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Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth. God does not faint or grow weary;
God's understanding is unsearchable. God gives power to the faint and
strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the
young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their
strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not
be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
But now thus says the Lord, the one who created you, O Jacob,
From Isaiah 40 and 42
To Reconciling Congregations and Annual Conference Coordinators:
General Conference 2000 is over. We are exhausted and angry, profoundly
sad and in deep pain, and know that we share all of this with you. Despite
our efforts as RCP and as partners in the AMAR coalition, the General
Conference has, once again, reasserted the church's unjust and unloving
position on issues of heterosexism. Our greatest consolation is the
knowledge that we did all that we could. The "Wide is God's Welcome!
Extend the Table!" campaign was meticulously planned, generously financed,
abundantly resourced by hundreds of committed volunteers, and skillfully
executed.
The General Conference, in both the Faith and Order Legislative Committee
and the plenary sessions, heard the stories of faithful gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender persons. The conference witnessed courageous
non-violent demonstrations and direct actions which proclaimed the demand
for justice and inclusion. Still, more than sixty percent of the delegates
closed their minds and hardened their hearts.
Although far from accomplishing all that we worked and prayed for, during
these two weeks we were blessed by rich experiences of God's grace. We
glimpsed the hope of "beloved community" as we were bonded by our common
labor. We were granted unexpected affirmation, when fearful brothers and
sisters whispered words of support which they dared not speak aloud. We
were invigorated by the power of our common witness, supported and shared
by some delegates, bishops, and many others.
The United Methodist Church, broken and bigoted as it is, is our
church. We are not going away; we will not be silenced; we will intensify
our efforts. The Board met in Cleveland on Saturday and Sunday to begin
immediate planning toward our goal of providing, throughout the
denomination, communities of hospitality in the midst of hostility. We
also initiated a process of visioning, through which we will reconsider the
foci of our mission in light of the church's continued intransigence. We
cannot accomplish these things alone; we need all of you. We will be
soliciting your ideas and help, but please do not wait for us to ask.
Communicate with us, as together we pray and plan, work and witness.
The Board of Directors of the Reconciling Congregation Program recommits
itself to the task before us. We ask that of you as well. We remind us
all of the foundation of that task:
Gayle Felton, Chair
Copyright © 2000 by the author
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Where the Spirit Leads : The Evolving Views of United Methodists on Homosexuality James Rutland Wood Leanne McCall Tigert
Websites:
Reconciling Congregation Program
Also In This Issue:
Trained in Ungrace:
Gays and Lesbians as
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