wfn.org | Bishops issue pastoral letter urging unity amid "troublesome" issues

[The Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church]

Nov. 8, 1999	News media contact: Thomas S.
McAnally·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.    10-21-28-71B{597}

NOTE: The full text of the bishops' pastoral letter follows this story.

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (UMNS) - United Methodists are being encouraged by
their "chief shepherds" not to let arguments over sensitive issues such as
homosexuality distract them from the primary mission of the church.

In closing sessions of their weeklong meeting at Lake Junaluska Nov. 5,
bishops of the church approved a pastoral letter offering "hope and
encouragement" and reminding members that "making disciples of Jesus Christ"
is the denomination's primary mission.  

The letter, being mailed to all pastors, was one of five actions taken by
the Council of Bishops in preparation for both the new millennium and the
church's General Conference. There is considerable anxiety across the church
about the top legislative gathering in Cleveland May 2-12, where delegates
will deal with many volatile issues such as homosexuality. The conference,
which meets every four years, is the only body that can speak officially for
the church.

The bishops pointed to a wide array of serious issues facing the church, but
the pastoral letter and other actions were prompted largely by a debate
about homosexuality that has raged in the denomination since the early
1970s.

In addition to the 1,000-word pastoral letter, the bishops issued a "call to
prayer, fasting and Christian conferencing" in preparation for the General
Conference. They also agreed to initiate a period of "Christian
conferencing" with their respective delegations to the conference and to
provide time at their future meetings when they can explore issues related
to homosexuality.  The bishops voted to support a "symbol act" at the
conference, particularly focused on the churchwide initiative on children
and poverty, which they started.

While affirming their unity in Jesus Christ, the bishops acknowledge they
are still learning how to celebrate their individual diversity. "Let no one
mistake the Spirit's variety of gifts in our midst for any lack of common
commitment to Jesus Christ," they declare. "Even though individual bishops
may express their personal convictions, we are united in our desire to serve
Christ, to lead the church faithfully, and to be a witness to the unity of
the Spirit."

While some in the church fear that diversity could lead to division, the
bishops say this is a "time to be quiet, to be united, to listen for God's
guiding voice, and to learn from one another." To help lead this process,
they are issuing the "'call to prayer, fasting and Christian conversation,'
... an invitation for the whole United Methodist Church to join us, your
bishops, in the spiritual disciplines as we seek God's guidance for our
church."

Several bishops expressed concern that the pastoral letter reflected an
"imbalance" by focusing too much on the issue of homosexuality.
Nevertheless, the council noted that homosexuality was an issue that has
vexed delegates to the past seven General Conferences. The bishops ask
delegates to the Cleveland conference to "consider ways to move this issue
beyond legislative solutions."

Bishop Marshall L. (Jack) Meadors Jr., of the church's Mississippi Area, was
among those saying the letter was not balanced. "We say we don't want to be
distracted (from the primary mission of the church), but we are distracted
in this paper," he said. Meadors, who leads a task force guiding the
initiative on children and poverty, wondered aloud how many children around
the world would die of preventable causes during the General Conference.  
 
Expressing confidence that God will work through the delegates, the bishops
pledge in their letter that they will "administer the disciplinary decisions
... in our ministry as bishops. In addition, we offer to guide the church in
all possible settings in conferencing around such issues as homosexuality."

"In the midst of these discussions of the issues surrounding homosexuality,
we need to remember that there are real people whose lives are being
victimized when the debate becomes hateful, mean-spirited, and shows a lack
of concern," the bishops say. "In our role as shepherds of the church, we
hear the anguish of many gay and lesbian persons, their parents and
families, their friends, and their pastors. We ask the whole church to
respond in Christian love to those who are pained by the church's struggle
with the issue of homosexuality."

Bishop C. Joseph Sprague of the Chicago Area attempted to have an additional
line inserted in the letter: "We yearn for their (gays and lesbians) full
inclusion in the life of the church." The motion failed after Bishop Paul
Duffey, Montgomery, Ala., expressed concern that such language could refer
to full ordination, which the church now prohibits. Also defeated was a
motion by Bishop Lindsey Davis of the Atlanta Area to add the line: "We also
hear the anger and frustration from those who have grown weary of our
continual debate of these issues." 

