ON GENERAL CONFERENCE
by Ben Roe
This is my first General Conference experience as a person who is very interested in sexuality and sexual orientation. I have been providing some technical support for the WARM Caucuses (Women's Caucus, Affirmation, RCP, and MFSA) as well as United Methodist Communications.
As some feared, and as some of us had hoped, the issue of gay and lesbian sexuality has become a central part of the debate. Here are a few ways I have seen this:
Thursday morning (April 18) was scheduled a "Witness Event" to the historical importance of civil rights to United Methodists. It grew out of the passage of Amendment 2, the Boycott against Colorado, and the fact that this General Conference was scheduled here. The General Conference planning group chose not to move the Conference elsewhere but instead promised to give a 2-hour block of time to an event that would talk about the civil rights of gay and lesbian people. The Witness Event main speaker was not the one originally chosen, and not the one chosen by the executive committee in charge of planning the event. Rev. William Abraham, instead of directly addressing civil rights, chose to give a call to parochial evangelism. See the Affirmation newsletter for April 19, 1996 for more information. Randy Miller spoke as an African American Gay man, and gave a moving witness.
Thursday noon the RCP unveiled posters containing the names of 10,354 Reconciling United Methodists at a press conference, which included statements Mark Bowman, National Coordinator of the RCP; by Steve Marlatt, from Claremont, California, who had been asked to leave his local church by his new pastor; Rev. Karen Oliveto, chair of the RCP Board and pastor of Bethany UMC in San Francisco, a Reconciling Congregation; Diana Chalfant, an assistant coach from Nashville who was fired from a small Methodist school in Kentucky; Katherine Fuller from Willoughby, Ohio, mother of a lesbian seminary student; Rev. Dick Parker, pastor of Port Washington UMC in New York, who read a statement from Lynn Miller, mother of a young child who was refused baptism because his mother was lesbian and in a committed relationship.
Thursday late afternoon a group of 15 bishops released a statement promising to uphold the order of the church as they promised in their consecration, but sharing their pain at the exclusionary policies of the church. Other bishops are considering adding their names to the statement. Their statement and the RCP response press release is worth reading.
Friday and Saturday, there were angry statements from conservative elements in the church criticizing the Bishops' statements, and the Council of Bishops has been in executive session working out some way to deal with the break in their ranks.
Saturday, the Youth Students and Seminarians Rally sponsored by RCP, was a rousing success, with a great spirit of celebration and challenge (I just saw the participants as they left and returned, telling the story.)
The spirit among my friends in the RCP, Affirmation, and MFSA is realistic, but thankful for the courageous witness of the bishops and of the many supportive delegates and Reconciling United Methodists. We have yet to see how the bishops statement will be helpful, but we trust it will be. We have yet to see how the rage that has been unleashed by their statement will get expressed. (One newspaper headline read: "United Methodists Mad as Hell.")
Saturday night, the MFSA Ball Awards were awarded to Jeanne Audrey Powers and Bishop Melvin Talbert. These awards honor people for their life-long involvement in effective social action. Bishop Talbert talked about growing up the child of sharecroppers and experiencing segregation. Rev. Powers reflected on the Second Chapter of John, where Jesus turns water into wine at a banquet in the early part of the chapter, but drives out money-changers in the later part: "Those who sing and dance and celebrate new life in Christ must also take a passionate stand against anything that denies that same abundant life to others."
The concert by Harmony was moving and inspiring for the United Methodist audience as well as chorus members themselves. One chorus member characterized the Ball Awards as "The Academy Awards of God."
Monday night, at the Affirmation Banquet, the Lucille and Melvin Wheatley Awards were presented to recognize persons and groups who have been courageous advocates and supporters of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. Howard and Millie Eychener were honored as long-time supporters of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. They are active in their local church, designating part of their weekly financial support to Affirmation; they have two gay sons, and one son and one daughter who are heterosexual. They have come to General Conference time after time and have been a part of Affirmation's presence for many years.
Also honored was the national Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays for their historic support of parents, friends, gay, lesbian and bisexual people.
The General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns was honored for being a Reconciling Commission and for not responding with the "kneejerk" reaction of firing the Associate General Secretary, Jeanne Audrey Powers, when she came out as lesbian at the National Convocation of Reconciling Congregations last July.
See the Affirmation Newsletter Numbers 3,4,and 5, page 2, for more information.
Judy Fjell performed her original songs for us, including some new words to Amazing Grace.
During the day on Tuesday, April 23, 1996, many people felt the plenary was BORING. However, Tuesday evening was more lively with paragraph 71 D and E being debated. I don't have specifics on the outcomes, but check this location for the text of the present Discipline and this location for information about petitions related to this paragraph.
Tuesday evening, the RCP distributed a few copies of the book The Fourth Little Pig by Teresa Celsi to some delegations. The reaction was mixed and this morning RCP released this statement.
Today, Wednesday, April 24, is the day for debate on Par. 71F, the stuff related to the unwelcome official stance of the church towards gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons. Once again, see this location for details on the outcome. The debate is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., following Hillary's visit. Your prayers and light for a reconciling debate and outcome are solicited.
Hillary's speech was very good. In my opinion, it's too bad that the spirit of her speech was not present during the debate that followed.
The debate on Paragraph 71F had some good speeches, and some ignorant ones. The vote on revising Paragraph 71F ultimately was 60%-40% in favor of keeping the language the same. That is 6% better than 1992. There was a prayer meeting with the WARM Caucuses after the session, where there were lots of tears, anger, reflections and prayers. There is more to come on some of the other paragraphs. More later today. For reaction, see Affirmation newsletter for the morning of April 25. (Some of the issues since number 4 have some problems with readability; Paul, webmaster for Affirmation is aware of this and will work on it when he gets back to LA).
Last night a "Romans 8" party was held by the W.A.R.M. (Women's Caucus, Affirmation, RCP, and MFSA) caucuses. It was a wonderful image of a church that is free to dance and celebrate what it means to be imbodied human beings, to be in community, and to love. In the midst of sadness, anger and disappointment, we can still celebrate the gift of life that God has given us.
Today (April 26) is the last day. Yesterday, according to the MFSA's Social Questions Bulletin, a resolution attempting to identify clergy homosexual practice got bogged down in "an incredibly confused legislative process." It is unclear whether "clear and convincing evidence" will be added to the definition of "self-avowed, practicing homosexual". This is Calendar Item 1668 if you want to see what is the official outcome.
I have written a reflection on the debate on Paragraph 71F which appeared in today's AFFIRM.
Conference ended last night (April 26) at 10:30: No change to 906.12; no "clear and convincing" language for ministerial "self-avowed, practicing" definition ...
In looking through the Petition Entry and Tracking System, it is reported that both Par. 402 and 403 were deleted by votes of 730-11 but if you read the paragraphs you will realize this is highly unlikely.
Prohibitions on holy union services gays in the military resolution. See also the Calendar item information.
More later.
I hope these notes have been helpful. If so, please communicate to the RCP national office that the Web presence has been important.
