Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church: Common Table Recommendation on Retired Bishops’ Letter

TO:               Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church Council

FROM:         The Common Table

Date:              November 4, 2011

SUBJECT:     Common Table Recommendation on Retired Bishops’ Letter

Charge and Recommendation

The Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church Council authorized the creation of a Common Table to make a recommendation regarding Glenn’s response to the retired Bishops’ letter, dated January of 2011. The retired Bishops’ letter recommends the repeal of Paragraph 304.3 of the Book of Discipline which provides that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching and bars self-avowed practicing homosexuals from ordination within The United Methodist Church (“UMC”).

Based upon the Common Table’s months of study and discussion and its assessment of the opinions, beliefs and desires of the members of Glenn, the Common Table recommends that the Church Council endorse the retired Bishops’ letter (attached) and take all appropriate steps to support said letter as it and related legislation are considered during the General Conference of 2012.

"Rev. Dr. Beth nothing but a Catholic Fag Hag."

~(Simply Jim:  Methodist Fag the Radical Atheist)~

While the Common Table recognizes that such a letter does not represent the position of every member of Glenn UMC, it is our conviction that we can and must continue to worship as one family. Failing to respond to the very strong sense of injustice Paragraph 304.3 raises among many of our members will irrevocably harm our sense of church family and hinder Glenn's opportunities for evangelism and growth going forward. In addition, the retired Bishops’ letter provides a compelling description of the many problems generated by this paragraph in the Discipline. The Common Table affirms the shared ministry of clergy and laity regardless of one’s sexual orientation.

"SHE'S METHODIST NOW!"

~(Joshua Noblitt:  St. Mark UMC Minister of Social[?]Justice)~

The Common Table recognizes and values the diversity of our congregation and denomination--diversity in ideas, interpretations of Scripture and Christian teaching, race, gender, sexual orientation and approach to worship. We believe this diversity arises, in part, from our Wesleyan commitments to evangelical piety, ecumenical openness and social concern. We value that diversity and seek for it to continue and grow. We recommend that the Church Council advise all members of Glenn that they are free to express their individual beliefs to delegates to the General Conference.

Saint MarkUNITED METHODIST CHURCH

781 Peachtree Street, NEAtlanta, Georgia 30308-1205
404.873.2636 

facsimile: 404.873.2639
office@stmarkumc.orgWWW.stmarkumc .org

July 1,2015

To James Avery,

Acting on behalf of the congregation as represented by Administrative Council of Saint Mark United Methodist Church, we, the Board of Trustees, hereby notify James Avery that his presence on the property of Saint Mark United Methodist Church, 781 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta Georgia 30308;  bounded by Peachtree Street, Fifth Street, and Juniper Street, shall constitute a criminal trespass from the time of the delivery of this notice forward.

E.C. LaRocca-PittsSenior Pastor, representing the Board of Trustees

LovingAcceptingServing

The Common Table recognizes that while we do not all share the same beliefs, we all share one foundational belief: Jesus Christ, Son of the one true God, was born, lived, died and was raised from the dead that we might live.

We thank the Church Council for the opportunity to serve and join with you in prayerful hope for all of God’s children.

Respectfully submitted,

The Common Table

The Process

Church leaders took approximately three months to organize the Common Table. In order to make sure that all of Glenn’s views were considered, the Common Table included substantial representation from four common positions of members of Glenn on this issue:

(i) Support for the retired Bishops’ letter;

(ii) Opposition to the retired Bishops’ letter;

(iii) A desire to know more about all sides of the issue in order to make a decision;

(iv) A desire to study the issues raised in the retired Bishops’ letter, tempered by the
concern that engaging in these issues could result in a split within Glenn UMC.

The Common Table was formed in May, 2011, at which time the Common Table began its work in earnest. The Common Table met for an hour and a half most weeks through the summer, and held a five hour retreat one Sunday.

Bob Gary, trained in facilitating the reconciliation of factions having divergent views on important issues within an organization, led our Common Table. Bob is recognized nationally as a leader in this art, especially among churches. He graciously donated his time and skill for this task to Glenn. The Common Table acknowledges with heartfelt thanks and affection his work and guidance, and urges the Church Council and Glenn to recognize his contribution to our church in this endeavor.

Members of the Common Table recognize the importance of understanding what the members of Glenn think about ordination of self-avowed practicing homosexuals. Several times through announcements from the pulpit and other announcements, the Common Table solicited individual members of Glenn to express their views, promising confidentiality to those who wished such confidentiality. Members of the Common Table met with several Sunday School classes to hear views of members of these classes. The church held a forum after a Sunday worship service in September for the sole purpose of allowing members to publicly express their views. Members of the Common Table reviewed all the input received from Glenn members.

The Common Table spent many evenings and emails exploring many of the rationales and arguments for and against the ordination of self-avowed practicing homosexuals.

Members of the Common Table explored various interpretations of Scripture on homosexuality and various theologians’ interpretations of the Scripture. We analyzed these issues through utilization of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral of Scripture, reason, tradition and experience. We heard from four outside sources—a Therapist, a Theologian, an Ordained Minister and Sexologist, and an Ethicist. We read several current scientific publications on sexual orientation.

We considered the views of other congregations in our North Georgia Conference and those of Methodist churches throughout the United States and the world. We also considered whether a repeal of the provision could impact the national and worldwide Methodist church. We discussed the fact that ordained Methodist ministers are guaranteed a position as pastor in a church and whether that factor should be considered relevant to the consideration of the issues raised by the retired Bishops’ letter.

