Why I Do What I Do, Episode #8

As a result of the 2019 General Conference decision, I felt called to leave my church. I couldn't, in all good conscience, continue to worship in a place that did not provide 100% inclusivity to LGBTQIA people in our community, as the United Methodist Church has chosen. If our church's ministry had pointed toward breaking with that concept, I could have stayed, but it did not and has not. I gave up my seat as Worship Director, membership in the choir, ongoing church projects that made a difference in the community and lost friends specifically connected to my Sunday School class. I continue to miss these major purposes in my life. Fortunately, one of our church couples decided to take it upon themselves to start a new reconciling Sunday School class. I felt I could join that group and have found them a lifeline for my faith. We have joined the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) since our founding and continue to seek ways to assist in changing the United Methodist Church toward inclusion. COVID-19 has slowed the process and we today feel somewhat frustrated that this issue is not moving ahead and that the next General Conference has now been put off until 2022.

Until we have full inclusion of ALL persons in the church we have not completed the mission to follow Jesus Christ. His mission on earth was to serve all and therefore we must ensure his work is completed for all. LGBTQ+ persons have been specifically cited by the church for non-inclusion, which makes them a group that must be specifically supported and defended if we love God and want the church to serve God's purpose on earth.