UMC Next Vows to Resist Traditional Plan, Reform Methodism

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Pentecost came early to the 600-some participants who gathered May 20-22 in Leawood, Kansas, to hear UMC Next leadership tell about the gathering.

“We had hard conversations on tough topics, and the Holy Spirit came upon us,” said Karen G. Prudente, one of the UMC Next conveners, during a press conference after the event.

Ms. Prudente, chair of the New York-based advocacy group Methodists in New Directions (MIND) was part of a panel representing the 17-member UMC Next convening committee. The panel reported the results via a live-streamed press conference May 22 after the closed-door meeting concluded at Church of the Resurrection.

From discussions characterized as “frank, open, graceful, painful,” the newly formed group plans to pursue two tracks: reforming the UMC from within, and/or forming a new Methodism.

The Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, senior pastor of Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., said the group decided upon four principles:

  1. They are “passionate followers” of Jesus Christ in the Wesleyan tradition.
  2. They are committed to their baptismal vows “to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.”
  3. They reject the Traditional Plan as inconsistent with Wesleyan tradition and theology and will resist its implementation.
  4. They intend to create a church – either by reform from within the UMC or by developing a new Methodism – that will include all people without exception.

The Rev. Adam Hamilton, who initiated the meeting in the aftermath of the 2019 General Conference, said that the UMC Next gathering was “one of thousands” such conversations taking place across the United States. A similar summit, the UM-Forward’s Our Movement Forward event, was held May 17-18 in Minneapolis prior to the UMC Next event.

‘This is not okay in 2019’

Rev. Hamilton said that “thousands of churches” have responded to the adoption of the Traditional Plan by saying, in effect, “This is not okay in 2019.”

“We’re not going to let you treat LGBTQ families as second class citizens,” Rev. Hamilton said. He added that UMC Next intended to distribute a statement of its principles within 48 hours of the meeting’s conclusion.

Although media had been officially barred from the gathering, some church media were present for the post-meeting press conference.

In response to a question from Heather Hahn of United Methodist News Service, Rev. Hamilton said that UMC Next decided to start its movement with a meeting for those in the United States. He added that UMC Next’s leadership has been in talks with European United Methodists about a similar meeting, but developments there have been postponed because of annual conference sessions taking place now. Rev. Hamilton also said that some UMC Next leaders expect to meet in July in Chicago with some of the bishops from the Central Conferences, regions from outside the United States.

David Burke, communications associate for the Great Plains Annual Conference, asked whether UMC Next expected to present resolutions on its results during the U.S. annual conference season, occurring now through mid-July. Rev. Gaines-Cirelli noted that although time for preparation is short, the 10-person team that represented her conference, Baltimore-Washington, would meet on Memorial Day to plan its next steps.

“These people are passionate about creating an inclusive church,” said the Rev. Junius B. Dotson, top executive of Discipleship Ministries who is also on the UMC Next convening committee. “We all have a deep desire to make disciples for Jesus Christ. We’re going to see a ripple effect spread throughout annual conferences.

Rev. Hamilton added that the final set of table conversations focused on each annual conference’s 10-person delegation to allow for planning future actions. He emphasized that In choosing those who were invited to attend, UMC Next and conference leaders did their best to assure the greatest diversity possible. Attendees included “10 to 14” United Methodist bishops, he said.

“When we first made plans, we had 2,000 more applications to attend than we could fit in this room,” Rev. Hamilton said. “That’s the level of interest in what’s going on.”

Won’t choose one path

A Washington Post reporter asked via online post when UMC Next would decide whether it would stay or leave the United Methodist Church.

“We’re not going to choose one path,” replied Rev. Gaines-Cirelli. “We discussed multiple paths because there’s lots to work to get through yet.” She added that some participants came prepared with their own plans for forming a new church, which have been added to those ideas under discussion.

Yet pressure remains to decide whether to stay in the UMC and try to reform it from within, or leave the denomination to create a new church.

“Some churches and annual conferences feel the need to leave immediately,” Rev. Hamilton said. “Some say they couldn’t leave if they wanted to, because their churches or their annual conferences are too divided on the issue. What we do know is that we’re looking at different ways of resisting.”

“But we’re all headed in the same direction,” interjected Dr. Dotson. “We’re all working for a more inclusive and just church.”

Asked by Eastern Pennsylvania Conference communications director John Coleman about generating legislation for the 2020 General Conference, Rev. Hamilton noted that time is short to draft petitions to overturn the Traditional Plan.

“[General Conference] Petitions have to be submitted by Sept. 15,” Rev. Hamilton noted. “As a result, we’re working with other groups, such as Uniting Methodists, that are already in the process of drafting petitions.”

Words of encouragement

Another online inquirer asked if the UMC Next conveners had any words of encouragement for LGBTQ United Methodists and their allies.

“We need to create safe spaces in our churches for you, spaces where you won’t feel vulnerable,” said Rev. Gaines-Cirelli.

The Rev. D. J. del Rosario, a pastor in the Pacific-Northwest Annual Conference, said, “You are not alone. You are loved. I look forward to learning from you. You are why we gathered. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Ms. Prudente said she was encouraged by the amount of LGBTQ affirmation from delegations that described themselves as “centrist.” She said most participants were united in their desire to remove language in the Book of Discipline describing “homosexual practice” as “incompatible with Christian teaching.” That language, found in Paragraph 161G of the 2016 Book of Discipline, forms the basis for other United Methodist bans on LGBTQ participation, including refusing ordination to “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” and forbidding same-sex marriage by United Methodist pastors or in United Methodist churches.

Rev. Hamilton said that one beneficial effect of the Traditional Plan’s adoption by the 2019 General Conference was that it galvanized centrist churches to assert “not anymore” in regard to LGBTQ exclusion.

“They’ve said: ‘We’re not going to be quiet anymore. We’re a church for everyone’,” he said.

Submitting his question via Ms. Hahn, the Rev. Erik Alsgaard of the Baltimore-Washington Conference communications staff asked whether resisting the Traditional Plan meant that UMC Next participants planned to violate the Book of Discipline.

Rev. Gaines-Cirelli responded that for some churches and individuals, the answer is, “Yes.”

“There will be those who can take a risk for justice,” she continued. “There are others for whom the risk is too great, and they will resist in other ways.”

Rev. Hamilton added that some annual conferences will ordain LGBTQ persons as clergy, and that “thousands and thousands of churches will stand with LGBTQ people.”

Closing the press conference, UMC Next communications coordinator Cathy Bien asked the panel what excited them about the gathering. Responses from two panelists seemed to sum up the overall results of the event: reform from within, or reform by starting anew.

Dr. Dotson said he found the discussions to be “hopeful, strategic, real, deep and authentic” in their commitment to include “all of God’s children” in the United Methodist Church.

“We’re headed toward forming a church that my granddaughter will be proud to be a member of,” said Rev. Hamilton.

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