Viewpoints in Charlotte

July/August 2024

• “Needless to say, this is a moment in time when we will not only see some of the dust settle, but we’ll also see new dust storms arise.”
–Bishop Thomas Bickerton, New York

• “What we are sure of is that many of our delegates will not be able to travel [to Charlotte]. We wonder what this General Conference would look like?”
–the Rev. Philippe Adjobi, a district superintendent in the Côte d’Ivoire Annual Conference and member of Bishop Benjamin Boni’s cabinet

• “The United Methodists counted 5.4 million U.S. members in 2022 — less than half their 1960s peak, and the recent departure of about 7,600 mostly conservative congregations will lower that number further. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s 1.1 million membership is barely a quarter its 1960s peak. Other denominations have similar trends.”
– Peter Smith, Associated Press

“For all the pious language, the UMC’s decision doesn’t represent a commitment to Christian orthodoxy. It is an affirmation of current middle-class sensibilities. The church shies away from the logic of its own position—a logic that would lead to the legitimation of any sexual act or arrangement as long as it concerns consenting adults. In short, it has chosen to embrace the liberal Protestant specialty: baptizing the dominant values it sees as informing the culture, no more, no less. In our times, when the values change with breakneck speed, the church that seeks to accommodate the latest moral tastes will always be at least a day late and a dollar short. As any progressive teenager might say, gay marriage is so 2015.”
– Dr. Carl Trueman, Wall Street Journal commentary

• “We do not accept a change in the definition of marriage, and we will never accept marriage as anything other than one man and one woman, no matter what the Book of Discipline says. We are devastated now to be part of a denomination that officially contradicts the Bible’s teaching on marriage and sexual morality.”
– the Rev. Jerry Kulah quoted by Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service

• “We join our voices to sing for justice as we tell the truth of our own complicity in the perpetuation of sexual misconduct and abuse in The United Methodist Church. We recognize that we have a long way to go to repair trust, restore integrity and tend the wounds of those who have been harmed by our church.”
– the Rev. Stephanie York Arnold, United Methodist pastor of First Church Birmingham in Alabama

• “To be unnecessarily waiting for confirmation of a trans-continental airplane ticket one week before the General Conference is both unprecedented and nerve-wracking. The report should have included at the very least an apology to all the delegates who have experienced these stresses, regardless of their causes.”
–Jorge Lockward, a member of the Commission on the General Conference

• Deaconesses and home missioners today, as throughout their history, serve in many areas of need, in places where the church has not been, was not aware it should be, or was afraid or unwilling to be. Wherever they serve and regardless of the task, deaconesses and home missioners find and represent the presence of God in the midst of those with whom they serve. Their daily task of serving and empowering is, for deaconesses and home missioners, a visible symbol of the link between the church and the world.”
– Megan Hale, the executive for the Candidacy Office of Deaconess and Home Missioner of United Women in Faith

• “When I first read Bishop Ivan Abraham’s message, I was overwhelmed. I took a moment to pray and meditate, seeking God’s guidance and peace if I were to accept this recognition.

“When the sun rises, every waking up leads me to renewed power and inspiration to carry on the tasks and mission entrusted. When the moon rises and concludes the night to rest my body from all that gives me reason to carry on, I am thankful that the day passed with meaningful endeavors.”
–Norma P. Dollaga,  said of the World Methodist Council’s Peace Award

• “We come from four continents, speaking more than 10 languages,” he said. “We come with the commonality of our belief and service to Jesus Christ and the world. And we are also here because we believe in the life and future of this United Methodist Church. My friends, we have much more in common than not.”
–Bishop David Wilson

•“As you adopted that resolution,  you adopted the full communion relationship with The Episcopal Church in the United States, that has been worked on for many years.”
–The Rev. Gary Graves, secretary of the General Conference

• “The season of disaffiliation ends today.”
– Lonnie Chafin, a delegate from the Northern Illinois Conference and chair of the Conferences legislative committee.

• “With a spirit of grace, we welcome those churches which have disaffiliated or withdrawn to rejoin The United Methodist Church,” the newly adopted policy says. “Where applicable, every annual conference shall have a policy of reaffiliation for the churches seeking to return to the connection.”

•“I want to say we are against disaffiliations from The United Methodist Church,” he said. But he added: “Please don’t inflict pain on our churches.”
– The Rev. Guy Nyembo of the North Katanga Conference in Congo said through an interpreter

• “I speak in favor of disaffiliation,” she said. “I’m very nervous because I want a place for our conservative churches with traditional values to have a way to go peacefully. I don’t want them to be caught up in our court system.”
– Dixie Brewster, a delegate from the Great Plains Conference, spoke of her fear that churches troubled by the changes passed by General Conference will be trapped.

• “Let me clarify that a church is not required to receive a gay pastor. Like any clergy appointment, an extensive consultation process will happen between the local church, district superintendent, cabinet, bishop and (staff parish relations) committee to ensure the church and incoming pastor are honored.”
–Bishop David Graves

• “I know that some of you are celebrating, some are mourning and some are uncertain about what your future holds — for the denomination, for your local church and perhaps even for yourselves as followers of Jesus Christ,” said South Carolina Conference Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

• “Y’all, we are making history. We are making history,” she told delegates as the plenary wrapped up. “And I believe this is that new thing that the prophet Isaiah talks about in Isaiah 43. … I pray that you perceive it, that you recognize it, that you receive it as a gift, because God is doing a new thing, certainly in this General Conference, this United Methodist Church and certainly in each of us.”
–Bishop Cynthia Harvey, Houston Area

• “Many people who wanted to serve God were prevented from doing so because of the ban. It was harmful to people. It was not helpful to the church’s mission, and the body, with an almost unprecedented consensus, removed it. It’s like removing something harmful from the body, that frees the body to be healthy.”
– Bishop Ken Carter of the Western North Carolina Conference.

• “I’m so grateful for the freedom, the justice and mercy for our LGBTQ siblings and for those who love them.”
–Northern Illinois Conference Bishop Daniel Schwerin

• “First, pastors have always decided who they will marry. This has not changed. Pastors will continue to decide who they will marry. There is no mechanism in conference leadership nor desire on my part to determine who a pastor will marry.”
– Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference Bishop William McAlilly in a written message to his conference.

• “Marriage is between a man and a woman, period.”
– Bishop John Wesley Yohanna of Nigeria told UM News.

• “While I do not know the extent of the impact that these petitions will have on the UMC in the East Africa Area, I know that as we continue to live in the new realities of The United Methodist Church, we will have to develop new ways of partnerships and doing ministries together.”
– East Africa Area Bishop Daniel Wandabula applauded regionalization but said the church’s new stances on human sexuality “will have a legal, spiritual and ministry impact on some of our countries in Africa.”

• “I see a great future for The United Methodist Church in Africa.”
– North Katanga Area Bishop Mande Muyombo

• “I know that some of you are celebrating, some are mourning and some are uncertain about what your future holds — for the denomination, for your local church and perhaps even for yourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.”
–South Carlonia Bishop L. Jonathan Holston

 

Image: Delegates, visitors and staff of the United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C., dance in the aisles following morning worship on the final day of the conference. Delegates to the 10-day legislative assembly supported big changes, including the removal of constraints on ministry with and by LGBTQ people. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.