GC2019 vote
Delegates raise their hands during a session of the 2019 United Methodist General Conference in St. Louis. A move by the 2023 session of the Indiana Annual Conference to unseat a lay delegate has revealed gaps in the process for verifying General Conference delegates' qualifications. (File photo by Kathleen Barry, UM News.)

The Curious Case of the Questionable Delegate

by

A United Methodist Insight Analysis

Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved

What's an annual conference to do if an elected lay delegate doesn't live there, even though his membership is in a United Methodist church in the conference?

What if that same delegate has been documented moving his membership from church to church, fomenting disaffiliation from UMC, and then moving to another congregation that also subsequently disaffiliates?

What if the annual conference discovers – to the apparent dismay of numerous conference members – that there's no process for an annual conference to remove a delegate whose public writings and actions have disrupted the denomination to the point of harm?

Such "what-ifs" came together June 9 for the Indiana Annual Conference when a movement developed to remove elected lay delegate John Lomperis from its delegation to the postponed 2020 General Conference scheduled for April 23-May 3, 2024 in Charlotte, N.C.

Here's the official record of what happened in the June 9 session as documented by the Indiana Conference secretary:

Sarah Black, laity from Valparaiso First, made a motion to remove John Lomperis as a delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences since he doesn’t live in Indiana and only recently (5 days ago) became a member of the church. 

Bishop asked for confirmation that John Lomperis is a member at Valparaiso First. Senior pastor at Valparaiso First, Rev. Kevin Miller, confirmed that John Lomperis is a member.

Rev. Russ Abel, Chair of the Delegation, stated that the delegation contacted lay members to General Conference inquiring if their church is other than the one listed on their initial Willingness to Serve Form. “We did not see it as our responsibility to act as investigators,” he said. “We act in trust. We’ve done what we believe was a fair and faithful process to try to gain that information. We were not aware of a transfer of his membership.” 

Rev. John Meunier, senior pastor at Sheridan First, posed a question: Can the Annual Conference rescind the membership of a delegate that has already been elected?

Rev. Beth Ann Cook made a Point of Information: The process to challenge a delegate is to send a letter to Gary Graves, General Conference Secretary. “I don’t believe that this body has the ability to do that,” she said.

After a brief recess, Bishop Trimble ruled the motion out of order. “The Judicial Council declared that the delegation that had been elected—but not yet served—had been certified. John Lomperis’ membership had been verified. So the motion to remove a member of the delegation was out of order.

... Deacon Mary Dicken made a motion “in the interest of supporting Sarah Black’s motion: "I move that we send a letter to the Secretary of the General Conference from the Indiana Conference requesting that John Lomperis be removed from the delegation.” 

Retired elder Rev. Mark Fenstermacher made a Point of Order: At a Zoom Charge Conference in the last past year, John Lomperis’ eligibility to serve on the delegation became a topic of conversation. In the meeting, former Rev. Sam Padgett (who withdrew his credentials from The United Methodist Church) clarified that John was a member of his church and was active there. So Mark posed the question: Is John Lomperis a member of Valparaiso First or the member of a church that Sam Padgett serves at the time? “I’m not sure how you can be an active member in both congregations,” he said.  

Senior pastor at Valparaiso First, Rev. Kevin Miller, explained John Lomperis’ membership was with Decatur St. Mark’s. When they disaffiliated, he transferred his membership to Rochester Grace. When they disaffiliated, John became a member at Valparaiso First, where “he has a history, and he was previously employed. He is an active member,” Kevin clarified.

The (Dicken) motion passed (62%).

Since the official record showed no comment by Lomperis to the move to unseat him, United Methodist Insight checked with Indiana Conference staff and leaders to see whether he attended the 2023 session. Indiana communications director Serena Acker confirmed that Lomperis wasn't registered attending the annual conference in person. In response to an Insight email, Lomperis confirmed he didn't attend the Indiana Conference because of a scheduling conflict.

Who is John Lomperis?

Who is John Lomperis, and why has he distressed so many members of the Indiana Annual Conference?

According to public records, Lomperis, 42, serves as director of UM Action for the Institute on Religion and Democracy, a "think tank" founded in 1981 by United Methodist evangelist Edmund Robb and AFL–CIO official David Jessup. Initially IRD's focus was to root out "Marxist" elements in mainline Protestant churches. More recently, its purpose has been to promote theological and political conservatism in mainline churches, especially opposing acceptance of LGBTQ persons. A 2009 video, "Renewal or Ruin?", produced by Steven D. Martin and available on YouTube, documents the IRD's attacks on the United Methodist Church.

Lomperis' IRD profile says he earned a bachelor's degree in religious studies from the University of Chicago and a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard University. Despite holding the advanced degree required for United Methodist ordination, he has remained a lay person.

