Clothe Yourselves in Love

Praying for the clergy and laity of the Mountain Sky Conference as we prepare ourselves for perhaps one of the hardest worship services most of us will ever participate in.

Colossians 3:13-14 reminds us: “Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you. Even more than all this, clothe yourself in love. Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity.”

Many hurtful things were said this week, not only at General Conference but throughout our connection, as the church wrestled with whether all persons have a role in the life and ministry of the church, including LGBTQ people. The vote tally continued to reveal what we all know to be true: we are not of one mind when it comes to our understanding of homosexuality. By affirming the TP plan, shock waves of trauma and harm have been felt throughout our church.

Coming together tomorrow will be hard. Across our area, there are many differing emotions: for some it is relief, as GC affirmed their personal understandings. For others, there is weeping and grief, as the church made it plan that they and the people they love are not welcomed and valued in the church.

What are we to do?

Care for one another. Let love be your guide as you hold tenderly those who are hurting. There has been a fracture in the Body of Christ and it (we) are in need of healing. Offer a healing service. Share a reaffirmation of baptism that reminds us of God’s love for each one. Do what we United Methodists are known for: have a hymn sing. Our hymns reflect what we believe to be true about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Grace, Sin, Redemption, and the Community of Faith. Let’s remind ourselves of who we are as United Methodists. Follow that up with what we Ums do even better: have a potluck.

Do what you know how to do best, and what GC was unable to affirm: within our pews throughout the Mountain Sky Conference are a theological mix of people who don’t always agree with each other. Yet, the bonds of love, grounded in scripture, overcome local church divisions and keep us united in mission. Pass the peace to one another. Again. And again. And again.

Someone asked me on Friday at a gathering in our conference if I wanted a Progressive Methodist Church to emerge. I said a very loud and emphatic “NO!” I was raised in this denomination, it taught me that God’s grace is wide and generous. It taught me how to engage scripture through the lens of tradition, experience, and reason and that this blesses us with a variety of understandings that enrich our common life and shared ministries. My life has been blessed by those who don’t think like me: traditionalists have taught me about disciplined discipleship, conservatives remind me of the importance of church tradition, progressives keep pushing me to look to the margins of each community and start ministry from there, centrists teach me how to hold the tensions of our differences and still find unity.

To narrow down who is in and who is out of the United Methodist Church by imposing a “theological correctness” veers us away from our Wesleyan heritage. I value the breadth of theological understandings found in our conference, and I will continue as your bishop to do what I have done since I began to serve here: to support all our churches, pastors, and laity—no matter where they are on the theological spectrum—so that our churches can be well-equipped to be vital faith communities that offer the life-saving and life-transforming message of the Gospel in tangible ways throughout the neighborhoods and areas where they are located.

The evangelical witness of our denomination was damaged this week. Tomorrow, may we clothe one another in love and let our lights shine bright throughout our conference so hurting and hungry people will find healing, hope and sustenance.

With love,

Bishop Karen