Our First Sunday program is back to our usual time and at our usual location. We will gather for fellowship time at 7:00 with a program at 7:30. The location is the chapel and nearby parlor of Nardin Park United Methodist Church, 29887 W. Eleven Mile Rd., Farmington Hills. That's just west of Middlebelt.
Our program will be Justice for Our Neighbors. The speaker will be Melanie Goldberg. She is a staff attorney for the organization Justice for our Neighbors.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
United Methodists and same-sex weddings in New York
Timothy Kincaid of Box Turtle Bulletin notes one big difference between the United Methodist trial that defrocked Frank Schaeffer and the similar case of Thomas Ogletree, in which a trial won't be held. That difference: Schaeffer was from a small congregation. Ogletree had been the Dean of the Yale Divinity School.
Since the bishop, Martin McLee, has said he will no longer hold trials of pastors that violate the ban on same-sex ceremonies (which are legal in his district of parts of NY and Conn.) that has essentially permitted all United Methodist pastors in this district to officiate at same-sex weddings.
The pastor who filed the complaint against Ogletree, which will now result in no punishment, has issued a statement to say how upset he is with the bishop. It is the conservatives who are now talking of schism.
Since the bishop, Martin McLee, has said he will no longer hold trials of pastors that violate the ban on same-sex ceremonies (which are legal in his district of parts of NY and Conn.) that has essentially permitted all United Methodist pastors in this district to officiate at same-sex weddings.
The pastor who filed the complaint against Ogletree, which will now result in no punishment, has issued a statement to say how upset he is with the bishop. It is the conservatives who are now talking of schism.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Cessation of trials
A complaint was filed a while ago against Rev. Thomas Ogletree of the United Methodist Church for performing a same-sex wedding for his son. But Bishop Martin McLee of the New York Annual Conference (Western Connecticut, Long Island, the City, and the Catskills) will not be holding a trial. This is in contrast to what was done recently to Frank Schaeffer in eastern Pennsylvania. Instead, the NY bishop has agreed to a "cessation" of trials in his region and will conduct public forums of a "spiritual conversation" about the issue. Ogletree will take part. He has not declared he will refrain from conducting more same-sex weddings.
Two pastors, Rev. Cheryl Fear and Rev. Gordon Hutchins, of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference (offices in Seattle) will also not be given a trial for performing same-sex weddings. Instead, each will be given a one-day suspension without pay. Again, the pastors did not declare they would refrain from conducting more such weddings. Conservatives are annoyed because they feel the penalty doesn't have enough bite to keep other pastors from conducting gay weddings.
United Methodist Connections has a lengthy article on Frank Schaeffer and his struggles during and after his trial last November.
Back in January retired Rev. William McElvaney of Dallas announced he would risk a church trial and the possibility he would lose his credentials if anyone asked him to perform a same-sex ceremony. That might not be too much of a burden because McElvaney is 85. It didn't take long for a couple to approach him. George Harris is 80 and partner Jack Evans is 84. They've been together for 53 years. The service will not be in their home church, Northaven United Methodist, but in a sister church Midway Hills Christian Church, which might be too small for the crowd of guests.
Two pastors, Rev. Cheryl Fear and Rev. Gordon Hutchins, of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference (offices in Seattle) will also not be given a trial for performing same-sex weddings. Instead, each will be given a one-day suspension without pay. Again, the pastors did not declare they would refrain from conducting more such weddings. Conservatives are annoyed because they feel the penalty doesn't have enough bite to keep other pastors from conducting gay weddings.
United Methodist Connections has a lengthy article on Frank Schaeffer and his struggles during and after his trial last November.
Back in January retired Rev. William McElvaney of Dallas announced he would risk a church trial and the possibility he would lose his credentials if anyone asked him to perform a same-sex ceremony. That might not be too much of a burden because McElvaney is 85. It didn't take long for a couple to approach him. George Harris is 80 and partner Jack Evans is 84. They've been together for 53 years. The service will not be in their home church, Northaven United Methodist, but in a sister church Midway Hills Christian Church, which might be too small for the crowd of guests.
Frank Schaeffer to speak in Ann Arbor May 10
Frank Schaeffer, recently defrocked United Methodist Pastor, will speak at First United Methodist Church on Ann Arbor on Saturday, May 10 at 7 pm. His talk, "Equality in Diversity," will be followed by a Q&A session and a reception.
Frank Schaefer lost his credentials in the United Methodist Church (UMC) in December 2013 because he performed his son’s same-sex marriage. Mr. Schaefer is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. He was an ordained United Methodist pastor for more than twenty years. In his closing statement at his trial, Rev. Schaefer stated, “I cannot go back to being a silent supporter. I must continue to be in ministry with all people and speak for LGBTQ people. Members of the jury, before you decide my penalty, you need to know I wear this rainbow stole as a visible sign that this is who I am called to be.”
