Posted on 07/19/2015 7:53:12 PM PDT by markomalley
An openly gay United Methodist pastor said his "I Dos" in front of more than 30 clergy members and 100 guests Friday, days after he was forced to resign for having a partner.
The Rev. Benjamin Hutchison married his partner, Monty Hutchison, in a ceremony on the steps of the historic Cass County Courthouse.
Hutchison called it a joyous occasion.
"Walking around the courthouse and seeing all the support, seeing all clergy there gathered standing there saying that they support it, they're not opposed to it, it really was a blessing today."
Hutchison, 31, resigned earlier this week from his position as senior pastor at Cassopolis United Methodist Church Monday, where he had worked since January 2013, after the bishop's office received a report that he had a gay partner. Hutchison said he would have been fired had he not resigned.
Hutchison said it had been well known and accepted in the congregation that he is gay, and he even had legally changed his last name to Hutchison, his partner's last name, in February 2013. Hutchison said he understood when he took the job it might be difficult for the congregation and he understood it was against the United Methodist discipline.
The church accepts members who are gay, but its Books of Discipline states " ... "self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church."
The confrontation and Hutchison's resignation came as a blow to the congregation. Parishioners say Hutchison turned the Cassopolis United Methodist Church from one that was dying to one that was gaining new members. Hutchison said the church now has more than 140 members in its directory and it recently has become financially solvent.
Pastor Mark Thompson of Faith United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids officiated the ceremony with Ginny Mikita, a candidate for ordination within the United Methodist Church.
"I believe that Benjamin and Monty are very much in love and they deserve to be married and to celebrate the gift of love that God gave them," Thompson said.
Mikita said the United Methodist Church not approving of gay marriage has been her greatest stumbling block for continuing her candidacy. But, Mikita said, she felt the day was one of celebration and rejoicing.
"To be here today for Benjamin David, who had been a dear friend, ... to be able to walk that walk with him from the moment we met back in 2008 'til now, it's just remarkable," Mikita said.
Mikita said it was critical for Hutchison to have support for his ceremony on Friday.
"I believe that there is a swell of support that already exists within the denomination (of Hutchison)," Mikita said. "It only continues to grow, and I think it was evidenced here by the number of clergy that showed up not only from West Michigan congregations and conferences, but I met folks that came from the Detroit area and Illinois to be here today to demonstrate their support."
Mikita said the county clerk's office closed at 12:15 p.m. Friday for the ceremony, and to show support for the Hutchisons.
Rich First, a Stevensville resident who attended Hutchison's ceremony, credited Hutchison with pulling him out of his depression.
"I was very depressed, and one meeting with this pastor brought (me) out of depression so far that I started coming (to the church)," First said. "You would not believe the ability that this pastor has to make the whole church cry, laugh, rejoice you name it. I haven't been to church for 30 years and one afternoon with him changed that. I knew he was gay and the church knew too."
The Methodist Church has released a statement to media stating it will not comment on personnel matters such as Hutchison's. The statement goes on to say that the church's clergy and laity will discuss the church's official position on gay pastors at its General Conference in May 2016 in Portland, Ore.
Hutchison said he sees some change happening within the church, but would like to see it change further.
"I want the church to change," Hutchison said. "I believe the congregation, specifically in Cassopolis and Southwest Michigan and the Chicago area, has changed. The members have changed. They understand it. My members were in full support."
"I was very depressed, and one meeting with this pastor brought (me) out of depression so far that I started coming (to the church)," First said. "You would not believe the ability that this [former] pastor has to make the whole church cry, laugh, rejoice you name it. I haven't been to church for 30 years and one afternoon with him changed that. I knew he was gay and the church knew too." [emphasis; mine]Yes, I would believe the pastor's "ability." One underestimates the power of the devil. And the thing is, if this pastor finds himself in hell one day, the devil will not be congratulating him on a job well done; he will instead mock and laugh at him, throw more fire in his direction, telling him what a fool he was to dance with him while on earth.
The water is coming to a boil, time to climb out of the pot.
Check out a Bible teaching church.
I am also a conservative Methodist...My church is in Texas so it does not promote the lib pronouncements.
They are not doctrine..
The Discipline is what matters and that is what I pray they fail to change.
Perhaps for outsiders it isn't a big deal, but for insiders it is. Conservatives have fought this for years, and they've succeeded for years. I have an email sent from Good News, a renewal group in our denomination, detailing their understanding of where this will go at the next general conference.
