Local Methodist leaders say a decision by the denomination's rule-making body to put off potential changes to rules concerning sexuality was a "positive" move for the church, which seems to be deeply divided over the issues.
At the United Methodist Church's general conference earlier this month in Portland, Oregon, delegates voted 428-405 to accept a recommendation from the church's Council of Bishops to delay discussion about gay clergy and gay marriage. Instead, delegates decided to call a special commission to examine more than 100 rules concerning human sexuality included in the church's Book of Discipline.
The church's Book of Discipline currently does not allow "self-avowing practicing" gay ministers to be ordained. It also does not allow ministers to officiate gay marriages.
Rev. Krysta Rexrode Wolfe, an associate minister at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in St. Albans, said she's not pleased that parts of the church disagree on the issues. But she hopes members of the church can disagree and still be members of one church.
"I am glad that the bishops stepped in and made a clear move in leading the denomination into peaceful talks [about the issues]," Rexrode Wolfe said. "I think there's a good possibility if the discussions were to continue the [resolutions] would be more conservative and not less. Our denomination is growing in areas where it's more of a social taboo than it is in America."
She said she thinks bishops had good intentions when they recommended the delay.
"I can speak from privilege because I'm heterosexual; I don't have to hide who I am to be ordained," she said. "I think the bishops had the best intentions and are, leading in the way they believe is best for everyone."
The bishops suggested that they might call a special session in 2018 or 2019 to deal with the legislation, according to a report on the UMC's website.
As the general conference got underway, more than 100 ministers in the church came out as gay in what they called a "love letter" to the church. Under current church law, those ministers could be subject to having their credentials removed.
Rev. Jay Parkins, lead pastor of Christ Church United Methodist in Charleston, believes the bishops' plan to form a commission for dialog in developing a way forward is a positive one. He said it will enable the leadership from differing perspectives to work together in developing a plan for the church.
"As a pastor in the United Methodist Church I will be in prayer for the work of the Commission and follow its guidance in the months ahead," said Parkins. "Christ Church will continue offering the love of Christ to all people through our ministries in Charleston and the surrounding community. Our vision of being the hands of Christ offering hope to a hurting world will continue as they always have."
In a statement to the Gazette-Mail, West Virginia Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball, said the bishops' "way forward" for the churches acknowledges "that deep divisions exist in the church about human sexuality.
"It also states that we seek the unity of the church for the sake of our mission and witness," Steiner Ball said. "The Council will lead a process to help the church move forward. This process has not yet been fully developed, however it is the intention to form a commission of persons who are able to build relationships and trust in a way that result in a different kind of conversation whereby people are invited into a prayerful, spiritual discernment process that seeks to hear where God is trying to lead the church."
The desired outcome of the process is a unified United Methodist Church, she said. Because no decisions have been made, Steiner Ball said she can't say what potential changes might mean for the local UMC church.
"No changes have been made to the Book of Discipline regarding our official positions on matters of human sexuality," she said. "The prohibitions outlined in The Discipline still exist, but we have committed to explore options to help avoid further complaints, trials, and harm while upholding the Discipline."
Rev. Monty Brown, lead pastor of St. Mark United Methodist Church in Charleston, called the conference a "family reunion" of sorts. The conference has a difficult goal of meeting every four years to come up with a solution for every issue in two weeks, he said.
"The real [question] is are we reaching out to all God's children to let them know they're all loved," he said. "That's what makes the difference."
Brown said it's clear that not all parts of the church will agree on a resolution to the questions about human sexuality. Churches in parts of Africa are especially opposed to gay marriage and allowing gay ministers.
"Their whole cultural identity and customs are so far removed from ours," Brown said. "I don't know how there's going to be a resolution to those things."
Brown declined to say what stance he thinks the church should take on LGBT issues. As counsel for the church's West Virginia Conference, Brown would be the "prosecuting attorney" if the church were to try any of the ministers for being openly gay, he said - a job that Brown, who is a former Marion County prosecutor, would be well suited for.
Brown has been counsel for the past five years and has not had to try any cases so far, he said. Any charges that have come up have all been resolved before getting to his desk, he said.
"I think the church is wise enough to know having trial is not a good thing," he said.
Brown said he's not worried over concerns that the Methodist denomination will ultimately split over the recent arguments.
The church, ultimately, will carry on, even if it's not under the Methodist banner, he said.
"There is some literature in the hymnal that says the church is of God and will persevere until the end of time and I believe that's true," he said. "What name that will carry, I don't know... I love my denomination, but more I love my church."
Reach Lori Kersey at
lori.kersey@wvgazettemail.com,
304-348-1240 or follow
@LoriKerseyWV on Twitter.
Reach Jennifer Gardner at
jennifer.gardner@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5102 or follow
@jennc_gardner on Twitter.