Frank Schaefer lost his credentials in the United Methodist Church (UMC) in December 2013 because he performed his son’s same-sex marriage. Mr. Schaefer is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. He was an ordained United Methodist pastor for more than twenty years. In his closing statement at his trial, Rev. Schaefer stated, “I cannot go back to being a silent supporter. I must continue to be in ministry with all people and speak for LGBTQ people. Members of the jury, before you decide my penalty, you need to know I wear this rainbow stole as a visible sign that this is who I am called to be.”
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Report from Change from the Ground Up
This past Sunday First United Methodist Church of Birmingham hosted the forum "Change from the Ground Up." The purpose was to discuss why and how we as local churches and the denomination as a whole should engage with the LGBT community. Here are my notes of the event.
The forum was held in the church gymnasium, which looked pretty full. I asked one of the organizers if there had been a count of attendees. He didn't have an exact number, but estimated about 300 people attended. I don't know how many of the more than 80 churches in the district sent a delegation.
The first panelist to speak was Rev. Bill Ritter, Pastor Emeritus of Birmingham First UMC and Executive Director of the United Methodist Union of Greater Detroit. He talked about the silence surrounding LGBT people and then his personal experience dealing with LGBT people and their relatives within the denominations he led. One of the things Ritter said came after he took one of the Bibles normally given to youth when they join the church. He ripped off the back cover. He said, "Is every Biblical Word of God the last Word of God?" His point is that what God has to say does not stop with the last page of Revelations.
Ritter listed a few things a church should do:
* Identify and confront all the bits of a congregation's liturgy and practice that show shunning and shaming.
* Invite a gay colleague to co-teach a Bible study.
* Hire staff to emphasize and enable inclusiveness.
* This issue needs a leader. And that leader is the pastor.
Up next as panelist was Rev. Jeff Nelson of Redford Aldersgate UMC. His emphasis in the discussion was the local church. Nelson said he felt called to the issue of LGBT inclusion because he was haunted by the suicides of gay youth. He recounted on suicide in particular and wondered what part the church played in that death. He lamented that pastors won't speak up while others won't shut up.
Nelson said action must happen in the local church because: The local church needs to counter the local message, what is coming from other churches, the schools, and the community. It is in the local church where love is explained and exhibited. It is in the local church where teaching gets done. In addition, it is in the local church where Nelson met gay people and their allies. The issue is now personal to him.
Nelson was asked about what the Bible says about LGBT people. Yes, whenever same-sex relations are mentioned in the Bible -- all six verses -- they are mentioned in a negative way. But those six verses are in conflict with many of the overarching themes of the Bible. He concluded by saying, "I can't prooftext someone I love."
The last panelist was Rev. Melanie Carey, Superintendent of the Detroit Renaissance District. It is a wonderful sign that the leader of the district supported the forum and the efforts of LGBT inclusions. However, she warned us her presentation may not be pleasant.
The main focus of Carey's message was the Book of Discipline and what it says about how the denomination is to deal with LGBT people. She listed all six paragraphs. I won't mention them by paragraph number because I didn't record them accurately. The various paragraphs essentially say this:
* A pastor may not conduct same-sex ceremonies and such ceremonies may not be conducted in UMC facilities.
* A self-avowed, practicing homosexual may not be a pastor in the denomination.
* Money from the various boards and agencies of the denomination may not be used to promote LGBT causes. Also, the money may not be used to condemn LGBT people.
* All people are of sacred worth with grace available to all. The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.
It is the first part of that last statement that the panelists say is the motivation for calling the church to engage with LGBT people.
Carey noted that many young adults are quite puzzled why we are still wrangling over this issue. She hopes we will resolve it before the wrangling drives the young from our churches (at a rate faster than what is happening now).
Carey says there are tensions: The more global our church is the more complex it is as we deal with differing understandings in differing contexts. There is tension in the local church as laws across America become more inclusive of LGBT people. There is tension in the denomination over the church trials of pastors who perform same-sex ceremonies. There is tension over how to deal with a growing and overwhelming dissent of current church policies. But people are tired of arguing over the issue. And there is an increasing number of local churches asking for pastors who preach LGBT inclusion.
So Carey calls for work to be done across the district with local churches helping each other.
There was a question and answer session to conclude the program. However, I didn't take any notes of the remarks.
The One Voice Chorus, which now rehearses at Birmingham First, presented a number at the start and end of the evening.
The forum was held in the church gymnasium, which looked pretty full. I asked one of the organizers if there had been a count of attendees. He didn't have an exact number, but estimated about 300 people attended. I don't know how many of the more than 80 churches in the district sent a delegation.
The first panelist to speak was Rev. Bill Ritter, Pastor Emeritus of Birmingham First UMC and Executive Director of the United Methodist Union of Greater Detroit. He talked about the silence surrounding LGBT people and then his personal experience dealing with LGBT people and their relatives within the denominations he led. One of the things Ritter said came after he took one of the Bibles normally given to youth when they join the church. He ripped off the back cover. He said, "Is every Biblical Word of God the last Word of God?" His point is that what God has to say does not stop with the last page of Revelations.
