Thoughts on how to engage, if at all?
 | In the past year or so, the local United Methodist Church has gotten a pastor who is lesbian and is married to a transgender man (woman trying to be a man.). As you might also know, the United Methodist Church as a denomination has made moves to allow homosexual folks to pastor and has removed language from their Book of Discipline that condemned homosexual behavior. This past week, this is what they posted on their Facebook page. "We are thrilled to announce the adoption of our new Welcoming Statement. We, the people of the First United Methodist Church of {redacted}, are a people of inclusion. We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all. We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic, immigration, marital, and social status, and so much more. We acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic, and political inequities. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed. We believe God’s grace is available to all." This is the church I grew up in. I currently am pastoring five people who left there because they felt excluded in this inclusive church. This church stands in the middle of town, it is quite prominent. What are y'all's thoughts on their welcoming statement and church lighting? Any thoughts on how to engage this, if at all? There's a whole long story to this post on Facebook and comments I made on it, but it would take up a lot of space here lol. [link] [comments] |
