Thirty-five annual conferences of the United Methodist Church across the country are voting this summer on whether or not to amend the denominations inclusiveness statement. Here’s what that statement says now:

All persons without regard to race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith, 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 of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status or economic condition.

Here’s the language Amendment One would introduce:

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.

The Tennessee Annual Conference voted 285 in favor of Amendment One and 340 against, a difference of 65 votes. Ouch. I remain grateful that God’s grace continues to flow through other means.

You can get updates about this issue and follow the voting in other annual conferences by clicking here.

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5 responses

Robin

June 17, 2009

I’m confused…so they voted to not take out the language that specifically listed who we could or could not discriminate against? What was the rationale or argument against the new language? Who is it that we think the old statement leaves it open for us to discriminate against?

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ladyvols1

June 17, 2009

It is a nice way of saying everyone is welcome except gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgendered. The church of Christ won’t even go that far. We are sort of don’t ask don’t tell. You are welcome to our service, can be baptized, take communion, and hopefully we can “cure” you. If not, we will withdraw fellowship. As a Christian, I am in favor of freedom of choice and that means all choices.

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Jim

June 17, 2009

Coming from a state where one of our state senator’s office sent out an image depicting Obama merely as a black square with two eyes it’s not surprising we aren’t accepting of GLBT people. Many Tennesseans still haven’t accepted black people! What millenium am I living in, again?

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sissy

June 17, 2009

How grateful we should be that grace doesn’t depend on the Tennessee Conference, even the 285 “yes” people. Still a sad, though not surprising, outcome.

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Ann

June 17, 2009

There were profound and moving statements of support for the amendment by clergy and laity, many of them quoting scripture or hymns. People wore buttons in solidarity. People cried when the vote was read but nobody rejoiced, at least not openly. The thing is, the vote officially added, albeit in invisible ink, a statement of EXclusivness that can now be found at the end of “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.”

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