to being charged in Methodist church courts. In 1999, a senior pastor in Omaha, Neb., was defrocked after a church trial for performing a same-sex union.

"The United Methodist Church has been and continues to be both blessing and burden to us," said Julie Bruno, one of the women getting married. "When the church turns her back on us, withholds blessing from us, does God withhold blessing? Does God stop loving us? We continue to be the church to and for each other. We continue to be the instruments of God's light and love."

The Rev. Julie Todd spoke during the Friday ceremony and led the communion. Afterward, she said she doubted her role would subject her to any church disciplinary action, but if so she was prepared.

"I believe so strongly that this is the role of the church and of the ordained clergy in blessing loving relationships that I am not concerned about the consequences," Todd said.

After the service, Laurie and Bruno said they turned down many ministers' offers to officiate.

"The message was less about upsetting people and more about being role models and for people to know that these ceremonies are going on," Laurie said.

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Methodists attend gay union ceremony near church convention
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Julie Bruno, right, and her partner Sue Laurie kiss after being married across the street from where the United Methodist Church's general conference is meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, May 2, 2008. The lesbian couple held a wedding at a park across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, protesting the church's refusal to change its policy that gay relationships are "incompatible with Christian teaching." (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Sue Laurie, right, and her partner, Julie Bruno, leads supporters marching out of the Fort Worth Convention center where the United Methodist Church's general conference is meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, May 2, 2008. The lesbian couple held a wedding at a park across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, protesting the church's refusal to change its policy that gay relationships are "incompatible with Christian teaching." (AP Photo/LM Otero) 

Sue Laurie and her partner Julie Bruno, center bottom, are met by supporters before marching out of the Fort Worth Convention center where the United Methodist Church's general conference is meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, May 2, 2008. The lesbian couple held a wedding at a park across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, protesting the church's refusal to change its policy that gay relationships are "incompatible with Christian teaching." (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Methodist church member Ralph Williams of Washington D.C. participates with others in a wedding across from Fort Worth Convention center where the United Methodist Church's general conference is meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, May 2, 2008. A lesbian couple held a wedding protesting the church's refusal to change its policy that gay relationships are "incompatible with Christian teaching." (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Sue Laurie, left, shows her excitement as her partner, Julie Bruno, speaks to supporters across the street from where the United Methodist Church's general conference is meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, May 2, 2008. The lesbian couple held a wedding at a park across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, protesting the church's refusal to change its policy that gay relationships are 'incompatible with Christian teaching.' (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Julie Bruno, right, and her partner, Sue Laurie, are married across the street from where the United Methodist Church's general conference is meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, May 2, 2008. The lesbian couple held a wedding at a park across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, protesting the church's refusal to change its policy that gay relationships are 'incompatible with Christian teaching.' (AP Photo/LM Otero)

 

Constitutional Petition on Inclusiveness Passes

Inclusiveness (81157-GA-¶4-C) Amend Paragraph 4, Article IV of the Constitution as follows:

Inclusiveness of the Church —  The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ.  The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth and that we are in ministry to all.  All persons without regard to race, color, national origin, status or economic condition  who seek relationship in Jesus Christ shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection.  In the United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body  of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status or economic condition .

Note:
All constitutional amendments approved by a two-thirds vote of General Conference must be ratified by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the aggregate number of voting annual members.

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Calender Item 175

Dear United Methodist Church

Dear United Methodist Church,

How to express how I feel right now, hurt, disappointed, disgusted, ashamed, sad, heartbroken. These are only a few of the words that describe how I feel about our church right now. I have spent the past week at our General Conference in Ft. Worth. I have to say I was really hopeful for the future coming to Ft. Worth and the change I felt coming in the UMC. Maybe that was because this was my first General Conference and I have not experienced the hurt and heartbreak of previous General Conferences. Or maybe it is because I believe at its heart our church is a good and loving church. Things started off well with good policies coming out of the committees. The church seemed like it was finally ready to start being inclusive of LGBTQ people, but then came the floor debates. It went downhill from the time the delegates began to debate the primary issues facing the church about homosexuality. I heard people demean and insult myself and other LGBTQ people by retelling the same misinformation that has been used for decades to oppress and belittle us. Then came the votes, a couple went our way but for the most part they were against creating a more inclusive church, including voting down a resolution that would have made the United Methodist Church membership truly open to all people. I didn’t expect to become emotional because of the votes but after the vote on membership I found myself angry and then my heart broke and I just cried. Several more times during the rest of the evening I found myself crying. And it wasn’t just me, a number of members of my church family had similar responses. We are all heartbroken that our church would not vote to be inclusive of all those that are loved and created by God, all those of sacred worth, that we would choose to remain a broken church instead of a church united as we claim to be.

