Dear Belmont Friends, 

Last week, after 52 years of language incompatible with God’s boundless grace and love, our United Methodist Church General Conference removed the harmful language from our Book of Discipline. We no longer name some of God’s beloved children as incompatible. The UMC no longer bars churches or pastors from celebrating same sex unions. We no longer deny ordination based on who someone loves. I hope I never forget the privilege of helping cast that historic vote. As I shared Sunday, for the next 20 minutes I could not stop weeping. I am still unsure if I shed tears of joy for our wide-open future or wept tears of lament for our painful past, or a mix of both. You can listen to my sermon about our General Conference on Spotify or read the transcript here. I am proud that Belmont has been at the forefront of Reconciling Ministries resisting and undoing this harmful language!

The margins of the votes removing the harmful language ranged from 93% to 76%; these are overwhelming majorities. How did this shift occur after the disaster of the 2019 General Conference? I believe these super-majorities represent the desire of delegates from Africa and other parts of the world and non-disaffiliated Traditionalists to allow churches like Belmont to live into our sense of mission and calling. As we considered a resolution revising our UMC Social Principles, Delegate Molly Mwayera (East Zimbabwe) offered an amendment. The Mwayera amendment paired a more traditional definition of marriage alongside the proposed petition’s “two consenting adults” definition, recognizing both an older and a progressive understanding of marriage. Mwayera, a member of Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court and a newly elected member of the UMC Judicial Council, shared how differing laws and cultures in Africa necessitated her amendment. She spoke of “the spirit of removing the harmful language” while urging the church to consider the diverse culture and Biblical interpretation across our global church. 

In Ephesians 4:3, Paul urges us to make every effort to maintain the unity of the spirit and the bonds of peace. Reconciliation does not automatically occur when we change the rules or take down un-welcoming signs. Reconciliation comes through acknowledgement of harm done and then an openness to forgiveness. Reconciliation requires mutual understanding and dialogue. After 52 years of harm, reconciliation may be a slower work of grace. Yet, In a historic moment when delegates from all over the world have heard the plea of reconciling and resisting churches, perhaps all of us can begin tuning our ears to the hopes, dreams, and needs of our United Methodist siblings everywhere?

Our General Conference passed a constitutional amendment to allow for a plan of regionalization “that aims to put The United Methodist Church’s different geographic regions on equal footing.” (UMNews.org) The amendment binds all UMC churches together around our theological and historic core, but it allows regions in Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the US to contextualize ministry. This amendment requires a two-thirds aggregate vote of all the Annual Conferences in the world. We all need to be proactive in helping this pass.

The General Conference also pledged to become an anti-racist church by adding the following language to our Constitution: “Racism opposes God’s law, goodness, and love and diminishes the image of God in each person. Fueled by white privilege, white supremacy, and colonialism, the sin of racism has been a destructive scourge on global society and throughout the history of The United Methodist Church. It continues to destroy our communities, harm persons, obstruct unity, and undermine God’s work in this world. Racism must be eradicated. Therefore, The United Methodist Church commits to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege, and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large.” We passed similar non-discriminatory amendments around gender and ability. We all need to work to pass these proposed amendments in our TWK Annual Conference.

At Belmont on Sunday, Rev. Keller Hawkins and all our clergy celebrated around God’s Table, as deacons like Keller were granted sacramental authority to celebrate communion and baptize babies and new Christians.

The General Conference reduced the number of US bishops, added 2 new bishops in Africa, moved our clergy pension plan away from a defined benefits plan, and did many other important actions you can learn about at resourceumc.org/en/content/general-conference-legislative-recap.

At times we may be tempted to reduce the United Methodist Church to a set of rules, beliefs or resolutions, but the General Church, just like Belmont, is not made up of rules but of people. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” Paul said, “You are the body of Christ and members with each other.” (Matt. 5’; 1 Cor. 12) Neither Christ, nor the Apostle, nor any Bible verse said, “here are the rules that make you a church.” Our faith is deeply incarnational. Last week, I witnessed people from all over the world coming together with respect, love, and translation devices to transform the world. We prayed together (there is even a standing rule for prayer), worshiped together, wept together, and worked together. We truly rejoice in the great movement of God’s Spirit last week in Charlotte but know that we have much good work to do! Thank you for letting me represent our wonderful Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference and our church at the General Conference. I hope to see you at Belmont on Sunday.

Love, 

Paul