Public records also show that Lomperis currently resides in Newberg, Ore., where he owns a home with Ana Lomperis, 73, whose relationship to him wasn't specified. In his Twitter profile, Facebook page and IRD profile he describes himself as "devoted husband," "married to the most amazing bride in the world." He is married to Ekaterina Lomperis, Ph.D., who is Richard B. Parker Assistant Professor of Theology and Wesleyan Thought at Portland Seminary in Oregon. They have three children, and Dr. Lomperis lists herself as a United Methodist on her seminary profile page.

Lomperis' membership transfer to First UMC-Valparaiso was announced at the start of the June 4, 2023, worship service as being to "the online campus," according to a Facebook video. United Methodist membership requirements make no provision for persons to join an "online campus." Members are required to support the church with their physical presence; if they don't attend in person for two years, they can be removed from membership by vote of the charge conference.

A public records search showed that Lomperis has lived in multiple locations around the United States, including Chicago; Sherwood, Ore.; Chesterfield, Mo.; Maryville, Tenn.; Morehead City, N.C.; Somerville, Mass.; and Washington, D.C. He lived in Valparaiso, Ind., for four months in 2012, possibly while serving as director of connectional ministries at First UMC. He was elected a lay delegate from Indiana Conference to the General Conferences of 2016, 2019 and 2020.

Lomperis' LinkedIn professional profile says he was employed as a maritime chaplain with Seafarer's Friend from September 2009 to April 2010 and as chaplain at New England Baptist Hospital from May to August 2010, both in Boston, Mass.

He joined the Institute on Religion and Democracy in December 2004 as a research assistant and was promoted to his current position as director of the IRD's unit on the United Methodist Church in December 2012. His writing has appeared on the IRD blog, "Juicy Ecumenism," and in conservative publications such as The American Spectator, Christian Post, Good News magazine, The Asbury Journal, National Right to Life News, LifeNews.com, and OrthodoxyToday.org. His writing also has been distributed by Religion News Service.

Lomperis' recent articles have included:

Disputed views

The facts and perspectives in Lomperis' articles frequently have been questioned by centrist and progressive United Methodists. Insight found two recent online examples that disputed Lomperis' assertions about the church.

The Dallas Morning News published two letters May 24 refuting a May 20 column by Lomperis, “United Methodist schism a long time coming — Departures from official doctrine lead to disputes over politics, inclusion.

In his letter to the editor, the Rev. Owen K. Ross, director of church development for the North Texas Annual Conference, wrote:

"Lomperis’ op-ed demonstrates the dishonesty and lack of seriousness about Scripture that have characterized arguments in favor of disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church. True to form, Lomperis dog-whistles a blurt from one UMC leader, 'Our denomination supports open borders,' with a link to a story in which I am pictured and quoted.

"Lomperis does not and probably would not reference the frequency and consistency of immigration proclamations found in Scripture from my quote in the same story.

"... Instead of approaching Scripture seriously and having honest conversations, Lomperis and the Institute on Religion and Democracy continue to cherry-pick Bible verses and utilize demagogic anecdotes in their efforts to conform Methodism into the political patterns of 'The Big Sort' of this world (Romans 12:2).

In another letter to the editor, the Rev. Kathryn Strempke, senior pastor of First UMC in Paris, Texas, wrote:

"Many seminaries have taught clergy how to think, not how to parrot 'on-paper Doctrinal Standards.' Lomperis leaves out examples of the 'conservatism' proponents who have disagreed with such standards. The examples he does cite are a measure of United Methodism’s large umbrella along the theological spectrum.

"Lomperis predicts what will happen at the 2024 General Conference. Interestingly 'everybody just knew' the 2019 General Conference would change rules regarding sexuality — which they did not.

"And however, his facts/opinions may weigh out, his conclusion is absolutely wrong. 'Now each faction is finally getting to have the sort of denomination it wants.' Wrong! Many of us in the radical center of United Methodism grieve the loss of differing voices; such a denomination is decidedly not what we want."

In 2019, the Rev. Dr. Mark Holland, executive director of the advocacy group Mainstream UMC, alerted readers to one of Lomperis' previous actions:

"Remember, it is John Lomperis, the IRD’s UM Action executive director who stalked Rev. Anna Blaedel on the internet and filed the complaint from another annual conference that led to Rev. Blaedel stepping down from ministry. IRD believes they are doing the church a favor by harming LGBTQ persons. This harm is their 'accountability.'"

The missing institutional piece

The Indiana case points out the limited attention given to verifying membership status when it comes to United Methodist lay leadership.

It's not uncommon for a member who doesn't live in an area to have their official membership at a local United Methodist congregation. There's a provision for setting up an "affiliate" membership, an option often used by retirees who spend their winter seasons in warmer climes but don't want to transfer out of their home church. Paragraph 227 of the Book of Discipline states:

¶ 227. A professing member of The United Methodist Church, of an affiliated autonomous Methodist or united church, or of a Methodist church that has a concordat agreement with The United Methodist Church, who resides for an extended period in a city or community at a distance from the member’s home church, may on request be enrolled as an affiliate member of a United Methodist church located in the vicinity of the temporary residence. The home pastor shall be notified of the affiliate membership. Such membership shall entitle the person to the fellowship of that church, to its pastoral care and oversight, and to participation in its activities, including the holding of office; except such as would allow one to vote in a United Methodist body other than the local church. However, that person shall be counted and reported as a professing member of the home church only.