As I sat here contemplating the events of the past week a song began to play. It’s called “Grace and Love” by a band called Kutless. This is the chorus, “It’s by grace and love I am saved. It’s by grace and love you’ve forgiven me. It’s by grace and love I am free.” This inspired me to write this. It reminded me of the truth of the Gospel. Even if our church is not ready to begin the process of reconciling with our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, God has always been ready with arms spread wide open in love. He is the source of salvation and forgiveness because of his great love and grace. This is important to remember because no matter how our church runs itself God is always in control and shows us his power through love and grace. United Methodist Church, I leave you with this challenge. Over the next four years until the next General Conference I encourage to seek God on these issues and to seek to find if Christ’s table is really open to all. I hope we can grow as a church so that in four years more heartbreak will not happen and we can finally reconcile ourselves as one church united under God and we can truly live out our mission of making disciples of all the people of the world.

Joey Heath

  

Star-Telegram: Lesbians tie knot outside Methodist conference in Fort Worth

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports:

FORT WORTH -- Two Methodist women from Chicago exchanged union vows Friday in a park near Fort Worth Convention Center, where earlier this week delegates at the United Methodist General Conference affirmed the church's stance that the practice of homosexuality is not biblical.

With a procession of about 200 supporters, Julie Bruno and Susan Laurie walked from the convention center to General Worth Square, singing "This Little Light of Mine."

The vows were administered by a layman, but a few members of the clergy were in the group applauding as the women, holding hands, stood in front of a communion table.

"Our faith grounds us; our church family grounds us," said Bruno, 47, a social worker, told the crowd. "The church continues to be both blessing and burden."

After the ceremony, Bruno and Laurie, who have been together for 25 years, served communion to the crowd.

Delegates' debates Tuesday and Wednesday were often emotional as the convention struggled over social issues. Ultimately, delegates voted by a wide margin against same-sex unions and ordination of gay and lesbian clergy. Delegates supported the authority of pastors to withhold church membership from gay or others who are deemed not ready.

Nearly 1,000 delegates representing more than 11 million church members around the world wrapped up the 10-day quadrennial international conference Friday.

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Lesbians tie knot outside Methodist conference in Fort Worth
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The Marriage of Susan Laurie and Julie Bruno

Declaration of Intent

Sue and I celebrate with you our covenant of love and partnership. God has been a part of our relationship for over 25 years. Our faith grounds us and our church family grounds us. Reconciling is our church family.

The United Methodist Church has been and continues to be both blessing and burden to us.

When the church turns her back on us, withholds blessings from us,

Does God withhold blessing? NO
Does God stop loving us? NO
We continue to be the church to and for each other.
We continue to be the instruments of God’s light and love.

Light overcomes the darkness.

Today we say clearly – as a couple, as a family, as a church – that God says YES!
This is our day to say to each other and to you – God is with us!
God is our light and our love.
We say YES to each other and affirm our love.
We say yes to you, our families and our church family.
With the church or despite the church, our lights will shine!

Wedding Invitation | Wedding Bulletin | Declaration of Intent

Photo Set

Press Release: Same Gender Wedding Caps Methodist Meeting As Sign of Hope

RECONCILING MINISTRIES NETWORK
3801 North Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641

Contact Persons:

Ann Craig, Media Coordinator
craig@glaad.org, 213-703-1365, cell
Rev. Troy Plummer, Executive Director, troy@rmnetwork.org, 773-315-9225, cell
Monica Swink, Board Chair, monicaswink@cox.net, 405-473-3942, cell

SAME GENDER WEDDING CAPS METHODIST MEETING AS SIGN OF HOPE

In a final act of protest against anti-gay legislation and as a sign of hope for the future, Sue Laurie and Julie Bruno got married.  Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight allies rallied around, as they vowed to love and cherish each other for the rest of their lives.

Sue Laurie, who is the Outreach Coordinator of Reconciling Ministries Network and her partner, Julie Bruno, a social worker, recited marriage vows after 25 years of living in a covenant relationship.  They are members of United Church of Rogers Park, a United Methodist church in Chicago, Illinois

Julie Bruno said, “This is an opportunity for us to celebrate our relationship with our church family that is gathered from throughout the world. God blesses same gender unions every day and has blessed our relationship for the last 25 years. Just because the church says “No,” God does not stop blessing the love of two people in covenantal relationship.”

Around 300 people attended the wedding in General Worth Park in Fort Worth, Texas, across the street from the convention center where delegates met to pass official United Methodist policies.  This sign of hope capped a week of both disappointments and positive actions by the General Conference.

Advocates of fairness and equality have been working for 36 years to remove the statement that gay lives are “incompatible with Christian teaching” but it remains on the books. Language that allows pastors to refuse membership to gay people was not replaced.  Prohibitions against same gender marriages and ordination of gay or lesbian clergy continue.

Historic votes also established full acceptance of transgender clergy and members for another four years; civil rights for gay people; a mandate to end discrimination against gay people and produce resources to educate the church on homophobia and heterosexism; and, urged churches and families not to reject their gay members.