Ritter listed a few things a church should do:
* Identify and confront all the bits of a congregation's liturgy and practice that show shunning and shaming.
* Invite a gay colleague to co-teach a Bible study.
* Hire staff to emphasize and enable inclusiveness.
* This issue needs a leader. And that leader is the pastor.
Up next as panelist was Rev. Jeff Nelson of Redford Aldersgate UMC. His emphasis in the discussion was the local church. Nelson said he felt called to the issue of LGBT inclusion because he was haunted by the suicides of gay youth. He recounted on suicide in particular and wondered what part the church played in that death. He lamented that pastors won't speak up while others won't shut up.
Nelson said action must happen in the local church because: The local church needs to counter the local message, what is coming from other churches, the schools, and the community. It is in the local church where love is explained and exhibited. It is in the local church where teaching gets done. In addition, it is in the local church where Nelson met gay people and their allies. The issue is now personal to him.
Nelson was asked about what the Bible says about LGBT people. Yes, whenever same-sex relations are mentioned in the Bible -- all six verses -- they are mentioned in a negative way. But those six verses are in conflict with many of the overarching themes of the Bible. He concluded by saying, "I can't prooftext someone I love."
The last panelist was Rev. Melanie Carey, Superintendent of the Detroit Renaissance District. It is a wonderful sign that the leader of the district supported the forum and the efforts of LGBT inclusions. However, she warned us her presentation may not be pleasant.
The main focus of Carey's message was the Book of Discipline and what it says about how the denomination is to deal with LGBT people. She listed all six paragraphs. I won't mention them by paragraph number because I didn't record them accurately. The various paragraphs essentially say this:
* A pastor may not conduct same-sex ceremonies and such ceremonies may not be conducted in UMC facilities.
* A self-avowed, practicing homosexual may not be a pastor in the denomination.
* Money from the various boards and agencies of the denomination may not be used to promote LGBT causes. Also, the money may not be used to condemn LGBT people.
* All people are of sacred worth with grace available to all. The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.
It is the first part of that last statement that the panelists say is the motivation for calling the church to engage with LGBT people.
Carey noted that many young adults are quite puzzled why we are still wrangling over this issue. She hopes we will resolve it before the wrangling drives the young from our churches (at a rate faster than what is happening now).
Carey says there are tensions: The more global our church is the more complex it is as we deal with differing understandings in differing contexts. There is tension in the local church as laws across America become more inclusive of LGBT people. There is tension in the denomination over the church trials of pastors who perform same-sex ceremonies. There is tension over how to deal with a growing and overwhelming dissent of current church policies. But people are tired of arguing over the issue. And there is an increasing number of local churches asking for pastors who preach LGBT inclusion.
So Carey calls for work to be done across the district with local churches helping each other.
There was a question and answer session to conclude the program. However, I didn't take any notes of the remarks.
The One Voice Chorus, which now rehearses at Birmingham First, presented a number at the start and end of the evening.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Singing for Love & Justice
Peggy Garrigues is the pastor of Clawson United Methodist Church. Last August she came out as a "non-practicing" lesbian (one not in a relationship). According to DS Rev. Melanie Carey, she is still "a clergy member in good standing" in our conference. While Rev. Garrigues will continue to serve as pastor in Clawson, a few members left, taking a substantial amount of church donations with them. That has put the church in a precarious financial position.
To give the church some breathing room to heal, grow, and thrive, it is hosting a benefit concert titled "Singing for Love & Justice" on Saturday, March 8 at 7:00. Your presence and donations will provide much healing support. Please come!
The concert will feature:
Spectrum Singers, a new interfaith and multicultural ensemble of Metro Detroit.
One Voice Chorus, a premier LGBT ensemble of the Detroit Area.
Musicians of Clawson United Methodist Church.
Isaac and Jeremiah Garrigues-Cortelyou (Peggy's sons, both classical vocalists).
The church is at 205 N. Main Street, Clawson, MI 48017. If you can't make the concert, donations can be mailed to the church.
To give the church some breathing room to heal, grow, and thrive, it is hosting a benefit concert titled "Singing for Love & Justice" on Saturday, March 8 at 7:00. Your presence and donations will provide much healing support. Please come!
The concert will feature:
Spectrum Singers, a new interfaith and multicultural ensemble of Metro Detroit.
One Voice Chorus, a premier LGBT ensemble of the Detroit Area.
Musicians of Clawson United Methodist Church.
Isaac and Jeremiah Garrigues-Cortelyou (Peggy's sons, both classical vocalists).
The church is at 205 N. Main Street, Clawson, MI 48017. If you can't make the concert, donations can be mailed to the church.
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