The Council of Bishops' Pastoral Letter of November 2, 2005

Confessing Movement's Response to the Council of Bishops'
Pastoral Letter

"You Went Where?" by Noreen Miller

A Pastoral Letter to the People of The United Methodist Church From the Council of Bishops

 By grace you have been saved through faith.- Ephesians 2:8

Grace to you from Jesus Christ who calls his church to welcome all people into the community of faith as it proclaims the Gospel.

 The Judicial Council, our denomination’s highest judicial authority, recently issued a decision regarding a pastor’s refusing a gay man’s request for membership in the church. In the case, this man was invited to join the choir at the United Methodist Church in the community. As he became more active in the choir and the church, he asked to transfer his membership from another denomination to The United Methodist Church. Because he is a practicing homosexual, the pastor refused to receive him into church membership. The Judicial Council upheld the pastor’s refusal of membership.

 While pastors have the responsibility to discern readiness for membership, homosexuality is not a barrier. With the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church we affirm:

“that God’s grace is available to all, and we will seek to live together in Christian community. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.”

(Para. 161g, 2004 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church)

 We also affirm our Wesleyan practice that pastors are accountable to the bishop, superintendent, and the clergy on matters of ministry and membership.

 The United Methodist Church is committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ with all people. We, the bishops of the Church, uphold and affirm that the General Conference has clearly spoken through the denomination’s Constitution on inclusiveness and justice for all as it relates to church membership:

“The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth.  All persons without regard to race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking the vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection.”

(Article IV, Constitution of The United Methodist Church)

 We believe the ministry of the local church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is to help people accept and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We call upon all United Methodist pastors and laity to make every congregation a community of hospitality.

Nov. 2, 2005

The Judicial Council recently ruled on two issues, making clear our church’s position that practicing homosexual persons cannot be ordained in our church, and our conviction that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. The recent pastoral letter of the Council of Bishops responded to these rulings.

Though the Bishops’ letter did not question the validity of the Judicial Council ruling, they sent a confusing message about the pastor’s responsibility in determining who is to be admitted into the membership of the church. The tradition of Methodism has always made the determination of the membership in the local congregation the responsibility of the pastor. "The Discipline" of 1968 spelled that out clearly and has not significantly changed in United Methodism since. Nor has any of "the Disciplines" of the United Methodist Church since the 1968 merger have anything to say about pastors being accountable to bishops, superintendents, and other clergy in matters of membership.

The truth is pastors have been too lenient, not too stringent, in the requirements of membership. To deny someone membership in the church is not to withhold the ministry of the church from them. If we truly believe that all persons are of sacred worth, then ministering to them means seeking to save them from destructive behavior and sinful practice.

Making disciples, which is the mission of our church, requires that we extend the message of salvation universally. It also means our congregations are people “going on to salvation,” spiritually and morally disciplined seeking always not to be conformed to the world but transformed.

The pastoral letter sent a confusing message, thus we feel the bishops are contributing not to our unity but to disunity. When will we hear a clear word from our bishops speaking with one voice, upholding the doctrine and discipline of our church?

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You Went Where?

by Noreen Miller

Telling folks I recently attended the Confessing Movement National Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, usually brought many questions.  "What is the Confessing Movement, and why attend a conference?"  The excellent Conference speakers, workshops, over 300 participants, and the written Proclamation helped answer the questions.

THE CONFESSING MOVEMENT is a movement within the United Methodist Church confessing Jesus Christ as Son, Savior, and Lord, asking for a new level of integrity in upholding our historic doctrinal standards in a thoughtful and principled way.

We are witnessing attempts to alter and diminish our faith. The Confessing Movement seeks to reclaim and reaffirm the Church's faith in Wesleyan terms and to clarify the doctrines and boundaries of classical Christian teaching. Board members of the Confessing Movement are preparing a letter to the Council of Bishops asking for the integrity of the episcopal leaders.

ATTENDING THE NATIONAL CONFESSING MOVEMENT CONFERENCE gave pastors. Bishops, teachers, and lay members opportunities to hear speakers. attend workshops, and share in the formulation of a proclamation entitled "Unity in Christ, That The World May Believe".

The proclamation states that doctrine is a necessary foundational element for the unity of The United Methodist Church, and against the claim that "doctrine divides.' we believe sustainable, visible unity depends on the recognition of and agreement on official church teaching and discipline. The statement emphasizes that empowered by the Holy Spirit, the Confessing Movement will boldly continue to confess the faith in order to reform and renew The United Methodist Church by advocating our doctrinal unity in Christ and our mission of making disciples.

Speakers at the conference included Dr. Billy Abraham, Outler Professor of Wesley Studies at Perkins School of Theology; Dr. Maxie Dunnam, chancellor of Asbury Theological Seminary; Bishop James Swanson, Southeastern Holston Conference: Bishop George Bashore. retired Bishop of Western Pennsylvania: Bishop Scott Jones. Kansas East Conference: and Bishop Lee. Wisconsin Conference.

Some workshops offered were: "Canonical Theism or Death", "A Bishop Looks at the Future of the Church". "Ministries with the Sexually Broken". "Women Impacting Their World for Christ", "The Evangelistic Love of God and Neighbor," "Recovering Wesleyan Formation", `"Launching a Pro-Marriage Movement", "The Holy Spirit and Renewal", "Urban Church Renewal", "God in Dark Places", "Introduction to Doctrinal Standards". and "A United Methodist Pro-Life Ethic".