Western Justice
United Methodists working for peace and justice within and beyond the Western Jurisdiction (WJ) have declared their support for the One Church Plan in a statement released today.
They are standing with the “Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Mission Cabinet in endorsing the One Church Plan as a way forward for The United Methodist Church to the called 2019 General Conference.” Read the WJ bishops’ statement here.
Rev. Frank Wulf, convener of the Western Methodist Justice Movement, says that “while WMJM recognizes that the One Church Plan is not perfect, we also recognize that it represents a significant step forward in ending The United Methodist Church’s longstanding discrimination against LGBTQ persons.” Rev. Wulf is an out gay clergyperson serving in the California-Pacific Conference. Read their full statement below.
Expressing their solidarity with LGBTQIA+* persons, their statement noted that the Simple Plan is closer to their values and hopes for the UMC. However, they “support the One Church Plan because it helps us stay in a global connection which shares Christ’s life changing love throughout the world.” Rev. Wulf stressed that the One Church Plan “enables us to maintain the precious gift of unity, even as we continue to discern the way forward into which God’s Spirit is leading us.”
WMJM is a movement of United Methodists in the annual conferences of the Western Jurisdiction who are committed to carry out the prophetic statements and actions of the Western Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church. Its work focuses on diverse action areas, including: increasing the inclusiveness and justice focus of churches, planning ministries to fully include persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQIA+*), immigration justice, reproductive justice, justice in the Philippines, a just peace in Israel/Palestine, planning extravagant hospitality in our churches, and addressing the worldwide nature and future of the UMC.
WMJM Supports Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Mission Cabinet in Endorsing a Way Forward for the UMC
To fellow United Methodists,
Greetings from the Western Methodist Justice Movement.
We are United Methodists in the annual conferences of the Western Jurisdiction who are committed to carry out the prophetic statements and actions of the Western Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church. Our work focuses on diverse
action areas, including: increasing the inclusiveness and justice focus of churches, planning ministries to fully include persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQIA+*), immigration justice, reproductive justice, justice in the Philippines, a just peace in Israel/Palestine, planning extravagant hospitality in our churches, and addressing the worldwide nature and future of the UMC.
We support our Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Mission Cabinet in endorsing the One Church Plan as a way forward for The United Methodist Church to the called 2019 General Conference. We express our solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ siblings in pointing out that there are no plans currently proposed that affirm and fully include LGBTQIA+ persons in the life and ministry of our denomination. We share in the pain and frustration of LGBTQIA+ persons and their loved ones. Both the Simple Plan and the One Church Plan provide pivotal possibilities in addressing this pain and frustration. Both take out the harmful language against LGBTQIA+ persons in the Book of Discipline. While the Simple Plan is closer to our values and hopes for the future of United Methodism, we support the One Church Plan because it helps us stay in a global connection which shares Christ’s life- changing love throughout the world. It provides space for all to stay at the table of grace to continue in dialogue, build relationships, and strengthen mission partnerships throughout the Connection. Together, we can build on this bold initiative and hold high our vision of a church where all of God’s children belong.
* LGBTQIA+ refers to persons who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersexual/intrasexual, asexual, and those who identify with other various gender identities.