Denomination Updates
We are living through historic times as United Methodists. The past five years have brought significant conflict and change to our denomination, culminating with this year’s General Conference (which just concluded on May 3). At the heart of the debate is our denomination’s stance on the issue of same-sex marriage. United Methodists have always affirmed that every person is of sacred worth, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. However, language within our Book of Discipline has until now forbade pastors from performing same-sex marriages and restricted gay individuals from serving as pastors.
The debate over this issue has led to the recent creation of a new traditionally-minded denomination—the Global Methodist Church. Since the GMC’s launch in May 2022, roughly 25% of United Methodist churches in the U.S. have disaffiliated. To read a brief history of the events leading up to this year’s General Conference, click here.
General Conference Updates
This year’s General Conference made several historic amendments to our Book of Discipline:
On April 25, the General Conference approved by a 78% vote (586-164) a plan for “Regionalization.” This plan would combine the five jurisdictional conferences of the US into one “regional conference,” co-equal with seven other regional conferences around the world. Each region would have autonomy to adapt the Book of Discipline to its cultural context. Read more about regionalization here: What Does Regionalization Mean?
On April 30, the General Conference approved by a 93% vote (667-54) a repeal of many aspects of the Traditional Plan that previously passed in 2019, including a repeal of mandatory punishment for clergy that perform same-sex weddings, and a moratorium on judicial proceedings against clergy who have performed same-sex weddings. For more information about this vote, click here: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/april-30-wrap-up-some-lgbtq-bans-lifted-episcopal-communion-approved
On May 1, the General Conference approved by a 93% vote (692-51) a repeal of the restriction against “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from serving as pastors. This language had been present in the Book of Discipline since 1984. For more information about this vote, click here: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/may-1-wrap-up-gay-clergy-ban-lifted-new-retirement-plan-approved
On May 2, the General Conference approved by 76% vote (523-161) a new statement of Social Principles, which removed from our Book of Discipline the statement that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” This language had been present in our Book of Discipline since 1972. To read more fully about this vote, click here: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/may-2-wrap-up-delegates-declare-homosexuality-no-longer-incompatible
What’s Next?
The General Conference removed from our Book of Discipline the restrictions around same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ+ individuals. However, it now passes to annual conferences and to individual congregations to determine whether they will become affirming.
First, the plan for regionalization must be approved by 2/3 of all annual conferences. The Indiana annual conference will be meeting at St. Luke’s UMC on June 6-8. You can follow the events of the annual conference by clicking here: https://www.inumc.org/annual-conference/
Following the annual conference, our congregation will begin organizing a vote to determine if we would affirm same-sex marriage (by allowing our pastors to perform same-sex weddings, or by receiving as a pastor someone living in a same-sex marriage). Our church leadership has been discussing this possibility for a number of years, and more information will be available following the annual conference.
Two Viewpoints
Over the past three years, Pastor Dave has led classes designed to help our congregation understand both sides of the issue from a Biblical perspective. As part of these classes, Pastor Dave (in consultation with pastors who hold differing viewpoints) has developed this summary of how each side approaches the issue of same-sex marriage.
Two Views on Same-Sex Marriage
Pastor Dave has also addressed this topic in multiple sermons of the past years. Below are links to two particular sermons—one delivered in March 2019 following the “St. Louis Conference” in which the current Traditionalist plan passed; the second delivered in February 2023 when he shared our decision not to seek disaffiliation. In both sermons, Pastor Dave outlined four “agreements” that will hold us together as we navigate this season:
We agree that there is room for Christians to faithfully disagree on the issue of same-sex marriage.
We agree that we will not allow our disagreement on this issue to turn us into enemies of one another.
We agree that we will love and accept all who come in our doors, regardless of whose hand they are holding.
We agree that we will keep Christ at the center of all we do, striving to live out the Great Commandment to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves.