Bishops, Groups Respond to General Conference Postponement

by

UPDATED March 10

The third postponement of the 2020 General Conference because of visa obstacles and the coronavirus pandemic elicited multiple reactions from United Methodist bishops and special-interest groups. The following comments have been excerpted from various emails and newsletters sent to annual conferences and postponed on public websites.

Council of Bishops President Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey (Louisiana Conference):

“I give thanks for the Commission on the General Conference, a committed and faithful group of laity and clergy. The Commission continues to serve tirelessly, and their work is deeply appreciated and valued. The decision regarding the postponement of General Conference rests with the Commission alone and does not come without significant study and care. The bishops do not serve as voting members of the Commission.

“Now is the time to continue focusing on transforming our communities and expanding our witness, and we must persist in ministering to one another in the spirit of grace and reconciliation amid division. This focus happens every day in United Methodist churches all across the world, and it happens regardless, or even despite, a meeting of the General Conference.

“The Council of Bishops will immediately begin to explore various pathways for sustaining the worldwide mission and witness of the United Methodist Church, given the announcement of this further and understandable delay.”

Resist Harm, Facebook post:

“To The UMC: #ResistHarm

In the wake of a postponed General Conference and a continued pandemic, we are urgently called again to the work of Christ – in all the ways we can. Ever more clearly, we discern the disconnect between the logistics of our gathering and the call of the gospel.

“The institutional fight to enshrine anti-LGBTQ+ policies in the Church has not only distracted us from hope-filled work, but it has caused great harm to LGBTQ+ people in our churches and communities, as well as their families and friends.

“In a spirit of humility and in a wounded Church of differing convictions, we the people of the #ResistHarm movement call upon our United Methodist kin to resist apathy and practice enduring love. We are impelled to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves, and especially as they relate to LGBTQ+ persons who are the explicit target of the Book of Discipline’s discriminatory provisions. Specifically:

“1. We call on Bishops and Annual Conferences to hold in faithful abeyance anti-LGBTQ+ complaints related to the celebration of Christian marriage with LGBTQ couples and those related to the ordination and ministry of LGBTQ+ clergy.

“2. We call on local churches and Annual Conferences to “continue the mission of seeking, welcoming and gathering persons into the community of the body of Christ” (BOD, 122), including people of all ages, races, gender identities, and sexual orientations.

“As we wait until we can gather together safely as a global Church, we do not have to wait to be the Church. Building relationships across our connection, we honor and acknowledge our similarities and differences, and commit to our ongoing work dismantling racism and colonialism. Together let us persist in offering Christ-like mercy and working for justice; deepening lives of devotion and drawing communities together in worship.”

Click here to sign the #ResistHarm statement.

Reconciling Ministries Network, an advocacy organization of and for LGBTQIA persons, their families and friends:

“By now you have likely heard that General Conference 2020 has been postponed after two previous delays. We acknowledge the Commission’s wisdom in delaying this meeting during a time of global duress; we thank the members of the Commission for their hard work; and we wholly support their decision. And yet, we also lament this lengthening test of our patience. These circumstances only prolong the road to justice for our LGBTQ+ kin and to parity in the global Church. We know that you may be feeling disappointed, hurt, or tired. 

“During this time of continued delay, we encourage you to dig deeply into the mission of the Church and engage in ministry locally. We also invite you to engage with the Reconciling movement near you or nationally. If there isn’t a Reconciling Church or Community near you, then reach out to the Organizer in your area to learn how you can connect. The RMN staff is here to support you, and RMN will continue to provide virtual gatherings, educational resources, and new modes of connection as we strive together toward justice and inclusion in The United Methodist Church.

“Let us be honest here: holding a pandemic-era General Conference with myriad barriers to safe and equitable participation would not have been a Christ-like way to be the Church. We also know that there is no General Conference outcome that can create the kind of justice that LGBTQ+ people deserve. Legislation is important, and RMN will continue to engage in collaborative work to influence legislative change; however, no legislative solution can transform our Church. The work of transformation is not merely legislative and is our work. This is our daily fare. And, we do not need the permission of the General Conference to seek connection and healing in the denomination. 

“We urge you to remember that the Beloved Community is being built today by our cooperation with the Spirit and will continue to be built long after the General Conference finally meets. RMN will continue to work for the fullness of life for God’s LGBTQ+ children no matter when the next General Conference is held, and we will continue to work toward the same goal after the General Conference, too.”

Methodist Federation for Social Action

"While the decision to delay is the best option at this time, it continues the United Methodist Church's (UMC) harm and discrimination of our LGBTQ+ siblings. The continued delay of the General Conference compounds our fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and frustration. These are all valid and natural responses, and we feel them too. We mourn, we weep, and are outraged by the perpetuation of oppression by our beloved church. We are uncertain about the future, but we are still responsible for our actions and inaction. God has dropped a plumbline in the midst of our church. We have not been centered in justice. 

"We do not have to wait for the General Conference or a legislative change to give us permission to seek justice. We do not have to wait for someone else with more power or authority to give us the go ahead. We can boldly work for justice even if it means we break a few unjust rules because this is what loving God and our neighbor looks like.

"We call on the Council of Bishops to continue to hold in abeyance all complaints against LGBTQ+ clergy and complaints against clergy presiding over Christian marriage with LGBTQ+ couples. 

"We call on our movement of Justice-Seeking People of Faith to continue to do the important work of understanding the systems of oppression (colonialism, white supremacy, hetero-patriarchy, etc.) and actively work against them in ourselves, our communities, the church, and the world. We will work to disrupt and dismantle these sinful mindsets and worldviews in all of the spaces and places we inhabit. We call on our movement to center ourselves in justice.

"While this decision continues to delay our ability to make policy change, it does not affect our ability to seek justice in the UMC. While we won't be able to change the discriminatory policies, we can continue our work to center ourselves in justice by working to dismantle the multiple intersectional systems of oppression that harm our planet and ourselves."

Bishop John Hopkins, interim bishop, Northern Illinois Conference:

“If we believe in a church with a strong democratic foundation, we need to support the decision to meet in 2024 whether we agree with it or not. God does not stop working when we cannot gather at a General Conference and neither should we.

“There are many questions about a General Conference in 2024 that we cannot answer at this time. Between now and our annual conference, we will know more about the possibility of electing bishops, changing representatives on church agencies, resetting the general church budget, and how a postponed 2020 conference and a 2024 conference can be held at the same time.

“Do not let the news of General Conference being postponed take your attention away from the suffering of our United Methodist churches in Ukraine. I have gathered, sung, and prayed with our United Methodists brothers and sisters in Kyiv and in Moscow who are both led by Bishop Eduard Khegay. Support them with your prayers, offerings, and actions. Your gifts can be received through your local church and designated to Ukrainian assistance.”

Bishop Ken Carter, Florida Conference and interim bishop, Western North Carolina Conference:

“There are understandable disappointments related to the postponement of the General Conference.  While some will choose to blame or disparage others for this decision, I urge us to take a higher ground.   I write pastorally, with genuine respect and love for all of our people, and with a focus on a particular question: 

“How will we live and serve together in the interim?  

“I can minister in a church that is divided with a spirit of grace and reconciliation.  I can minimize the caustic tone of the conversation.  I refer you to the Protocol, which is a destination, but also a resource for the journey.

“I lift up the Narrative for the Continuing United Methodist Church, overwhelmingly endorsed by the Council of Bishops, and the invitation to #BeUMC.  I affirm the foundational statement of the #BeUMC initiative:  

“The United Methodist Church is founded on a Wesleyan theology of grace, anchored in Scripture, and based in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the continuing movement of the Holy Spirit.”

“The recent Judicial Council decisions have reaffirmed paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline as a clear and fair process for churches who wish to depart from the denomination.  Paragraph 2553 is rooted in the deep value of our connectionalism.  My calling and hope is that you will remain.  In the two conferences I serve,  a small number of churches will disaffiliate this year.  I lament this.  We are better together.

“I reaffirm the abeyance that I signed with the Protocol, to cease the legal complaint processes related to LGBTQ persons in our church. For me, this is a fulfillment of our General Rule to do no harm. 

“And in our local churches, I am committed to resourcing pastors and laity in emerging from a two-year pandemic, finding new energies and new ways to share the gospel, to make disciples, and to love our neighbors, as a people on a journey to personal and social holiness.”

Bishop Julius Trimble, Indiana Conference:

“So, what now? Some voices will tell you that the UMC is stuck. The news of a General Conference postponement brings a wide range of reactions from disappointment and despair, to anger and fear. And there will be many voices and agendas clambering to be heard in these days that follow this announcement. But I pray that the story of continued strife and division will not prevail in our United Methodist churches in Indiana. First, because the message and promise of Jesus Christ is needed more today than at any time in our lifetimes. People still need hope. People in our communities still need care. Christ still needs our participation to make a difference in the world. We have a purpose that stands strong with or without a meeting of the General Conference. People need Jesus! Being the Church that offers fresh bread of love, fresh bread of hope, fresh bread of life in Jesus remains our call. People desperately need Jesus!

