Weekly Greeting - July 21st, 2023
We continue our “Called to Belong” worship series this week from the Gospel of Matthew. The overall theme of our text from Jesus’ parable of the Weeds and the Wheat is waiting.
The parable begins as Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven with someone who sowed good seed in his field; however, during the night, while everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat….
The farmer’s workers’ offered to pull up the weeds from the wheat but are told they must wait until harvest, because efforts to pull up the weeds that are almost indistinguishable from wheat would cause more harm than good.
As we all know, waiting is a difficult thing to do.
The pandemic-caused delays of our United Methodist General Conference has meant that our entire denomination has had to wait to discover what action, if any, will be taken regarding our position on sexuality.
At the General Conference initially scheduled for 2020 many people expected that the UMC’s current position on sexuality would be challenged. It is likely the position will be challenged at the General Conference now scheduled for April 23 - May 3, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The current Book of Discipline states that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” Based on that position, the Church has maintained restrictions regarding pastors. Pastors may not be “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals” and may not conduct same-sex weddings or unions. Such ceremonies also may not be held on church property.
The Church affirms that all people are of sacred worth and are equally valuable in the sight of God. Click here (https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-is-the-churchs-position-on-homosexuality) for more information.
One thing is clear until or unless the 2024 General Conference makes a decision, nothing happens. Some congregations, concerned that the Church might alter our position on sexuality and unwilling to wait for any action the General Conference might take, have chosen to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. At our recent Annual Conference held in Memphis, Tennessee, the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference approved the disaffiliation of 264 congregations.
Given that we don’t know what action, if any, the General Conference might take, our church leaders here at Bethlehem have decided to wait until the General Conference meets before taking action as a congregation as our lay leader Neill Little has announced from the pulpit and has been announced in other settings. As we see in this week’s parable from Jesus, waiting is difficult, but having time to pray and search our hearts and scriptures is truly a gift from God.