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Reactions to Judicial Council Ruling 1032
Iliff To Hold Prayer Vigil at Conference
Office Nov. 3
Interim President Wogaman Issues Statement
Email from Iliff president regarding the Judicial Council ruling
1032 and actions Iliff will take:
Dear Iliff Community,
The Judicial Council ruling regarding membership in the United
Methodist Church has saddened all of us. While we are disappointed,
we still have faith and pray that a reconsideration of this ruling
will bring a different outcome. There are three steps that Iliff
will be taking in immediate response to this ruling - a media statement,
supporting our students in a Prayer Vigil, and an advertisement
in The United Methodist Reporter.
1. Today, I will be sending the following statement to the media
in reference to the above mentioned ruling:
Statement on the United Methodist Judicial Council Decision
I am reluctant, while serving as president of a United Methodist
seminary, to criticize our church’s Judicial Council in
public. But a recent public decision by the Council can lead
to serious misunderstanding of this denomination and its institutions,
including its seminaries. The decision, in brief, upheld the
right of a United Methodist pastor to reject a gay man who sought
membership in the pastor’s Virginia church. The clear implication
of the decision is that a pastor, at his or her sole discretion,
can reject any person who wishes take the vows of membership.
The
decision is deeply offensive to the true spirit of a church whose
slogan is “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.” It
even ignores some very specific language of our Social Principles,
which declare “that God’s grace is available to all,
and we will seek to live together in Christian community.” A
very pointed statement follows: “We implore families and
churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends.”
Like
many American denominations, United Methodism is deeply divided
on the issue of homosexuality. But the invitation to all to join
in community could hardly be stated more forcefully than those
sentences from our Book of Discipline. In this, the church is true
to its 18th century founder, John Wesley, who spoke out eloquently
for a humble tolerance, grounded in love. In this, he was true
to the teachings and example of Jesus, who accepted people who
had been stigmatized and rejected.
We at Iliff School of Theology
affirm that spirit. And we want the world to know that gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgendered
persons are welcome in this community.
2. Tomorrow, I would also ask
that if you so choose, you join with our students, who
will be hosting a Prayer Vigil on the sidewalk
outside of the Rocky Mountain Conference offices, to
pray with and for the United Methodist Church at this time of
crisis. This
vigil will serve as a respectful reminder to our Conference
that we are supportive and appreciative of their past and future
efforts
to include all persons in the church community.
- At noon, Iliff community members will meet on the Great
Lawn (east side facing University Boulevard) for
a brief rally and
centering
for
prayer. At 12:15 p.m., together, we will cross
University Boulevard, and begin the Prayer Vigil on the sidewalk
in front of the
Rocky Mountain
Annual Conference offices.
3. In the next few weeks (date is not yet determined), we will
be running an advertisement in The United Methodist Reporter.
This ad will remind readers of the Church's
commitment to United Methodist Social Principles. Iliff will be asking
supporters from various Methodist seminaries to demonstrate their
support by signing
the advertisement.
You should also know that over the next few months, we will be
working to develop statements from our faculty and trustees, creating new venues
for discussion
around inclusion (with the help of Iliff's diversity officer), and working
with other seminaries to show our support for reconsideration of
this ruling.
J. Philip Wogman
Interim President
FLAME Issues Invitation
Dear Friends
Please join the Iliff community in response to the recent disturbing
developments in the United Methodist Church. For more information
on these developments, visit www.umc.org.
Your presence is vital to the strength of our message. This is
an opportunity to be in prayer with and for the United
Methodist Church, not a protest. Our success will
depend on maintaining a peaceful and supportive presence.
As with all social justice actions, our plans are flexible
and still in formation. That being said, here is what we envision.
We will gather on the Great Lawn, on the east side of Iliff School
of Theology at 12:00 for a rally and brief preparation
for the prayer vigil. At 12:15 we will process across University
to the Rocky Mountain Conference Headquarters of the United Methodist
Church. There we will hold a vigil, praying with and for the United
Methodist Church in this time of Crisis. Students and other leaders
of the Iliff community will share their insight into the present
situation. Following the prayer vigil, Flame and the United Methodist
Student Association will deliver a statement to Bishop Warner Brown,
urging him to 1) call for the United Methodist Judicial Council to
prayerfully reconsider its Decision 1032 which makes it possible
for clergy-in-charge to arbitrarily deny church membership
and 2) strongly encourage local clergy, in accordance
with the UM Book of Discipline, to not deny membership
to anyone based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We will also deliver personal written prayers from those
present. There will be an opportunity to write these prayers at
the vigil,or if you would like to contribute something
you may bring it with you.
This prayer vigil is an important step, but just one step in an
ongoing action plan to respond to and reverse the alarming rulings
made by the United Methodist Judicial Council. We hope to see you
there,
Peace,
Kent Doss
Iliff FLAME chair
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