All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is
Galatians 3.27-28
neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you
are all one in Christ Jesus.
In the hymn In Unity We Lift Our Song, the first verse declares: “In unity we lift our song of grateful adoration, for brave brothers and sisters strong. What cause for celebration!” This is what I want to sing after hearing the results of the General Conference voting. From April 23-May 3, the United Methodist Church has engaged with the world about the future
direction of the church united with delegates from Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States. “In an emotional morning on May 1, General Conference eliminated the ban on gay clergy and other long-standing (since 1972) restrictions against LGBTQ members.” Retired Bishop Hope Morgan Ward — a longtime advocate for including LGBTQ people in church life —
offered a prayer after the significant vote. She invited everyone to place their hands on their hearts as they remember those in their location of ministry and service. “You every day are great, God, and every day you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us a desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors and all creation, and devote this day to your service,” she prayed. Read More
I have always understood Jesus to be a radical inclusionary. He included all kinds of people in his ministry and often sought out those on the margins or rejected by the culture of his time. As a Christian, I cannot abide by any church law or doctrine that excludes a whole group of people. As a woman clergy, I am particularly aware of the harm and hurt it causes
when one is discriminated or excluded because of the way they were born. WE ARE ONE IN CHRIST! God’s gifts are many and they are spread among us all. “For as in one body we have many members and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that
differ according to the grace given to us.” (Romans 12.4-6). When Jesus proclaims in Matthew 33.38-40 (CEB), “This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands,” he’s responding to a challenge by a Pharisee’s question, “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Notice Jesus does not point out any exclusions as to who your neighbor is.
Loving one another is not easy. Only Jesus can do it perfectly, but he doesn’t request loving of us, he commands it. Our human frailty and propensities often get in the way of living out the greatest commandments and it gets frustrating, perhaps even bewildering at times. But that’s why we have one another – to have meaningful dialogue, explore new understandings, and help each other on this journey of faith. Above all, the most important thing is to stay focused on God and God’s mission and our role in it. We are privileged to be the “reign-makers,” “balance keepers,” “boundary crossers”, “co-creators” with our Lord at our side and leading the way love. Christ is our peace… with his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us.” (Ephesians 2.4 CEB).
In a recent article on conflict in Leading Ideas from the Lewis Center on Church Leadership (April 16, 2024), Professor Doug Tzan from Wesley Theological Seminary says it this way: “In conflict, it’s easy to focus on what divides — the boundaries we perceive between us in any conflict. It is far better to focus on Christ, who unites us in grace. Whatever conflict reigns in the moment, Christ is eternal. Keeping the focus on Christ allows you to be clear and open about your own beliefs without insisting that others agree with you. The goal for the church is unity, and that unity does not require agreement. Unity requires love.”
In the Love of Christ and grateful for all of you,
Pastor Lenore