When it comes to being a General Conference delegate, the Book of Discipline has some requirements. Article V of the Constitution of the United Methodist Church states:

¶ 36 Article V.—The lay delegates to the General and jurisdictional or central conferences shall be elected by the lay members of the annual conference or provisional annual conference without regard to age, provided such delegates shall have been professing members of The United Methodist Church for at least two years next preceding their election, and shall have been active participants in The United Methodist Church for at least four years next preceding their election, and are members thereof within the annual conference electing them at the time of holding the General and jurisdictional or central conferences.

It's the question of Lomperis' "active" status as a lay member that most vexes Indiana United Methodist leaders since he lives in Oregon but was enrolled as a member First UMC-Valparaiso five days before the 2023 conference session.

When people join the UMC, they're asked to be loyal to their local congregation and to support the UMC with "prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness" (The United Methodist Hymnal, Pages 38 and 48). According to the June 9 proceedings, Indiana Conference members have questioned Lomperis' fulfillment of his membership vows. However, there's no Book of Discipline provision – other than the option set by General Conference rules of sending the aforementioned letter to the General Conference secretary – by which he or any other member of questionable status may be removed as a General Conference delegate.

Insight emailed a draft of this analysis to Lomperis requesting answers to the following questions:

  1. Do you hold affiliate membership in a United Methodist congregation in Oregon? If so, with which church are you affiliated?
  2. Do you attend meetings of the Indiana delegation to General Conference? If so, do you attend in person or via online connections?
  3. Given your distant relationship with your enrolled church in Indiana, how do you inform yourself of the concerns of the Indiana Annual Conference regarding General Conference issues?
  4. How do you fulfill your membership vows to be loyal to Christ through the UMC with your "prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness"?
  5. How can you justify being an "online" member of First UMC Valparaiso when the Book of Discipline makes no such membership provision.
  6. Why be a United Methodist when your writings clearly show that you despise the church and are actively promoting disaffiliation?

Lomperis sent the following reply by email, which is included verbatim with editing only for readability:

"Since a scheduling conflict prevented me from attending my annual conference this year, I cannot respond comprehensively to whatever allegations may have been made about me there.

"I moved to Oregon only after I was elected in 2019 and have been open with my delegation and others about this fact. I have attended most Indiana delegation meetings, which have typically been held virtually. I have continuously remained United Methodist and have not stopped seeking to live out my membership vows with integrity.

"There is quite a double standard when I alone am singled out, but I have not seen any such scrutiny against any of the several other liberal Indiana delegation members who have been living outside of Indiana, or against prominent liberal General Conference lay delegates from other annual conferences who live far outside the boundaries of their conferences.

"Unlike some other delegates, I have remained committed to (1) the Doctrinal Standards of the United Methodist Church in Discipline Paragraph 104, (2) upholding the moral standards of our UMC Discipline, (3) promoting what I am convinced is best for the congregations and people of my denomination. I would respectfully ask how liberal United Methodist leaders, including bishops, are 'leading with integrity' when they openly reject one or more of these commitments.

"Amidst strongly felt disagreements, I encourage all of us to try harder to treat each other with respect and moral consistency, following Jesus Christ's Golden Rule.

"If you are interested in specific recent examples of prominent liberal General Conference delegates from across the country who have not lived remotely near the geographic boundaries of the annual conferences from which they were elected, here are a few you can look into for  starters:

  • "Ian Urriola, reportedly of Virginia (was at the microphone repeatedly at GC2019 in support of the One Church Plan) elected as a lay General Conference delegate from the Upper New York Conference.
  • "George Howard, reportedly of the state of Georgia (made the famous "Way Forward" motion at GC2016 and gave key speech in favor of the "Christmas Covenant" resolution at the 2022 North Central Jurisdictional Conference) elected as a lay General Conference delegate from the West Ohio Conference."

Lomperis also cited Dawn Wiggins Hare, general secretary of the General Commission on Status and Role of Women, as a delegate who lives outside the annual conference in which she was elected. Ms. Hare responded to Insight's inquiry:

"I am not a (General Conference) delegate. I was in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2019. I was elected General Secretary in 2013. I commuted to Chicago and although I had an apartment there until the pandemic, my home, husband, and home church — First UMC Monroeville, Ala. – have not changed. Mr. Lomperis has provided you with inaccurate information about me, my home church membership, and my residence."

United Methodist Insight has contacted other delegates named by Lomperis for responses and will follow this article in the near future with another report on the qualifications for and process of electing delegates to General Conference.

An award-winning religion journalist who has reported on the United Methodist Church at all levels for 35 years, Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight.  She founded Insight in 2011 as a media channel for marginalized and under-served United Methodist news and views. This article may not be reproduced or quoted in whole or in part without prior written approval from the editor.