Posts Tagged ‘United Methodist Church’
LGBTQI Methodists Already Know the Way Forward
As an aspiring pastor in The United Methodist Church (The UMC) and a staff person at Reconciling Ministries Network, I spend a lot of time trying to explain my work to strangers, new friends, taxi drivers, and anyone else who might casually ask, “So, what do you do?” In these conversations, I spend most of…
Read MoreBishop Gene Robinson Pens Letter To Support Lesbian Methodist Bishop
In July 2016, the Western Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church elected Karen Oliveto as the first openly lesbian bishop in the denomination. Immediately after her election, opponents filed a complaint with the ecclesiastical Judicial Council to remove her from office. In response, friends and supporters of Bishop Oliveto are sharing letters of gratitude and…
Read MoreGod Is Faithful Even When The Church Is Not
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;…
Read MoreAn Act Of Love: A Documentary Inspired By Rev. Frank Schaefer
Like a lot of you, I first heard about Rev. Frank Schaefer from the news. I read an article back in November about a United Methodist pastor who was in the middle of a church trial. Six years earlier, Rev. Schaefer had performed a small wedding ceremony for his son, Tim, something countless pastors have…
Read MoreA Letter To My Methodist Daughter
These are the words I spoke to my sleeping daughter upon returning home from Birmingham, Alabama, this weekend after witnessing the marriage of Joe Openshaw and Bobby Prince, performed by Bishop Melvin Talbert. Dearest child of mine, I wish you could have been there yesterday, as I sat in a church and witnessed history in the making.…
Read MoreCandler School Of Theology: Become A Reconciling Seminary
Editor’s Note: This is a follow-up to Reconciling Ministries Network’s letter to Dean Love at the Candler School of Theology. Candler is a United Methodist seminary in Atlanta, GA, that recently decided to honor a vocal advocate against LGBTQ inclusion with a Distinguished Alumni Award. Dean Love has addressed this controversial decision in a letter to the Candler community. When I…
Read MoreUnited Methodist Bishop To Officiate Same-Sex Wedding
On October 26, 2013, Bishop Melvin Talbert will be performing a holy wedding ceremony in Birmingham, Alabama, for Bobby Prince and Joe Openshaw, two members of The United Methodist Church (UMC). Talbert is a retired bishop in The UMC. Openshaw and Prince seek to build their lives together and have the church present in that…
Read MoreComing Out Of The Wilderness & Into The City
Rev. David Weekley saw himself as a pastor tending to his flock until he came out as one of the first openly transgender ministers serving in the United Methodist Church. At the age of 58, his life moved in an unexpected direction, away from the institutional church and toward working with the transgender community. Becky Garrison…
Read MoreFacing Possible Charges, Methodist Minister Reflects On Meeting With Bishop
In May 2013, Rev. Steve Heiss wrote to Bishop Mark Webb, the bishop of the Upper New York Conference, to explain why he officiated the same-sex wedding of his daughter and others. This letter prompted a formal complaint from a clergy colleague. This blog is Rev. Heiss’ reflection on his meeting with Bishop Webb and the minister who filed…
Read MoreI Have No Alternative
I recently took a United Methodist History course and more than anything, I enjoyed reading the primary documents made available to us. The voices of women silenced not so long ago expressed the struggle they endured—a personal, theological and spiritual struggle where their calls did not jive with the institution of their time. Many, like…
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