Most don't understand our governance and policy making in the UMC. We have only 1 meeting ever 4 years for about 10 days at which ANY official rulings, changes, or policies can be changed, dropped, or added. That is why things move so incredibly slowly in the UMC.
People will point to bishops who say this, agencies who say that, but what they don't realize is that those folks speak for themselves and not for the denomination. The ONLY body that speaks for the denomination is that once every 4 years General Conference. Obviously, I don't agree with the liberal bishops or agency heads, but it is absolutely true that they don't speak for the denomination. If they did, gay marriage would have been approved a decade ago.
How did these shameful people get into positions of leadership? The same way leftists do in most hierarchies. They lied about themselves in the 50's and 60's, and when they ascended they appointed like-minded derelicts to position. All kept themselves somewhat secret until the last 2 or 3 decades. So, they have control of the hierarchical offices for the most part, and faithful pastors and people have control of the majority of churches, particularly south of the Mason Dixon and overseas.
The bottom line is that this same sex marriage is between two homosexuals, neither of which is a pastor in the UMC. The one pastor did resign. It surprises me a bit, since Michigan is a blue state, that he didn't expect support from the heretic caucus.
For the record, saying that so and so should fire so and so is easy for them to say, but the rules of evidence and conviction in a church trial in the UMC are virtually the same as in our civil courts. IOW, unless you have videotape of someone actually ENGAGING in homosexuality, you can't prove it. And even words of support from their mouths can be recanted or claimed to be misunderstood.
My personal prayer is for a denominational split.
Note: UMC pastors are not allowed to have unmarrried sexual partners of any kind.
See #44
They have to enforce the Book of Discipline because the Book of Discipline says that lay people cannot perform the sacraments. If you eschew the Book of Discipline, you could eliminate the need for paid pastors.
When pastors take political stands in the pulpit, they alienate half the congregation. Our attendance and giving is down 30% since we got a new pastor who went political on us immediately. Some of our clergy are chomping at the bit to do a same-sex marriage and have made that desire known.
The UMC is looking at a major downfall for getting too involved in politics.
Bravo and thank you for standing up on behalf of the Jews.
I posted an article a month or so ago showing that the membership trajectory of the UMC within the USA says that it will not exist in the year 2050. We have a few large churches, but the vast majority are smaller and older.
I agree with the analysis. This denomination is done if there isn’t a split.
Gather like-minded members, and sign a petition to the Pastor Parish Committee.
Have them address the pastor on the subject, and let that pastor know that the GROUP in MASS will intentionally attend and intentionally stand and intentionally walk out on any sermon that is likewise partisan political and/or contrary to historic Christianity.
Have the PPRC file an immediate objection with the Bishop and District Superintendent.
STOP GIVING MONEY until your petition is addressed.
I was a Methodist before the Uniting occurred.
A split seems necessary.
I think xzins intended the advice in post 50 for you, steps you can take within the UMC.
Thanks, af_vet. I wasn’t paying close enough attention, was I?
I was born and raised in The Methodist Church, too,I was so shocked by your pastor’s anti Israel diatribe that I failed to comment...xzins gave good advice.
I’ve been up all night more than once lately, concerned for my church and praying for it.
The Book of Discipline clearly states that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with biblical teachings”. I just wish the “shepherds” of the Methodist Church would enforce their own rules. Resolutions deleting this phrase have been brought to the floor and soundly defeated the last four General Conferences - the last time it was only because of the African bishops that it didn’t pass. Praise God for the Africans.
Wesley was right. We should have stayed in home groups.
Actually, I’d put its beginning at the merger with the United Brethren to become the United Methodist Church. Mid-60s - downhill ever since, although the Renewal Movement and the Confessing Movement (and Good News before that) have taken a strong biblical stance, which tracks with most of the membership. IT’s the leadership that’s off the tracks.
I am referring to only the UMC, and similar apostate groups.
In fact, any group which ordains women is well on its way to the same fate.
I agree. There was some great Christian accountability in those groups in his time.
Michigan is a blue state due to fiscal issues and inner cities, not social issues. This isn't California or New York. This state only got stuck with homo civil marriage because of SCOTUS. The only real social leftist areas are the college areas, the hipster/yuppie areas like the Royal Oak area, the homo areas like Ferndale and Saugatuck, and a few gentrified areas like Downtown Detroit and Downtown Grand Rapids.
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