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Original open letter to Good News from RM Clergy |
Extending hospitalityGrace and peace to you, and to all our sisters and brothers in Christ who share the Good News! As faithful United Methodists baptized into the Body of Christ, we take seriously our sacred charge in Romans 12:13 to “practice hospitality.” Through our involvement in the Reconciling Ministries Clergy, we seek to extend that hospitality to all, assured by Jesus in Matthew 10:40 that, “whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me.” It is out of this understanding of the gospel that we would like to respond to your letter of June 16th about the “Hearts On Fire” conference that will be held at Lake Junaluska over the Labor Day weekend. First, we would like to thank you for directing the readers of the letter to the Reconciling Ministries Network web site (www.rmnetwork.org) to get full information about the conference and its sponsoring organizations. In situations such as this, where people disagree with one another, it is so important to convey accurate information and to refrain from characterizing (and mischaracterizing) the positions of others. So again, we appreciate the fact that you gave your readers the RMN web site reference. As you might guess, however, we strongly disagree with your conclusion that the “Hearts On Fire” conference should not be held at Lake Junaluska. Your major objection to having this conference at Lake Junaluska is that it is being sponsored by a group of United Methodists that disagrees with a policy of the United Methodist Church and seeks to change that policy. “At this Labor Day event, [they] will join others to teach, support, encourage, and strategize how to further the acceptance of a practice the church has determined to be ‘incompatible with Christian teaching” (Good News, July/August 2005). Advocacy for changing the church’s position or teaching on any number of issues has never been understood in United Methodism as grounds for withdrawing hospitality or breaking community. Indeed, the Good News movement exists in large part in order to reform, or change, the denomination. Your message on the Good News web site reads in part: “We are committed to being a voice for repentance, an agent for reform, and a catalyst for renewal within our denomination.” The legislation proposed by Good News at the 2004 General Conference is evidence that, like us, you are working vigorously to change portions of the United Methodist Discipline. We think you would agree that it would be irresponsible for any of us to remain silent if we believe that the policies of the church are misguided and do harm to the Body of Christ. You express dismay that “Hearts On Fire” speakers will include three United Methodist bishops. We know that bishops of many theological persuasions are faithfully struggling to reconcile their responsibility to “guard the faith, order, liturgy, doctrine, and discipline of the Church” with their call to be “prophetic voices and courageous leaders in the cause of justice for all people” (Par. 404.1, The Book of Discipline). We are certain that you support those bishops who join you in dissenting from the majority of the church on issues that are important to you, just as we do. We hope that all United Methodists are diligent and disciplined in praying for the prophetic discernment of UM bishops as they seek to serve the whole church. We thank God for those among us who courageously proclaim a gospel of radical hospitality for the transformation of our church and our world in the face of criticism and rejection by fellow servants in the church. In response to the concern expressed in your letter that bringing “Hearts On Fire” into the headquarters of the Southeast Jurisdiction will jeopardize the “fragile unity of our church,” we acknowledge that the unity of the church is of tremendous consequence. As heirs of John Wesley, together we must heed his dire warning against “inward disunion” in the church with “members ceasing to have a reciprocal love for one another” (Wesley’s A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, page 102). There are many in the Southeast Jurisdiction, just as in other jurisdictions, who are suffering intensely due to the current policies of the church on homosexuality. We believe that “Hearts On Fire” will be a time and space of healing the brokenness, both in the individual lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and heterosexual persons, and in the United Methodist Church as a whole. We acknowledge that as long as faithful members of the UM Church differ strongly in their understanding about issues related to sexual orientation, we will continue to engage in a difficult struggle to discern God’s will in this area. We see no reason, however, why this needs to threaten the unity of the church. The groups sponsoring this conference are in no way promoting schism within the UM Church. The proposal for schism in the UM Church that found its way around the last General Conference originated in a very public speech at a Good News breakfast, not from the members of the Reconciling Movement. We of the Reconciling Clergy trust deeply that God is the guardian of the unity of the United Methodist Church. In prayerful preparation for “Hearts On Fire,” we have experienced the Holy Spirit moving among us, convicting us that the conference will have a profoundly unifying effect on us as vital members of our beloved church. We are confident that our witness will spread like ripples to the wider United Methodist family. It is with joyful anticipation that we invite those who feel drawn to “Hearts On Fire” to join us in celebrating the unity that is our inheritance as children of God. We are ambassadors for Christ and God is making an appeal through us! God has given us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:20, 18).We are firmly and faithfully committed to extending hospitality to all, including each and every one in the Good News community. David W. Meredith David Aslesen |