wfn.org | Reconciling and Transforming Congregations

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)]

Reply-to: owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)
"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 (494
notes).

Note 492 by UMNS on Dec. 5, 1997 at 14:59 Eastern (4344 characters).

CONTACT: Linda Bloom						   680(10-21-28-71B){492}
	    New York (212) 870-3803					  Dec. 5, 1997

Transforming/Reconciling issue:
Ministry or merely politics?

				by United Methodist News Service

	When United Methodist annual conferences consider how to position themselves
in the denomination-wide debate over homosexuality, are they engaging in
ministry or merely politics?
	The Rev. Robert Kuyper of Transforming Congregations, an unofficial
organization designed to assist those wanting to change from a homosexual
lifestyle, is concerned about the maneuvering to be labeled "transforming" or
"reconciling." The Reconciling Congregations Program, another United
Methodist-related unofficial organization, focuses on welcoming homosexuals
and all others into the church.
	"Despite the fact that such political wrangling does not seem likely to lead
to real ministry in the local church or anywhere, the debate is continuing,"
wrote Kuyper in his "From the Editor" column of the October-December
Transforming Congregations newsletter.
	Some of the conferences where this has been an issue, he pointed out, include
California-Nevada, California-Pacific, Desert Southwest, Detroit, East Ohio,
Eastern Pennsylvania, Illinois Great Rivers, Iowa, Missouri East, Missouri
West, New York, North Central New York, Northwest Texas, Oregon-Idaho,
Southern New Jersey, West Virginia, West Ohio and Wisconsin.
	Part of the battle, Kuyper told United Methodist News Service in a Dec. 3
interview, is over funding of ministries. As an example, Kuyper -- who is
pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Bakersfield, Calif. -- cited his
own annual conference, California-Nevada, which has designated itself as a
"reconciling" conference.
	"If you want to be a reconciling congregation, you have all sorts of
resources (from the conference)," he said, but added that no resources are
available to churches which become transforming congregations.
	Mark Bowman, executive director, Reconciling Congregations Program, noted the
recruitment of annual conferences into that program usually is initiated
locally, not through efforts of the national office.
	But, he said, "the reality is that ministries of lesbian and gay people touch
every level of the life of the church." A decision to become a reconciling
congregation is a decision about ministry, not homosexuality, he added.
	Bowman contended that what escalated the transforming/reconciling debate at
the conference level was a "misinformation" campaign against Reconciling
Congregations, started last spring by Good News, an unofficial evangelical
caucus.
	Both Kuyper and Bowman agreed that their two organizations share some common
ground, believing that people have the right to change or not change their
lifestyles, that gays and lesbians should not be "forced" to change, that
human rights should be a guarantee for everyone. "I think we both agree
philosophically that the ministry of the local church is key," Bowman added.
	Bowman and Kuyper have discussed the fact that both groups have been asked by
the official church not to use the denomination's cross-and-flame logo, as
well as other issues, "which says to me we're not quite as far apart as some
people think we are," Kuyper said.
	The disagreements between Transforming and Reconciling Congregations,
however, are crucial. "The basic question is whether or not homosexual
behavior is sinful," Kuyper wrote in his editorial. "We do not help the debate
by framing it in the issues of civil rights, `opening the doors,' or
inclusion."
	Transforming Congregations, while ministering "to persons struggling with
homosexuality," does affirm that homosexuality is a sin. Reconciling
Congregations rejects that idea and supports full participation for everyone
in the church.
	"Ultimately, I feel we're in line with the Discipline and Reconciling
Congregations wants to change the Discipline," Kuyper said. "I really have to
question how long we can go on as a denomination with two minds (on
homosexuality)."
	In Bowman's opinion, the debate can continue as long as gay men and lesbians
are included in the debate.
	"We have some sense of history," he said. "We know that when the church has
excluded people on moral grounds, eventually God has opened the church doors
again."
# # #
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 This article sent to both the umethnews list <umethnews-request@ecunet.org>
 and also to the Worldwide Faith News list wfn-news <majordomo@wfn.org>
 Look at the header files to figure out which this is.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------