Making sense of the mess

And I do mean a mess.

I apologize for the slowness in posting a summary. Many of you have been awaiting a word from me at the conclusion of the conference. It took a few minutes to return the translation device and navigate the crowd of delegates, press, and police. Then I called my Dad since today is his birthday (what a present). And, of course, I needed to talk to Jenn to unpack what happened, for her sake. Even now, I’m aware that this post will take awhile since, as I’ve already established, I have to swipe text it into my phone in absence of a computer power cord.

I’ll do my best to separate events from feelings, at least until I’ve explained what happened today.

We began the morning session with Bishop Gregory Palmer presiding in his masterfully calm and clear way. A report from the judicial council confirmed that we already knew: 10 petitions in the Traditional Plan were unconstitutional. That meant that amendments would need to be made to all of them in order to have them stand as church law. That is important to note and overshadows the rest of the day’s proceedings.

Two petitions related to pension funding for churches that leave the connection were addressed. There were several procedural steps, but the long and short is that they passed by a large margin, though it took a long time for that to happen.

The Traditional Plan was presented next alongside a minority report that would have substituted the One Church Plan for the Traditional Plan. It was never likely to pass, but opened debate again and afforded an opportunity for centrists again to make the case for staying together. Tom Berlin offered the minority report and did about as well as anyone could have asked. The motion to substitute failed. At that point, delegates were invited to stand and pray together as a symbol of the opportunity that had been lost.

A few other minor procedural items took place to close out the morning session, but nothing of lasting consequence.

After lunch, Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey presided. Several motions and procedural processes ensued, mostly general speeches and points of order (many of which were not directly points of order). A motion was made for the ethics committee to review stories of money and goods being offered in exchange for votes. That was passed, but it will be some time before we hear results (though I have witnessed some shady dealings at past General Conference sessions, it remains to be seen whether those actions can be clearly tied to bribery).

Things moved very slowly, and it became clear that there would not be sufficient time to make adjustments to the Traditional Plan to make it constitutional. A vote was finally taken on the plan as it is, with only one additional amendment having been passed today. The plan passed 438-384 (53-47%). It remains with serious constitutional flaws. A protest followed in which we saw what schism looks like, with progressives in one circle and several African delegates in another. The photo does not do it justice.

A smaller protest took place in the gallery of observers, and continued almost until the final minutes, even through remaining business.

After more lengthy debate and procedural challenges, a disaffiliation petition (exit plan) was passed at 6:19 p.m. That was immediately followed by a referral to Judicial Council of the Traditional Plan as it had been passed (that would have happened, anyway). All other petitions were bundled in an omnibus motion to reject, which passed at 6:25. Somehow, we finished, rather abruptly, in time to meet our contractual deadline (and before the monster truck set up began for a show this week).

But what does it all mean?

In short, we don’t really know yet. It will take about two weeks for Judicial Council to deliver a thorough review to determine what, if anything we passed, is constitutional. Likely, a few new restrictions will stand but without the enforcement to go with them. In any case, nothing new is implemented until 2020.

It is no secret that I have supported the One Church Plan all along. I believe we are past due to relax our restrictions toward the LGBTQ+ community, while maintaining the right of people to follow their conscience. That reflects who we are as a congregation, a community where all are welcomed fully into the life of the church even though we know we are not of one mind. Being in relationship with people of difference helps us all to grow as we strive together to be faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While I had hoped our denominational rules would be made more open this week, in essence nothing really changes for us. Church of the Saviour will continue to be the same tomorrow as it was yesterday. For some, that is welcome news. For others, it is cause for lament and pain. I admit that I am somewhere in between, not ready or able to fully articulate what I feel.

I grieve for the brokenness of our church tonight. People on both ends of the theological spectrum are hurting and disappointed right now. Once the UMC was determined to reach a legislative solution, a question in which there would be winners and losers, we were resigned to this fate. In the end, we all lost something this week. It remains to be seen how great the loss will be. (I will attend a meeting of the board of trustees for the Methodist Theological School in Ohio on Friday where major decisions will need to be made about the future of that institution. This conference will have far-reaching consequences.)

Stories are already in the national and international press. We will not be portrayed in a good light. The optics are not good right now. Relationships will have to close the gap on public opinion. You may be asked questions for which we don’t have answers. I don’t have enough answers. But remember that our faith is about more than one question, about more than General Conference. We must keep living the faith we claim, no matter what.

In Tampa in 2012, I sat on the steps of the convention center and wept for our church. I don’t feel that way today, though tears have flowed this week. I am reminded and remind you that the General Conference is not the church – only the local church can be that. I am anxious to get home to all of you, to take up again the work of ministry before us, to try to make sense of it all, and to keep going. Regardless of what you are feeling tonight, know that you are not alone. We are not alone. Keep an eye on other centrists in the coming days – people like Adam Hamilton, Olu Brown, Adam Weber, Rob Fuquay, and countless others. We will find a way. God will make a way.

Love and peace to you all.