The letter asks every congregation to "fulfill the biblical and disciplinary
mandate of hospitality for all persons, including gays and lesbians."
Pastors are urged "to reach out and actively seek to minister to and with
all persons, within the bounds of our Book of Discipline, as we move toward
being a more inclusive church."

Some African bishops opposed the letter, arguing homosexuality is a "taboo"
topic and unquestionably a sin in their respective cultures. "Homosexuality
is not just a taboo, it is a word completely strange," said Bishop Nkulu
Natandu Ntambo of the North Katanga Area. Comparing the issue to polygamy,
he said, "When I accepted Jesus, I accepted that polygamy is a sin."  

Other African bishops, including Bishop Joseph C. Humper of the Sierra Leone
Area and Bishop Emilio de Carvalho of the Western Angola Area, supported the
council's release of a letter even though it has different applications in
their respective cultures. "We are part of a connectional church," Humper
said. "I suggest we all have this problem together. How you handle your
problem will help us ... deal with ours."

The letter is being distributed to all congregations in the United States.
Elsewhere, bishops will receive the letter for distribution to their
congregations.  

Attempts were made to broaden the scope of the issue in the letter from
homosexuality to sexuality. Arguing against such a move was Bishop Sharon
Rader, Wisconsin Area, secretary of the council. "All delegates need help in
dealing with the issue (of homosexuality)," she said. "That is what they are
going to wrestle with. Let's help them wrestle with it."  

Bishop George Bashore of the Pittsburgh Area, a former president of the
council, agreed. "One of the sad things is that homosexuality has been a
dominant theme in the church for 20 years. When I was president, 95 percent
of my mail dealt with this subject. ... For whatever reason, we haven't been
able to deal with this subject."

Bashore and several other bishops urged the council to spend substantial
time discussing the issue of homosexuality. "We must discern the leading of
God's spirit for the sake of this church," Bashore said.

Bishop Judith Craig of the Ohio West Area reminded the bishops that their
discussion at Lake Junaluska had begun with what they might do to offer
leadership to the church as the General Conference and the new millennium
approach. 

"Like it or not, the threatening, divisive issue is homosexuality," she
said. "There are people waiting for us to say something about that." Noting
that the letter couldn't address all the struggles of the world, she
pleaded, "don't dilute addressing the issue most frightening our people."

A team of episcopal leaders headed by Arkansas Area Bishop Janice Riggle
Huie was asked to provide leadership for the call to prayer, fasting and
Christian conferencing. Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher of the Illinois Area
and Bishop Michael Coyner of the Dakotas Area were asked to provide a packet
to assist bishops as they meet with their General Conference delegations.
Bishop William Oden of the Dallas Area was asked to bring to the council's
next meeting before General Conference a plan for the council to conference
on the issue of homosexuality.  

Nashville Area Bishop Kenneth Carder, a leader in the churchwide initiative
on children and poverty, was asked to be responsible for the "symbol act" at
General Conference. He told United Methodist News Service he anticipates the
bishops will have several opportunities to be in ministry with children and
the poor during their time in Cleveland.  

The Council of Bishops, which meets twice each year, will gather April 25-30
in Cleveland before General Conference. Bishops attend the conference but do
not vote. Individual bishops preside over business sessions and lead in
worship.    

The Council of Bishops includes 50 active bishops from the United States, 17
active bishops from Europe, Africa and Asia, and about 50 retired bishops.
Retired bishops do not vote. Bishop Robert Morgan of the Louisville (Ky.)
Area, serving a one-year term as president of the international body,
presided over sessions at Lake Junaluska.

# # #

Pastoral Letter

To: The United Methodist people around the world
	Meeting at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, USA

November 5, 1999

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ who alone is our salvation, our hope,
and our peace.  On this eve of a new millennium and the eve of the General
Conference of 2000, we write this message of hope and encouragement along
with a reminder about the primary mission of the church, namely "making
disciples of Jesus Christ." (Par. 200 of The Book of Discipline and Matthew
28:19.)

