BLOGGING TOWARD SUNDAY…

A vote to keep ‘them’ away from ‘us’
By Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church & Society

The bishops of The United Methodist Church have certified that the proposed amendment 1 to the denomination’s constitution has been rejected by a vote of 25,764-23,614.

The proposed amendment read:

Inclusiveness of the Church — The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ. The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth and that we are in ministry to all. All persons shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, and upon baptism be admitted as baptized members. All persons, upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith and relationship in Jesus Christ, shall be eligible to become professing members in any local church in the connection. In the United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body.

Imagine building a church advertising campaign around that vote. What might you say? How about the following:

•“You might claim to be a Christian, but that doesn’t mean you’re good enough to be a United Methodist!”
•“Jesus may accept you, but that doesn’t mean we will.”
•“You say you’re good enough for our church — prove it.”
My family has been United Methodist for generations. I was born, baptized and confirmed a United Methodist. My children were born and baptized in our denomination. My faith in Christ was shaped in The United Methodist Church.

I have always been proud to share with anyone I meet that I am a United Methodist. I still am. It was a sad day, however, when the bishops announced that amendment 1 had been defeated.

Prior to the vote, people and groups both inside and outside our denomination suggested that this amendment — that proclaims all persons are of sacred worth and welcomes people who declared the Christian faith and a relationship with Jesus — was really filled with code words that might result in “them” joining “us.”

And we all know that we have to be vigilant to keep “them” out of our denomination. “They” would try to destroy “us,” right?

Imagine the audacity of proposing that all persons can attend our worship services, participate in our programs, receive the sacraments, and be baptized in our churches. Who ever heard of such a concept?

Our denomination has overcome other similarly incomprehensible decisions in its history. 1939 was one such case. That was when three branches of Methodism reunited with the proviso that African Americans would be segregated from whites.

I’m relieved that I’m already a member of The United Methodist Church. If I tried to join now someone might think I’m one of “them.”

Despite the vote on this amendment, I still have hope for The United Methodist Church. I believe God is the God of history. In God’s unfolding plan all people are intended to live in peace and harmony.

Date: 5/12/2010
©2010

Filed under: Blogging Toward Sunday