“Even so, it’s no secret that there are profound differences in the church about how God is calling us to be in ministry in the world. And while I remain unapologetically United Methodist and committed to the UMC, I am also working to explore and clarify the possibilities that the Book of Discipline makes available in the event that churches request the opportunity to leave the denomination. Some will speak of roadblocks, but it’s important for pastors and congregations to know that your Bishop is preparing to continue to work graciously in the days ahead to open paths that may be available for those who find the thought of waiting until 2024 to be too much to bear. I will lead with respect and compassion for all.

“This is my promise. You will hear from your Bishop and Conference leadership on a regular basis. I will continue to cast a vision for unity amidst our diversity and proclaim there is a place for you in the missional movement of the Indiana Conference. I will place no Episcopal impediments upon those who prayerfully discern they must leave the Church. And I believe, as the Apostle Paul wrote, ‘We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.’ (Romans 8:28 - NRSV) People of good faith are found in all aspects of our denominational struggles, and our God will use it all in God’s perfect timing.”

Bishop Gary Mueller, Arkansas Conference

“Ours has been a divided Church for a while, and [recent] events have added to the anxiety about the future. I will do everything I can to faithfully lead us through this difficult season. No doubt you have many unanswered questions about what all of this means. Additional information will become available in the coming weeks and months, and I will share it as quickly and accurately as possible.

“We have much to navigate in Arkansas over the next several months. It will be challenging, but I am confident we can do it successfully if we embrace Jesus’ way and are gracious, compassionate, and kind to each other. How we act, and especially how we treat each other, will be seen by people outside the church. I hope all of us will ask ourselves a question as we engage with each other in the coming months, ‘What will those who don’t know Jesus think about Jesus as they watch us?’

“I have heard from many of you that you feel caught in the middle and are uncertain about how to move forward because of what’s transpiring. I understand these feelings but want you to know that your congregation is not a prisoner of what’s happening in the denomination. You can thrive as a congregation if you turn to Jesus and invite him to lead your congregation in making disciples of Jesus Christ, who make disciples equipped and sent to transform lives, communities, and the world.

“We will get through this. In fact, I actually have great hope for the future because God is still God, Jesus is still Lord and the Holy Spirit is still at work. But I also have hope because of what I see God doing through you in your congregation. You are proclaiming the Good News of Jesus’ love. You are bringing people to Christ. You are growing disciples. You are sharing Jesus’ love in real ways with real people who are experiencing real pain. You are living in unity in spite of the differences that exist between individuals.

Bishop Laurie Haller, Iowa Conference and interim bishop, Dakotas Conference

“We all regret that the many significant decisions awaiting General Conference action will again be delayed. The Council of Bishops has scheduled a meeting for March 8, and I may have more to share with you following that meeting and in the months to come.

“Even in the midst of disappointment, remember that God is with us and calls us to embody the love of Jesus Christ.”

Bishop Robert Schnase, Rio Texas Conference:

“This past fall I participated in a Council of Bishops meeting where we pledged to help navigate a path forward in the United Methodist Church. Part of that document states, ‘we must be one people, rooted in scripture, centered in Christ, serving in love and united in the essentials.’

Just a few days ago I met with about 200 clergy of the Rio Texas Conference at our annual convocation. It was a joyous and meaningful time with pastors mostly just relaxing and enjoying the fellowship and mutual encouragement of their colleagues. But I did spend some time sharing my heart on General Conference related issues. I made a commitment to walk with pastors and congregations with the highest level of integrity and care and mutual respect during these months to come. I expect the same from our own conference leadership and cabinet.

“I acknowledge the disappointment for many with the news of another postponement, but it is my hope that together we might offer our best to one another as we seek to follow Christ.”

Bishop Mike McKee North Texas Conference

“As you know, COVID-19 and its effects have left us unable to hold a General Conference for the past two years. Today the Commission on the General Conference has postponed the assembly to 2024. You can read their full statement here.

“We are still committed to personal and social transformation, living out our love of God through our love of neighbor.

“We are still making disciples, doing justice and practicing kindness, meeting the call to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

“We are still celebrating diversity in all of its forms, recognizing that it strengthens our Church and our witness for Christ.

“And we are still a people rooted in grace, living daily into our ongoing sanctification.

“So God bless you, and continue the good work you’re doing.”