As we have gathered for a time of prayer, worship, theological reflection,
Christian conversation, and sharing about our work as your bishops, we
celebrate with you that the United Methodist Church is alive in God's
Spirit, involved in vital ministry, and expanding its mission around the
world for the sake of the Gospel.  We are privileged to join in sharing the
Good News of Jesus Christ along with millions of United Methodist people
around the globe.  We have heard from each other many joyful stories of this
mission.

We write to remind all United Methodist persons not to be distracted from
our primary mission as a church by arguments over sensitive issues. We live
in a world that is filled with injustice, racism, hate crimes, hungry
children, warfare, poverty, confusion over issues of sexuality, disease, and
violence. We are called to bear witness to a God who so loved the world that
God "gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him might not perish but
have everlasting life" (John 3:16). We are committed to keeping our primary
energy focused upon the mission of Christ to this world which God loves.

As a Council of Bishops, we have experienced a new growth in our own sense
of unity in Jesus Christ. We confess that we are still learning how to
celebrate our diversity while also affirming that unity. We are learning
that our unity is a gift of God who holds us together in the midst of
diverse opinions, varieties of languages, and a multitude of unique
experiences. Let no one mistake the Spirit's variety of gifts in our midst
for any lack of common commitment to Jesus Christ. Even though individual
bishops may express their personal convictions, we are united in our desire
to serve Christ, to lead the church faithfully, and to be a witness to the
unity of the Spirit. We continue to pray for the whole United Methodist
Church to discover this same sense of unity in Christ. Because the church is
one body in Christ, your episcopal leaders are committed to leading the
church to maintain unity amid all troublesome and difficult issues.

Yet we know that our beloved church is in a time of passage from one age to
another, a process of growth in global witness, and a time for discerning
God's leading into this new millennium.  Some may sense this is a time of
crisis, and some may even fear that diversity will lead to division.
However, we continue to pray for the unity of the Spirit. We urge all United
Methodists to take courage in remembering that Christ has already broken
down the walls that divide and that Christ is the Head of the church. This
season is a time to be quiet, to be united, to listen for God's guiding
voice, and to learn from one another.

To help lead this process, our council is issuing a "call to prayer,
fasting, and Christian conversation" as we move into the new millennium and
as we move specifically toward General Conference in May of 2000. This call
is an invitation for the whole United Methodist Church to join us, your
bishops, in the spiritual disciplines as we seek God's guidance for our
church.

We also call the United Methodist Church to focus itself in a fresh way upon
our mission and purpose. Too often our church has become distracted by
various issues over which we seem to lack clarity of discernment. Certainly
the many issues surrounding homosexuality have vexed our church for seven
General Conferences. We encourage all delegates to the 2000 General
Conference to consider ways to move this issue beyond legislative solutions.

We have confidence in the General Conference process, knowing that God will
work through the delegates elected to meet next spring. As a Council of
Bishops, we are committed to administering the disciplinary decisions of
General Conference in our ministry as bishops. In addition, we offer to
guide the church in all possible settings in conferencing around such issues
as homosexuality.

In the midst of these discussions of the issues surrounding homosexuality,
we need to remember that there are real people whose lives are being
victimized when the debate becomes hateful, mean-spirited, and shows a lack
of concern. In our role as shepherds of the church, we hear the anguish of
many gay and lesbian persons, their parents and families, their friends, and
their pastors. We ask the whole church to respond in Christian love to those
who are pained by the church's struggle with the issue of homosexuality.

We call upon every congregation to fulfill the biblical and disciplinary
mandate of hospitality for all persons, including gays and lesbians. We urge
every pastor to reach out and actively seek to minister to and with all
persons, within the bounds of our Book of Discipline, as we move toward
being a more inclusive church.

It would be tragic for the United Methodist Church to allow any discussion
of any issue to distract us from our mission of proclaiming the Gospel,
making disciples for Christ, and spreading scriptural holiness throughout
the earth.

We ask that you join us in praying the prayer on page 564 of our United
Methodist Hymnal:

	Help each of us, gracious God,
		To live in such magnanimity and restraint,
	That the Head of the church may never have cause
		To say to any one of us,
	"This is my body, broken by you."  Amen

Christ, who willingly gave his body and blood for us, calls us to be the
unified Body of Christ in the world today.  May it be so, and may the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ show us the way. Amen. 

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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