New Saplings

June 7, 2019

Just a few weeks ago (May 20 – 22, 2019) over 600 United Methodists from Annual Conferences across the United States gathered in Kansas City at Church of the Resurrection[1] for a three-day conference called UMCNext. All of those who gathered were united in their opposition to the Traditional Plan, which retains the church stance that the practice of homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching” and strengthens enforcement of church bans on same-sex weddings and “self-avowed practicing” gay clergy.

The participants who gathered agreed to four commitments:

• To be passionate followers of Jesus Christ, committed to a Wesleyan vision of Christianity.
• To resist evil, injustice and oppression in all forms and toward all people and build a church which affirms the full participation of all ages, nations, races, classes, cultures, gender identities, sexual orientations and abilities.[2]
• To reject the Traditional Plan approved at General Conference 2019 as inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ and resist its implementation.
• To work to eliminate discriminatory language and the restrictions and penalties in the Book of Discipline regarding LGBTQ individuals.

This meeting is just one of many similar meetings that are happening across the United Methodist Church as we seek a faithful way forward. I admit that I was hoping for something more than these four commitments. I’m ready for some clarity. I want a plan.

Rev. Tyler Sit, the openly gay founding pastor of New City Church in Minneapolis, and a participant in the UMCNext Conference, likened what happened at the 2019 special General Conference to a giant, old tree that has fallen in a forest, leading to new saplings starting to grow and reach for the light.[3] I love this image of new life coming out of death and decay – it is so full of hope and promise. It also helps me recognize that is too soon to know which of these new saplings will end up thriving – and it may be more than one! So for now we need to nurture all of them, trusting the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us and even in spite of us to show us the faithful way forward.

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[1] Adam Hamilton is the lead pastor at Church of the Resurrection, which is the largest United Methodist Church in the United States. Over the years many of us have read books and participated in studies he has written.

[2] If this language sounds familiar it is because these words are very similar to our baptismal vows.

[3] You can learn more about the conference at https://www.umnews.org/en/news/planning-new-directions-for-the-church