Almost 700 United Methodists met in Ohio, July 25–28, under the banner of "Sing A New Song" to kick off the "Love Your Neighbor" campaign that calls for the loving treatment of all God's children including the for full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Christians. The campaign leads up to the global General Conference, April 24–May 4, 2012, where legislation is voted which will guide the denomination for the next four years.
Issues facing the denomination include immigration, bullying, gay and transgender concerns, poverty and much more. United Methodists have a long history of recommending public and church policies based on their Christian values that support those who are hungry, homeless or excluded. Despite these values, the denomination still bans gay people from ordination and in recent years gave clergy the option to block gay people from membership.
Keynote speaker, Michael Adee from More Light Presbyterians, said to the full house, "United Methodists are next! Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal and United Church of Christ denominations have dropped all prohibitions against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Christians. Evangelical Presbyterians from Mississippi, North Carolina Pennsylvania and all states moved from fear to faith as they opened the doors to all who love Jesus. Now is the time for United Methodists to step out in faith."
At the convocation were representatives of the more than one thousand United Methodist clergy who signed statements of their willingness to perform same gender weddings and blessings. The Rev. Amy DeLong shared the story of being convicted in a church trial for performing a marriage ceremony for a loving gay couple. Amy said, "Critics will tell you that you are breaking the clergy covenant for officiating at weddings for couples who are gay or lesbian, but there is no covenant that should compel us to forego our conscience."
In Bible study led by the Rev. Dr. Althea Spencer-Miller, participants were urged to claim those biblical texts which defined Christians who show love, peace, patience and joy, rather than those texts which have been used to judge and exclude. Dr Nelson said, "Some faithful gay folks who have worked for inclusion for forty years are paragons of patience and continue to love despite hostility and rejection."
Bishop Joseph Sprague, one of the thirty-eight retired bishops who signed a statement urging the church to drop the prohibitions said, "If we people of faith spent as much time advocating for jobs, schools and peace, as we do to keep people out of the church, we would be living in a much better world."
With 8 million members in the US and 4 million around the world, many United Methodists are working hard to move the denomination toward accepting the moral equality of all members, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The three national organizations collaborating on this effort are:
Reconciling Ministries Network
Methodist Federation for Social Action
Affirmation: United Methodist
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