I Am Staying

I am staying with The United Methodist Church.

Months ago, on a Wednesday morning, in the quiet sanctuary of a United Methodist Church, as sunlight streamed through stained glass windows blinding me on the turn, I sat in a pew, reflecting on my decision to remain rooted within the embrace of The United Methodist Church. My heart walked through my journey with the church and paused at several historic moments. There, I wept, laughed, and sobered as the memories were allowed to emerge and speak. Presently, I am watching the church I love take toddler steps towards a commitment to dismantling systems of subjugation.

I have worked alongside and witnessed firsthand the tireless efforts of some of my fellow clergy and of laity, fighting against injustice and discrimination. We are rallying for the human rights of marginalized communities, our voices ringing with compassion and conviction rooted in our Wesleyan rule of life. The UMC is standing as a beacon of hope, challenging societal norms, and advocating for equality. I am here for that. As I sat thinking of all this, I knew that within the walls of this same sanctuary, was a history that needed much work to be unhidden, to become part of a movement striving to create a more just and inclusive world.

Grace. The word danced on my lips, capturing the essence of The United Methodist Church. It is a place where forgiveness and acceptance flow abundantly – at least in our doctrines - as a sanctuary where no one is deemed unworthy of redemption. It is striving to be a space that epitomizes the ‘Open Table’ laden with a balm for every burdened soul reminding each one that they are deeply loved and valued by the Creator of us all.

It is the church's willingness to risk disaffiliations that profoundly moved my spirit, that Wednesday. The church knew that to become a more life-giving expression of God's kingdom, they had to take the risk, even if it meant temporary losses. The United Methodist Church, with fear and trembling is challenging tradition, to embark on an uncertain path, knowing that the pursuit of truth and love requires courage. In the face of potential fractures, the church has been holding, the collective heartbeat resolute in its desire to embody God's transformative power.

As I contemplate my decision, I realize that remaining with The United Methodist Church is not just a personal commitment, but a profound act of faith. The church had become my spiritual home, a sanctuary where I could reconcile my own humanity with a divine purpose. We do still have a long way to go before we can rest. Congregations are still rejecting clergy of Color and woman clergy. Lately, some are afraid that they will be sent a LGBTIQ clergy person. Lord, have mercy. None of these descriptors are diseases, thus no risk of them being communicable. One cannot 'catch' Black (no matter how hard some may try 😏), one cannot 'catch' woman, and one cannot 'catch' LGBTQ. They are not diseases. 

With renewed conviction, I rose from the pew, my steps guided by the strength of my beliefs. Especially after this year's Annual Conference here in Florida, I will continue to stand alongside my fellow United Methodists, embracing the sacred duty to dismantle systems of subjugation, to extend grace unconditionally, and to persist in the pursuit of a more life-giving expression of God's kingdom. In doing so, I know that I am contributing to a legacy of love and transformation that will endure for generations to come. If the church should waver, I will be with those who push it onward. There is much, much work to be done here. I am pressing on because I want to be part of church movement that is bold enough to love God and love people as if they were them. 

#unitedmethodist #grace #humaninclusion