Posts from August 2018

If you have not already read my brief Tiding’s article, “The United Methodist Church: A Way Forward,” please do so before continuing. In February, our denomination will hold a special-called general conference to decide how to move forward in regard to the ordination and marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals within The United Methodist Church. The official group responsible for guiding us forward has proposed three possible plans (see the previous Tidings for a brief description of each plan). The Council…

If you have not already read my article entitled “United Methodist Church: A Way Forward,” please do so before continuing with this post. The Book of Discipline addresses the issues around homosexual practices and lifestyles in various places. Here’s a basic breakdown: ¶161G: Although all persons are sexual beings whether or not they are married, sexual relations are affirmed only with the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage….We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image…

  The United Methodist Church is organized around and governed according our Book of Discipline (BOD). In essence, it is our denomination’s constitution. The only body within the denomination which can amend the BOD is General Conference, which is comprised of elected delegates of every United Methodist annual conference globally. General Conference meets every four years to vote on changes to the BOD, which have to be ratified by all annual conferences the following year. The United Methodist Church is…