Articles about developments of alternatives for the future of The United Methodist Church: discussions of options, other expressions of the Methodist or Wesleyan Way, new alignments, petitions and resolutions approved in annual conferences, etc.
FRESH UNITED METHODISM SUMMIT
November 14-16, 2019 at Rolling Hills UMC south of Los Angeles.
Participation is by invitation only.
Visit the website for more information and to register as a participant (see below) or for a chance to be invited as an observer.
Read more: Western Jurisdiction Holds "Fresh United Methodism Summit"
Can We All Now Realize That the United Methodist Church is a Global Church?
by Lloyd T. Nyarota
September 12, 2019
Republished with permission of United Methodist Insight
Fast as wind goes the speed of developments in The United Methodist Church, exploring the future of our beloved denomination. The Special Session of General Conference in February 2019 has revealed lots of things about who we are (see "Harvest of Thorns"). In August, African delegates and other individuals met at the Desmond Tutu Center in Nairobi, Kenya, in preparation for 2020 General Conference. This gathering revealed a few things that I hope can help us explore what it means to be a global denomination.
Read more: African Pastor Calls For Honesty in Global Methodism
by David Livingston
September 6, 2019
In the quest for historical support for their case against inclusion, traditionalist Methodists have broken new ground in Scripture and tradition. Emphasis on broken. Neither argument holds any water.
Broken Argument #1
First, from Scripture. Most of us are familiar with the "clobber" passages against "homosexuality" that have been argued over for decades. Recently a new one was "discovered." Proponents of same-sex marriage have correctly pointed out that Jesus was silent about it. In and of itself this proves nothing. There are many topics that Jesus was silent on but that we can reasonably interpret what he would say today. Nevertheless, traditionalists apparently became desperate to find some instance where Jesus spoke. The best they could do is Matthew 19. This is eisegesis...at its finest. [read his complete article]
by Cynthia B. Astle (Used by permission of United Methodist Insight.)
September 10, 2019
If it seems that things are quiet on the UMC battlefield over LGBTQ+ inclusion, it’s most likely because everyone has their heads down writing legislation for General Conference 2020. The deadline for submitting petitions to GC2020 is Sept. 18, and instructions for how to offer legislation are found here.
No doubt that writing teams are sweating over legislation needed to enact one of the proposals put forth for the UMC’s future. As mentioned last week, we currently have three formal plans to reshape The United Methodist church, all of which offer some form of division into differing theological camps. They are:
- Papers, Discussions, Research: UM-Insight.org
- Parody Humor; Venn Diagram; First African Reconciling Congregation
- GC2020: Pick Up a Pen, Start Writing
- The struggle for the perfect plan
- State of the UMC: Bloggers weigh in
- The US & the Central Conferences at the UM Scholars Conference
- Speech: Four Words, Three Rules, Two Standards, One Grace
- Commission on General Conference added to confusion
- Bishop Richard Wilke: A plea to the United Methodist Church
- Diverse group of United Methodists explores separation
- Plans canceled for GC2024 in Philippines
- Connectional Table Approves Legislation Creating New U.S. Structure
- Mainstream UMC Survey Results Show Urgency
- Scholars gather to champion LGBTQ inclusion
- Petition Process Open for 2020 General Conference
- Judicial Council Docket - October, 2019
- Church leaders look at options for future of denomination
- Apportionment collection rates down after GC2019
- Conferences Mull Denomination's Future
- What does it mean to Dissolve The United Methodist Church?
- Where The Money (Doesn't) Come From
- Bishops Release Rulings of Law on Ordinations, Finances
- Two Bishops Offer Plan for UMC Future
- Arbitration: A Possible Help in the Coming Separation
- UMC Bishops pose five questions to Judicial Council on Traditional Plan
- A Letter to Centrists
- General Conference is Broken; Annual Conferences Are Not
- US elections see shift in GC2020 delegates
- 76% of US Annual Conferences Reject Traditional Plan
- How To Restructure The UMC
- "Where Do We Go From Here?"
- June 20 Marks Four Significant Elections
- Inclusive Methodists secure Jurisdictional Conference majorities
- Recommended candidates offer open letter to leaders and colleagues
- A Texas-Size Wakeup Call for WCA
- "Know When To Hold 'Em, Know When to Fold 'Em..."
- Mountain Sky Conference Report
- An Open Letter to the WCA
- How The West Can Help the Rest
- Annual Conference 2019 Petition Results
- A Primer on UM Apportionments
- UMC-Next: Reports and Docs
- Methodist Movement New England
- Loved and Liberated: Our Movement Forward Proclamation
- Summit Plans Inclusive Methodist Movement
- Creating a Future with Hope
- How will denominational divide affect mission?
- Petitions to the 2019 Annual Conferences