Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation
We are seeking to welcome all people into the full life and ministry of the church, and, more deeply, into the grace of God. We are seeking to live together with our siblings across the world, even those who are in very different contexts. They have much to teach us.
The mediation team
On Friday, January 3, the United Methodist Church made national headlines when a group of 16 church leaders (from diverse theological, ethnic, and cultural viewpoints) proposed an agreement of separation. This mediation team has created this agreement in service to the delegates who will go to the General Conference in May. They represented very different and significant values in our twelve million member global church. The proposal is called "The Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation," or “The Protocol” for short. This page is dedicated to offer an unbiased explanation of The Protocol to educate members of St. Matthew’s UMC and the broader community.
The authors of The Protocol did what many within The United Methodist Church have done and are doing. That is, they are making a proposal for a way forward in a divided United Methodist Church. This team represents diverse points of view within our denomination. While we give thanks to God for our diversity, it also presents us with some challenges and this group has proposed a way for us to work through some of the issues generated by this diversity.
As United Methodists situated in the Valley Forge area, we are seeking to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, faithful to the scriptures, and faithful to our tradition as Methodists. We are seeking to welcome all people into the full life and ministry of the church, and, more deeply, into the grace of God. We are seeking to live together with our siblings across the world, even those who are in very different contexts. They have much to teach us.
The news media has picked up The Protocol as a lead story and many may perceive that its a “done deal.” It isn’t. The Protocol has to be considered along with the dozens of other petitions brought to the General Conference this year. It does have a reasonable chance of passing, since there seems to be a coalescing of support for it. However, implementing any plan will take years to work out with much prayer, discernment, and cooperation from differing points of view.
The material below gives some facts, explanation, and some reflections by prominent church leaders. It contains the following (click on the link to view the original source):
1. Press Release by authors of The Protocol
2. The Protocol itself (8 pages)
3. FAQ’s by the protocol authors
4. A list of reliable, unbiased news sources for UMC Information outside of mainstream media.
a. The United Methodist Church Official Site www.umc.org
b. The United Methodist News Service. www.umnews.org
c. The Council of Bishops www.unitedmethodistbishops.org
d. The Eastern PA Conference of The UMC www.epaumc.org
5. A response from Bishop Peggy Johnson, bishop of the Eastern PA Conference of The United Methodist Church.
I encourage you to read the mediation protocol. And I encourage us to give as much to each other and to those who differ from us as we possibly can. In this way, they will know we are Christians—by our love.
If you have any questions about The Protocol or the polity of The United Methodist Church, you may email me at pastorjohn@stmatthewsvf.org or call me at 610-688-7055 to talk or setup an appointment.
As pastor of St. Matthew’s UMC, I pray that the headlines will not distract us from accomplishing the ministry that God has set before us at St. Matthew’s. The best way for us to face any changes to the United Methodist denomination is for our congregation to be as strong as we can be.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor John
Who's Better?
All gifts are not acknowledged, the body is not complete, and love does not always prevail.
When it comes to the Kingdom, no one; since all are equal
In Paul’s day, some thought the answer was to be found in less variety, in exclusion, in isolation and the building of fences. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s day, many felt the same way, and built communities and churches by marking off who was not welcome. And so it is still in our own day.
All gifts are not acknowledged, the body is not complete, and love does not always prevail.
But in this twenty-first century after Christ, let us live the way suggested by Paul: with diversity, with inclusivity, and with love. Let us ensure that all are welcome in the church, our communities, our neighborhoods and friendships.
Let us remember that all of humanity is made in the image of God. Not just the people who look like us, who think like us or act like us. Let us see the image of God that is in the other - especially the one that is different than us - because when we do so, we embrace God, but when we fail to do so, we reject God.
Embrace God in our Music
Lots of special music this past Sunday, in honor of Dr. King and Human Relations Sunday. The choir (with Kathy Niness on guitar) rocked the house with Garth Brooks' We Shall Be Free, and Janice Conner did a beautiful rendition of Abraham, Martin, and John. Some of the hymns were taken from a special hymnal: Songs for the Holy Other, an all-inclusive hymnal with special music celebrating diversity of all kinds.
The sermon included the song Don't Laugh at Me, an inclusionary anthem with special words written for the occasion by Mary Sugar.
Next week, Kim Trolier will be with us, enhancing the service with her lovely flute music! Don't miss a week!
Teaching Children to be Inclusive
The children spent a little extra time in worship so that they could participate in the litany in remembrance of Dr. King and to also witness our new friends, Erin, Charlie, and Sara join our church family formally.
When it came time to call the children forward, Vica only called the girls forward. Everyone giggled as Vica extolled that girls rule and boys drool. The girls thought it was great. However, Vica was quick to say that it was in fact not.
After having the boys finally join the girls, Vica shared that because all people were created in God's image, all people are important. No one is greater than anyone else. We all have a light inside that is the image of God and when someone tries to dampen it within someone else, two lights are dimmed. We are called to love like and because Jesus loves us.