Officially the Methodist Church bans same-sex weddings, but 900 Methodists from the New York and Connecticut area have given their leadership the finger and signed a “covenant of conscience,” in support of marriage equality for the LGBT community.
And it’s not even Christmas!
The document, produced by MIND (Methodists in New Directions) reads as follows:
Pastoral care and the sacraments and rituals of the church are means of grace by which the lives of all Christians are blessed by God. Therefore we, as congregations and as individual laypersons and clergy, declare our commitment to offer such means of grace to all persons on an equal basis. We refuse to discriminate against any of God’s children and pledge to make marriage equality a lived reality within the New Y
ork Annual Conference, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.
Our conference’s record, in resolutions passed and petitions forwarded to the United Methodist Church’s General Conference, already makes clear our opposition to the UMC’s prejudice and discrimination against LGBT people.
While the rite of Christian marriage officiated by our clergy and celebrated in our church buildings is denied by UMC law to same-sex couples, we affirm the New York Annual Conference’s 2010 resolution urging “clergy to minister equally to all members of their churches and to consider the conference’s call to inclusive ministries in deciding how to honor their congregants’ covenantal commitments.”
We seek to embody the beloved community of hope by openly and joyfully affirming the lives and loves of all United Methodists, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.
We, United Methodist clergy, in accordance with our ordination vows to “seek peace, justice, and freedom for all people,” commit to marrying all people, both gay and straight, who seek the blessing of the church, without bias or discrimination.
We, United Methodist laity, in accordance with our membership vows to “resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves,” commit to supporting our clergy in faithfully ministering to all, including through any consequences of their living fully into that duty.
We, United Methodist congregations, refuse to discriminate in the sacraments and rituals provided to our members and pledge the full and equal use of our facilities as we welcome and celebrate equally all couples and the families they may choose to create.
Further, each of us, clergy, laity, and congregations, pledge to one another our spiritual and material support in fulfilling this covenant of conscience.
Currently, the United Methodist Church “affirm[s] that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God,” but dictates that “self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church” and that “ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.” Individual ministers have defied these regulations and faced the consequences (Rev. Jimmy Creech was defrocked in 1999 after officiating same-sex union ceremonies.)
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Addressing the recent United Methodists’ New York conference, Rev. Sara Thompson Tweedy explained the purpose of the covenant:
“We are here because we have faith that we can change our society and our religious communities. The change we seek is simple—GLBTQ persons should not have to live unlived lives. Individuals should choose who they marry, not the church.
What we get back is that these changes hurt our institution. The message that we hear is that our relationships aren’t valid, that our call to minister is not of God, that we cannot be ordained and that we shall not be married. How many lives go unlived because faith has been based on manmade traditions?”
Preach on, sister!
WillBFair
I bless their names.
Hyhybt
A handful they might try and throw out, but I can’t see their doing that to 900. And I’d be deeply surprised if this doesn’t lead more to join in.
Watch a later commenter try to make this event sound like a bad thing.
Trey
It’s about time people realize how bigoted some of their fellow church members are, and are being TRUE Christians. I really hope to see more of this happen in the future.
Dave
It’s a wonderful thing to find even a small dry spot to stand on when a tsunami of hatred surrounds you. I commend the folks who created this document, and thank both them and the good souls who signed it.
tinkerbell
The UMC’s schizophrenic stance on “we love and welcome gay people (open doors…), but we think gays are second-class citizens and will not let them get them get married here, affirm their love here, or be a minister here, or have any semblance of equality, led me to be an atheist. A few years ago, I played with being a Christian…in theory, they try to sound good, and almost seal the deal. The way they put their religion into practice really sucks, though. They reaaaaallly don’t love anyone. They just try to justify their goodness by slighting others, especially gays. I guess that is just the political ramification that goes with the religion.
Skeloric
@tinkerbell: My folks can’t understans why I steer clear of Christianity — I do it because there is absolutely nothing of CHRIST left at the center of Christianity.
Instead, it is some “cult of hate” that really needs God (if he still exists or ever did or is even a benevolent diety if he does exist) to come along a do a house cleaning.
WillBFair
@tinkerbell: Nice work ignoring mountains of evidence: the millions of liberal christians who love you, the major people who speak on your behalf, from Jesse J to Bishp Spong to Al Sharpton, to the long history of charitable christianity, from the abolitionists to the freedon riders and beyond.
Please try to notice the basic facts of history.
kylew
@Skeloric: I couldn’t agree more, but credit where it’s due – it’s great to see even just some christians remembering that they are supposed to represent love and charity, not hate and control.
Perhaps if more christians took a stand for basic hman decency I wouldn’t despise christianity so much.
kylew
Actually, having read the statements through more thoroughly, I wholeheartedly applaud the stance taken by these people. Maybe there is hope for the church yet.
Skeloric
Personally, I’m beyond being reached by Christianity. I was born and raised Missouri Synod — the denomination who spoke out against Hitler back in the early 40s for NOT taking it FAR ENOUGH.
