Posted on 06/22/2019 1:50:08 PM PDT by lightman
In a move that some are calling “defiant,” delegates at the annual meeting of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church last Saturday declared themselves a “One Church Plan Conference in spirit.”
The One Church Model, which was voted down by the UMC General Conference in February, would have allowed individual churches and regional annual conferences to decide whether to ordain and officiate at the marriage of LGBT members.
The General Conference instead endorsed the Traditional Plan, which bans the ordination of gay pastors and forbids pastors from officiating at same-sex marriages. During its 75 years, Grandview UMC has taken bold stances on issues
Although Saturday’s vote has no teeth — it does not change church polity — Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Bishop Peggy Johnson called the measure “aspirational” and therefore allowed delegates to vote on the motion. Opponents voted to appeal her decision to the Judicial Council.
In an interview this week, Johnson explained that “aspirational” is “something (that) is contrary to the (church) discipline.” Taking a stand Bishop Peggy Johnson
Bishop Peggy Johnson
“In our denomination,” she said, “people are allowed to have other opinions, but we are to teach what the church teaches. The church’s official stand right now is the traditional stance on homosexuality. So aspirational is another way of thinking. It’s something we like to do in this conference — take stands on things.”
The Rev. Andrea Brown, pastor at Grandview United Methodist Church in Manheim Township, said the vote is “in spirit, a repudiation of the Traditional Plan.”
Brown, who was elected as a delegate to the 2020 General Conference, said that seven of the eight delegates elected to that conference are either centrist or progressive.
“It says something of the intent and feelings of people in the conference,” she said.
Not everyone agreed with the decision. Questions arise around pastor’s plan to assure LGBT members they are welcome in United Methodist Church
“I pleaded with the conference not to vote on the motion,” said the Rev. Joe DiPaolo, pastor at Lancaster’s First United Methodist Church. He worries that it will further divide congregations. “From my perspective, the conference has declared itself in defiance of the global United Methodist Conference.
“What are we aspiring to? We disagree on marriage, not whether God loves everybody, ” he said.
Johnson said the vote was essentially a matter of getting it on the record.
“In the 11 years I’ve been here we’ve had many such votes,” she said. “I can’t recall any time where a vote like this has tilted progressively.”
She said other annual conferences across the country also have raised concerns about the General Conference vote.
“Various conferences are taking stands,” she said, “some even more progressive than this kind of thing.”
DiPaolo also questioned the timing of the vote, which was taken on the final day of the three-day gathering after some members had left.
But Johnson said the schedule dictated the order in which items were discussed.
“We hold it until the end ... based on speakers and workshop leaders that I call in from out of state. I can’t be taking a chance on their prescribed time with debate that can be long and arduous.”
Delegates also approved a resolution to allow churches that disaffiliate from the conference and denomination by Dec. 31, 2023, to retain their properties under certain conditions and in compliance with annual conference policies. That includes paying all apportioned obligations and remittances that are due and meeting clergy pension obligations.
The measure temporarily overrides rules that were adopted in 2015 that allowed Wesley Church in Quarryville to take its heavily mortgaged building at cost.
Therefore:
Lutheran (EL C S*A) Ping!
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Be rooted in Christ!
+The August 19 date refers ONLY to the adoption of policies affirming gay "marriage" and admitting such gays into Ordained ministry, NOT to the UMC agreement.
These conflicts have become worse in various denominations as women became ministers. They are governed by emotion, which makes a problem more difficult to solve. Many are lesbians and are personally invested in changing the denomination to suit their life style.
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it is so very very sad to see so many Churches and synagogues adopting the secular/communistic/socialistic/materialistic/anti-moral, anti-Biblical alternate “gospel”
We usually used to be able to respect almost all churches and synagogues...(regardless of their various distinctive doctrines).....for at least trying to preach G0d’s word...
including His moral teachings for us...
now, so many churches have gone anti, against G0d and His word....as for good moral values.....forget it. and its so sad.
If the global UMC doesn’t deal with this quickly and severely, they are complicit in it.
A church body’s real doctrine is what they allow with impunity.
Open hearts
Open minds
Open doors...
Open sewers
Most are divorced shortly before or after beginning Seminary.
Divorce is viewed positively as "building character".
Then many adopt one of the protected initials.
Hopefully these progressives will leave and start their own denomination - a progressive version of what they left and they will then leave the traditionalists alone. What usually happens (for example with the Episcopalians and Lutherans), is that the progressives just want “a place at the table.” Then they want “more discussion” and more. At some point the progressives gain the upper hand and they proclaim, “the time for discussion is over” as they take over. The progressives don’t tolerate a traditionalist minority in their churches when they take over.
Excellent analysis with 1 not-so-small point of difference. At least in the Episcopagan Church, the diocesan/national by-laws state that the real property remains in the diocese. So, if the majority in the parish were against normalizing homosexuality, their 2 options were to (1) remain and endure false teaching or (2) shake the dust from their sandals and depart never looking back.
UMC polity and corporate governance is closely modeled on TECs so, yes, same rules apply.
Property belongs to the parent entity (Conference or Diocese)
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