Trinity Chooses Reconciliation

“He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself’.

In early December, the members of Trinity voted by an overwhelming margin to become a Reconciling Ministry. The vote was forty nine in favor, three opposed, and two abstentions. By this vote, we publicly declared our desire to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people into our midst and to participate with them in the ministry of Christ.

We also chose to express this sharing with the following welcome statement:

“We the members of Trinity United Methodist Church open our doors and our hearts to all of God’s children. We strive to love as God loves: without regard to race, age, ethnicity, culture, marital status, physical or mental condition, economic condition, gender, or sexual orientation. We are committed to expressing this love inside and outside of the church, through our actions, our service, and our celebration of God’s diverse creation.”

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A HISTORY OF RECONCILIATION IN THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH*

1972 General Conference delegates amend Social principles to hold, “We do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice to be incompatible with Christian teaching.”
1975 United Methodist Gay Caucus established, renamed Gay United Methodists, renamed Affirmation.
1982 The idea of a program in which local churches will declare their support for the concerns of lesbians and gay men” is approved, and called “Reconciling churches.”
1984 The General Conference in Baltimore amends the Book of Discipline to state that “no self-avowed, practicing homosexual shall be ordained or appointed in the United Methodist Church.”
1987 120 persons attend the 1st CONVO in Chicago.
1988 The Evangelical Renewal Fellowship announces formation of “Transforming Congregations.”
1990 200 persons attend the 2nd CONVO, in San Francisco.
1992 The UM Homosexuality Study Report. The Wesley Foundation at UCLA becomes the first Reconciling Campus Ministry.
1993 The first ecumenical issue of Open Hands was jointly published in the winter with More Light (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (UCC) and Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran). The 3rd CONVO held in Washington D.C.
1995 Jean Audrey Powers gives her “coming out” sermon at the 4th CONVO, attended by 325 persons in Minneapolis.
1996 The Open the Doors campaign at General Conference in Denver. 15 United Methodist bishops signed an “Open the Doors” declaration. Methodist Students for an All Inclusive Church (MOSAIC) is established
1997 Claiming the Promise study is published. 500 attend 5th CONVO in Atlanta.
1998 The March trial of the Rev. Jimmy Creech for conducting a Union of two women..
1999 Ninety-five clergy co-officiated at the union service of Jeanne Barnett and Ellie Charlton. The Rev. Gregory Dell trial. 6th CONVO is held in Denton, TX. Parents Reconciling Network (PRN) is established.
2000 The Wide is God’s Welcome: Extend the Table campaign at Cleveland General Conference. Over 700 volunteers participate. A rally of hundreds, over 200 arrested, 29 were arrested from the floor. United Methodists of Color for a Fully Inclusive Church (UMOC) is established.
2001 6th CONVO held in Tacoma, Washington
2002 Reconciling Ministries Clergy (RMC) is established, Flashnet, weekly e-mail digest is begun.
2004 Rev. Karen Oliveto performed the first legal same-sex marriage. Trial of Rev. Karen Damman. Watermarked: A Ministry of Assurance campaign at Pittsburgh General Conference. Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud (Beth) comes out, is tried and defrocked.
2005 “Hearts on Fire!” Lake Junaluska , the 8th CONVO, declares, “We are permanently and powerfully
part of the family!” Retired Reconciling Clergy (RRC) is established. Judicial Council makes its infamous 1032 ruling.
2006 New RMN logo published, more stories told
2007 “Faith, Hope and Love”, the 9th CONVO, held at Nashville, TN. 224 Reconciling Congregations, 30 Reconciling Campus Ministries, 62 other Reconciling Communities and Ministries and over 18,000 Reconciling United Methodists (RUMS) speak to the Church.
2008 General Conference, “A Future with Hope” is held in Fort Worth, TX., RMN calls for “One Family Tree.”

*As part of the larger Welcoming Church Movement we join with the United Church of Christ, Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church USA, American Baptist Convention, Disciples of Christ, United Church of Canada, and the Unitarian-Universalists. – From Parents Reconciling Network, Spring 2008 edition

Helpful Links: www.rmnetwork.org and www.kairoscomotion.org