That pretty much sums up Christianity for me.
the crustybastard
FTFA: Our conference’s record…makes clear our opposition to the UMC’s prejudice and discrimination against LGBT people.
But they’re going to stay members of a religion characterized by prejudice and discrimination anyway?
Gosh, how noble.
tinkrbell
@WillBFair: @WillBFair: what the umc does far outweighs what they say. Read their policy statement regarding gays. Is that love??? Screw their idea of “love.” I have human dignity.
Mountainsof evidence? You mean the 64% of the christian state that voted to strip me of my civil rights 5 years ago on a religious vote? Christianity is known by its majority, and the majority has made it clear they hate gay folk. You “liberal christians” really have your work cut out if u have any chance of saving your religion. Good luck
tinkrbell
@WillBFair: @WillBFair: @WillBFair: what the umc does far outweighs what they say. Read their policy statement regarding gays. Is that love??? Screw their idea of “love.” I have human dignity.
Mountainsof evidence? You mean the 64% of the christian state that voted to strip me of my civil rights 5 years ago on a religious vote? Christianity is known by its majority, and the majority has made it clear they hate gay folk. You “liberal christians” really have your work cut out if u have any chance of saving your religion. Good luck
tinkerbell
@WillBFair: @WillBFair: @WillBFair: actions speak louder than words. Im a second class citizen due to christians and christianity. Actions speak louder than words about people who “love” me, lol
Skeloric
@tinkerbell: Dang tootin’
I’ve already been saying to beware those who present an illusion of friendship all why sizing us up to plant the knife in our back.
Your neighbor wees you and you “friend” around all the time and never says a bad word to you or anyone, but come along next voting cycle where Equal Marriage is on the ballot, he WILL gladly and with excessive malice vote AGAINST Equal Marriage then drive home to smile a sincerely pleasant smile and remind you that it is election day.
These are our real foes, mainly as they know all about us and seemingly have no problem but when it comes time to vote, they are like a Manchurian Candidate.
kylew
@Skeloric: I don’t think you should confuse ignorance with malice. True both can kill, but I’d sooner face a person who simply doesn’t understand, than a person who understands and chooses, even if full possession of all the facts, to oppose me.
I myself didn’t understand the ramifications of gay marriage until last year, and as I had no desire to get married it was irrelevant. Then a friend explained to me why it was so important to him and other gay people, and slowly I came around to accept his assertion that it was vital. So if it took me 6 months and I’m playing for the same team, surely people can recognise that this is about ignorance, not hate for many people.
I still think that the whole marriage institution is bullshit, and a meaningless pagan tie to another human being, regardless of gender, which has been completely devalued by the ease of divorce and the casualness that many people enter and exit matrimony. Church marriage is even more moronic; because it acknowledges the fundamental authority of religion to validate your relationship, and in so doing, tacitly accepts all the other bullshit that goes with religion.
Skeloric
@kylew: Actually, I was NOT confusing ignorance with malice.
My specific statement is that the person is FULLY AWARE of the entire set of issues, thus voiding any claim of “ignorance”.
Instead of expressing how they feel, they put on a little show of “total acceptance” everywhere except when in the voting cubicle.
So we THINK we have no enemies, yet we still do.
Its EXACTLY why I tend not to trust those who claim to have ‘seen the light” and no longer endorse homophobia, we just can’t be certain if they are truly honest or if they still secret vote against us while avoiding the fallout derived from being a noticeable participant in an increasingly unpopular movement.
As in, exactly why NOM is fighting to hide their list of contributors: There must be those on the list we don’t know are our enemies, people who have CLAIMED to be our allies but aren’t.
As in: “What if Barack Obama contributed $500 to NOM and we didn’t know until the list finally got released?” — something like that.
There must be people on the list that loudly proclaim themselves to be friends of the GLBT community yet work against us in private.
Frankly, this is the real reason why we can win at the polls yet lose at the ballot box — 70% of the populace supports us in the polls yet 90% vote against us at the ballot box.
What I have been saying is the ability to claim “ignorance” is reaching the point where it is unsustainable, thus what remains will therefore be malice — so there is coming a time where everyone will claim to be a friend yet a substantial subgroup will be lying.
tinkerbell
@kylew: There is no confusing ignorance with malice. Have you not read these “un”constitutional amendments? They are TOTALLY malice-based and are pushed by Christianity. Have you not known someone who has been gay-bashed or has been him/herself? I have been picked on numerous times for my being gay by “good Christian folk.” They are not ignorant…they are filled with malice and hate, and their religion pushes it.
lemon-lime
Really excited to see this kind of story getting the publicity it deserves. Instead of being whiny judgemental bitches, let’s give credit where credit is due.
This is a step in the right direction no matter how you slice it.
Skeloric
@lemon-lime: I’ll give credit when I see it warrants credit… still waiting to see DOMA get discarded.
tinkerbell
i agree. i hope these methodists can change their faith, their religion, their reputation by loving all people and fighting the vitriol from their religion toward us. I’m tired of the hatred.