Defiance, Schism Talks Continue While Awaiting Top Court's Ruling

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While United Methodists await decisions from this week’s Judicial Council meeting on the constitutionality of the Traditional Plan, proposals about The United Methodist Church’s future continue to be put forward as resistance continues.

First UMC-Omaha Repeats its LGBTQ-friendly History

First United Methodist Church in Omaha, Neb., repeated its LGBTQ-friendly history when its church council by voting unanimously to host same-sex weddings. The action defies the vote of the 2019 General Conference to tighten the denomination’s restrictions against same-sex weddings and ordination of LGBTQ people.

“We said we would host same-gender weddings, and, should our clergy choose to do them, we will support them,” said the church’s pastor, the Rev. Kent Little told Betsie Freeman of the Omaha World-Herald.

First-Omaha has been at the forefront of LGBTQ advocacy among United Methodists. In the 1990s, its then-pastor, Jimmy Creech, was defrocked by the UMC by a church trial after he performed same-gender weddings at the church.

Austin UMC will not follow church's ban

University United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas, won’t adhere to the ban on LGBTQ weddings and punishments for clergy who perform these weddings., reported KXAN-TV.

The TV station quoted the Rev. John Elford, University UMC’s senior pastor: “We thought that the church was moving toward a direction of more openness and acceptance, instead what we are seeing is a church going backwards on that. We are going to live and minster in this congregation as if those discriminatory rules don’t exist anymore.”

Rev. Elford was further quoted: “These conversations are going on in Texas, Northern Illinois, North Carolina, Virginia — all across the western conferences.” He added that University UMC also plans to support pastors who perform same-gender weddings by rejecting the harsh punishments proposed in the Traditional Plan.

Traditionalist pastor proposes two denominations

Calling the UMC’s turmoil “a draining cycle of conflict,” the Rev. Gregory Stover, a longtime leader among traditionalist UMC groups, has proposed a separation plan that would create two Methodist denominations.

“The time has come for United Methodist leaders across the theological spectrum to come together for honest and honorable conversation about how to accomplish an ‘amicable separation’ in the United Methodist Church,” wrote Rev. Stover, a retired clergy member of the West Ohio Annual Conference.

“… United Methodist leaders across the theological spectrum can gather together and begin now to develop a well-defined process that leads to the birth of two or more new expressions of Wesleyan Christian faith,” he wrote. “They could prepare the necessary legislation in advance and offer it to the church with one voice. They could ask the 2020 General Conference to make the discussion of amicable separation the primary agenda. The question is not IF these things can be done. The question is whether we will continue the cycle of conflict or seek to bless one another as we each respond to our understanding of God’s leading in our lives and ministry.”

Greater Northwest Area leaders take steps toward an inclusive future 

Some 60 clergy and lay leaders in the Greater Northwest Area, comprised of Oregon-Idaho, Pacific Northwest and Alaska Missionary conferences, came together recently to develop new vitality among United Methodist churches in the region.

Communications director Patrick Scriven reported that the gathering was set to “continue conversations on how they could marshal resources toward vital mission and ministry across the Greater Northwest Area.” Vitality can come despite the “elephant in the room” – the impact of the 2019 General Conference on United Methodist mission and ministry, said Bishop Elaine J.W. Stanovsky, Greater Northwest resident bishop.

“Instead of being a roadblock, she framed it as an opportunity not to repeat the mistakes of the past,” Mr. Scriven wrote. He quoted Bishop Stanovsky: “To avoid old behavior, we need to invite ‘younger, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people to the table to help shape what is coming.’” Increasing diversity remained a theme throughout the event and sharing resources for future development.

Nordic & Baltic UMC forms a roundtable on a way forward

UM & Global recommends readings from the Area Group of the Nordic and Baltic Council of the Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference on creating a roundtable “for the sake of ‘seeking a foundation for the future of the Nordic and Baltic episcopal area that includes as much unity and as much missional strength as possible.’

“In essence, the Nordic and Baltic Area is attempting their own, regional rather than global Commission on a Way Forward, one aimed at building ‘a consensus on one proposal for the future of the Nordic and Baltic area’ rather than a majority vote on the future of the UMC as a whole,” wrote Dr. David W. Scott.

“While the Nordic and Baltic Area has some advantages in this effort that the UMC as a whole lacked - close relationships, perhaps less cultural difference among participants - it is worth noting that the task will not be easy, as this episcopal area spans from Western to Eastern Europe, and thus contains both sides of that cultural divide on homosexuality. It will be interesting to see whether the assets that the Nordic and Baltic Area bring to this difficult project are able to produce a better result than the UMC as a whole experienced at General Conference 2019,” he concluded.

Dr. Scott collected these links:

A statement from the Area Group on their meeting in English

A paraphrase of that statement in Norwegian

A short description of the roundtables in English

A news article on the group's meeting and decision in German

http://www.umglobal.org/2019/04/recommended-readings-nordic-baltic-umc.html

Media Mentions as of April 23, 2019

United Methodists edge toward breakup over LGBT policies – ABC News

LGBT policies edge United Methodists toward breakup – Winston-Salem Journal

United Methodists could split over LGBT debate, as have other denominations – The Columbus Dispatch

United Methodist shows support for LGBTQ community amid controversy – WFMZ Allentown

University UMC votes 'overwhelmingly' in support of same-sex ceremonies, LGBTQ clergy – KVUE.com

Methodist Church will continue marrying LGBTQ couples despite ban – KTAL\

Sewickley Methodist pastor: 'Everyone has a place at the table' – Tribune-Review

United Methodists Edge Toward Breakup – DTN The Progressive Farmer (blog)

United Methodist Churches defy ruling on human sexuality – Florida Flambeau

University UMC votes 'overwhelmingly' in support of same-sex ceremonies, LGBTQ clergy _ KVUE.com

United Methodists are on a path toward breakup over LGBTQ policies – Los Angeles Times

Asbury United Methodist shows its support for LGBTQ community amid controversy – KSHB

Liberal Methodist churches withholding dues after denomination vote to ban LGBT-inclusive ... – The Hill (blog)

National briefs: Methodists resist LGBT rules – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Adopting anti-LGBTQ bills would do lasting damage to some Tennesseans | Opinion

The Tennessean

Columbia Methodists grapple with ban on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage – Columbia Missourian

Letter to the Editor: Reflections on the UMC Special Session – The Simpsonian

Angry Metro Clergy Await Homosexuality Decision from United Methodist Church – Bill Tammeus, FlatlandKC, Kansas City, Mo.

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.