[Dialogue] UMC Judicial Council

[LAURELCG@aol.com]

Forwarded by Jann McGuire, FYI.  I am now a member of the Presbyterian 
Church, but thought some of you Methodists might be interested in signing this and 
passing it on.

Sisters and Brothers, here is one response to the Judicial Council Decision
re. membership. I urge you to prayerfully consider signing it and passing
on.  Peace, Kay C. Barckley, Deacon, University Temple UMC
 
"Closed Hearts, Closed Minds, Closed Doors"

On October  29, 2005, The United Methodist Church closed its doors with a
noise not heard since Martin Luther King, Jr., proclaimed eleven o'clock on
Sunday morning the most segregated hour in America. Our church which  has
proclaimed itself open to all  now gives to the pastor of a church the
absolute power to decide who can join a United Methodist congregation.

The Judicial Council of The United Methodist Church  issued a decision on
October 29, 2005, that creates a dictatorship of ordained clergy in the
denomination (Decision No. 1032).  In reversing a decision of Bishop
Charlene P. Kammerer, the Judicial Council ruled that it is acceptable for
pastors to refuse membership into The United Methodist Church on the grounds
of sexual orientation and practice. Further, the Judicial Council declared
that "The 2004 Discipline invests discretion in the pastor-in-charge to make
the determination of a person's readiness to affirm the vows of  membership
(217). Paragraphs 214 and  225 are permissive and do not  mandate receipt
into membership of all persons regardless of their willingness to affirm
membership   vows."

What are the consequences of  this Judicial Council decision? 

* If a person is unwilling to pledge the amount that a pastor decides he/she
should pledge, can he/she be  denied membership or removed from membership?

* If a person is urged  to vote for a political candidate by his/her pastor
and he/she supports  a  different candidate, can membership be denied or
removed?   
* If a person refuses to take the advice of his/her pastor concerning a
dispute in  the family, can he/she be denied membership or removed  from
membership? 

The number of examples left up to the pastor's  discretion does not end
here! 
Enough is enough! 

There are many  denominations in this country and  around the world that
live under this kind of authoritarian rule. The United  Methodist Church has
never been one of them...until now. We believe that Christ has called us to
accept all people who confess Jesus as Lord and Savior into the Body of
Christ, the Church. When decisions are made which exclude people  from
membership based on sexual orientation or any other reason that enters the
head of a United Methodist pastor, then The United Methodist Church has lost
its way. The United Methodist Church must confess its errors and find its
way back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  
 
We are saddened by this decision. We are ashamed of our church. We  will not
stand for this un-Christian ruling by the Judicial  Council.

As concerned Christians and United Methodists, we call upon:

All United Methodists to demand of their church a return to Gospel
imperatives to love all people and to accept all people who call on Jesus'
name within, especially within our doors.

The Council of Bishops to renounce this decision in clear and emphatic words
and to begin an immediate effort to overturn this decision at the 2008
General Conference of The United Methodist Church. 

All United  Methodist congregations to declare a day of mourning and
repentance on Sunday, November 20, 2005. During worship on this Thanksgiving
Sunday, we will pray and preach against this hurtful and non-Biblical
ruling of  the Judicial Council. 

All who find that this ruling strikes a blow at the heart of the Gospel to
send emails and letters to the chairpersons of their administrative
councils, their pastors and their bishops to work to overturn this decision
of the Judicial Council.

If you agree with the above resolutions, please copy the text into your own
email, sign the petition below, then forward to all United  Methodists who
would be willing to do the same, speaking out on this  issue. When you get
500 signatures on a petition, send this to the United Methodist Council of
Bishops at cob at umc.org .

Name/City, State, Country/Local Church

1. Kelly C. Martini/ Glen Mills, Pa, USA/Elam UMC
2. Toby Gould/Rowe, MA, USA/Memorial UMC, White Plains, NY
3. Joyce D. Sohl/White Plains, NY, USA/Memorial UMC
4 Sally Curtis AsKew/Athens, GA, USA/Temple UMC 
5. Joyce Hill/Norwalk, CT/USA/EastAvenue UMC

6. Barbara P. Garcia, Nashville, TN, USA, Hillcrest UMC
7. Kay C. Barckley, Seattle, WA, USA, University Temple UMC
8. Janet Lower, Seattle, WA, USA, University Temple UMC 
9. Sharon A. Fisher, Bellevue, WA, USA, University Temple UMC