wfn.org | 'Reconciling' Status Rejected

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (120
notes).

Note 120 by UMNS on May 27, 1997 at 16:55 Eastern (3374 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally                 308(10-21-28-71B){120}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470              May 27, 1997

NOTE:  The following may be used as a sidebar to UMNS story
307{119} 

United Methodist students reject
'Reconciling Movement' status

by Bob Lear*

     WINTER PARK, Colo. (UMNS) -- By a margin of 34 votes the
policy-making arm of the newly-formed United Methodist Student
Movement meeting May 22-25 here rejected a resolution endorsing a
"`Reconciling Movement' affirming the full participation of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people...."
     The proposal submitted to the UMSM's Student Forum by 12
students from nine annual conferences received a 53.5 percent
affirmative vote, l37 "yes" to 106 "no" with 13 abstentions, but
fell short of the two-thirds majority required by Forum rules for
approval as an official position. About 350 students
attended the meeting here.
     The resolution was sponsored by students from Central
Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Pacific Northwest, Mississippi,
Illinois Great Rivers, West Michigan, California-Nevada and New
York conferences.
     Voting was by secret ballot in jurisdictional meetings. The
largest affirmative margin was 29 yes and 4 no by Western
Jurisdiction students with no abstentions.  The largest negative
vote was 38 no and 26 yes by South Central Jurisdiction students
with 3 abstentions.
     According to the newsletter of Methodist Students for an
All-Inclusive Church (MoSAIC), the resolution was sponsored by "a
group of MoSAIC delegates" to the assembly here.
     MoSAIC is affiliated with the Reconciling Congregation
Program, a group not officially related to the denomination, that
supports openness of congregations and connected organizations to
persons regardless of sexual orientation.
     The reconciliation program has been endorsed by about 129
churches, 19 campus ministry units, 6 annual conferences, and one
general agency (Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious
Concerns). The Student Forum constitution asks that "the
opportunity of representation be extended to all peoples,
regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or
disability."
     Supporting the proposal during an hour's discussion, Jim
Talbott, a student at Columbia University in New York City and a
sponsor of the resolution, said "gay people don't feel welcome in
our church and related organizations.  In our society it is OK to
hate gay people ... Through exclusion we deny them salvation.
     Speaking against the proposal, Rebekah L. Hanover, a student
at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, said those opposed "are not
saying we should keep people out, but we need to say this is not
an acceptable form of life because God says it is not."
     Similar points were reiterated by other speakers on both
sides.
     Present United Methodist policy calls homosexual persons
"individuals of sacred worth" but considers such practice
"incompatible with Christian teaching."  Ordination or appointment
of self-avowed practicing homosexuals is prohibited.
# # #
   
     *Lear is the retired director of the Washington office of
United Methodist News Service.

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