We spent many weeks sharing with each other our personal stories regarding how we came to our beliefs on a myriad of issues surrounding homosexuality. We shared personal experiences many of us have had with committed, loving homosexual individuals and couples. Some of us shared how our beliefs about homosexuality were formed initially at a young age, at home or in the church, where homosexuality was described in very unfavorable terms. Some of us shared how those beliefs have been strengthened by study, thought, life experiences and prayer throughout our lives. Others of us shared how we, too, formed unfavorable beliefs regarding homosexuality at a young age but that those beliefs have changed significantly over time through study and thought, life experiences and prayer throughout our lives. Some of us shared how our beliefs regarding homosexuality were never unfavorable and that our positive views regarding
homosexuality have only been strengthened by study, thought, our life experiences and prayer throughout our lives.

We have grown closer together in this journey through our reflection on what we shared. In spite of differences of opinion in the Common Table and in the congregation, we members of the Common Table rejoice in our efforts. Through Bob Gary’s expert combination of modern psychology and recent theology with Christian teachings of humility and love for one another, our commitment to listen and disagree respectfully and humbly to our fellow Christians has grown, and that is a blessing. The Common Table believes that the Church should be a place where everyone is welcome and everyone is given the unconditional love and acceptance to which all of God’s children are entitled.

The Common Table does not claim that it has touched upon all relevant issues or has exhaustively explored all the issues considered on this complex subject. But we all feel we understand better the issues involved and each member of the Common Table has developed a deeper appreciation for the views of others. The Common Table process brought clarity to many of our thoughts and positions.

We reached our recommendation because we believe that Jesus’ new commandment “[t]hat you love one another as I have loved you,” predominates over all other concerns elicited in our discussions. Loving God and loving neighbor must be our practice, even when honest and intelligent minds may disagree on lesser issues. 

On the issue of Paragraph 304.3, or any other, when we speak or act presumptively, dismissively, or even disparagingly of any viewpoint that is not our own, we are failing to love our neighbors.

A Statement of Counsel to the Church—2011

Out of concern for the welfare of all God’s people, and, out of special concern for the people of The United Methodist Church, we, United Methodist Bishops – retired, believe The United Methodist Church should remove the following statement from The Book of Discipline (2008):

“…The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.” ¶304.3

Our lives and ministries over the years have included prayerful, thoughtful consideration of our Holy Bible, our Wesleyan heritage, reflection on our experience of the church and world, and our conviction of God’s intention for a world transformed.

With this statement of conviction and counsel we seek:

 To affirm that the historic tests of “gifts and evidence of God’s grace” for ordained ministry override any past or present temporal restrictions such as race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

 To urge the Church, ecumenical and denominational, to change the manner in which it relates to gay, lesbian and transgendered persons in official statements, judicial proceedings, and in congregational life.

 To declare our conviction that the current disciplinary position of The United Methodist Church, a part of our historical development, need not, and should not, be embraced as the faithful position for the future.

 To make known our names and shared personal conviction on this matter and to encourage other church and Episcopal leaders to do the same.

With increasing frequency we observe and experience the following disturbing realities and know them to be detrimental to the mission of a Church of Jesus Christ:

 Laity and clergy, gay and straight, withdrawing membership or absenting themselves from the support of congregational and denominational Church life in order to maintain personal integrity.

 Young adults, especially, embarrassed to invite friends and expressing dismay at the unwillingness of our United Methodist Church to alter its 39-year exclusionary stance.

 Closeted pastors, currently called and ordained in our church, living divided lives while offering effective appreciated ministry.

 Bishops being drained of energy by upholding Church Discipline while regarding it as contrary to their convictions.

 Bishops caught between care for the Church by reappointing an effective gay or lesbian pastor and care for the Discipline by charging them under current legislation.

 Seminary leaders desiring greater flexibility and openness from the church in order to advance their mission of identifying, recruiting, enrolling, educating and spiritually forming Christian leaders.

 Christian gay men and women understanding themselves called of God to seek ministry opportunities within their United Methodist family Church home, but having to decide between:

     o leaving to go to accepting denominations, or

     o staying and praying for change, or

     o challenging Church law and accepting punitive actions.

Our United Methodist Church, ashamed and repentant in the past, ended official and unofficial restrictions on
candidacy, ordination and appointment for reason of race, gender and ethnicity. We believe the God we know in Jesus is leading us to issue this counsel and call – a call to transform our church life and our world.

United Methodist Episcopal Leaders—Retired:

Sharon Z. Rader
Donald A. Ott
Beverly Shamana
C. Joseph Sprague
Melvin G. Talbert
S. Clifton Ives
Joe A. Wilson
William Lewis
Forrest Stith
Susan Morrison
Susan Hassinger
Judy Craig
Dale White
William Boyd Grove
C. P. Minnick
Kenneth L. Carder
Roy I. Sano
Joe Yeakel
Kenneth Hicks
Joseph Humper
Monk Bryan
Jesse DeWitt
Jack Tuell
J. Lloyd Knox
Charles W. Jordan
J. Lawrence McCleskey
Marshall L. Meadors, Jr.
Franz Schafer
Sheldon Duecker
Fritz Mutti
Cal McConnell
Leontine T. C. Kelly
Robert C. Morgan