Dear Friends,
You may have noticed the United Methodist Church in the news recently. News coverage has revolved around the May 1st launch of the Global Methodist Church, also known as the GMC. The GMC has been in development for many years as a result of some United Methodists’ desire to form a new expression of Methodism. It is worth noting that the news media generally do not understand how churches work. They especially seldom understand how the United Methodist Church works. In other words, if you see something in the press that does not sound quite right, it is probably incorrect. Without going into minute details or doing a side-by-side analysis of the UMC and the GMC, it is helpful to review how we got to this point.
The story starts at General Conference, the world-wide gathering of United Methodists which meets every four years. Only the General Conference can speak for the entire United Methodist Church and only the General Conference can change our Book of Discipline. Think of the Book of Discipline as the UMC’s rule book. In 2019, there was a called General Conference to deal with issues related to human sexuality. The 2019 General Conference also created an avenue by which congregations could separate from the UMC. It was assumed that at the next regular General Conference, which would have been held in 2020, some sort of denominational separation would take place. Like many things set to take place in 2020, General Conference was rescheduled multiple times. It was decided to suspend meeting until the next regularly scheduled General Conference in 2024. Rather than wait until 2024, those working to form a new expression of Methodism responded by proceeding with the launch of the GMC on May 1st, 2022.
This is not a time for panic. Neither is there a need for Central to begin discussion of our denominational future. We are a United Methodist congregation served by clergy who are committed to the United Methodist Church. So, what should we be doing?
First, we should pray. When we pray, we bring God’s grace to bear on the lives of those we pray for as well as for ourselves. Prayer grounds us in God’s love and grace and inclines our hearts to those for whom we pray. Let us therefore pray for the church, the church’s leaders, and all those who are part of the church.
Second, let us commit ourselves to Central’s mission to follow Jesus by loving God and loving our neighbors. God has a mission for Central United Methodist Church and for the entire United Methodist Church. Grounding our shared work in prayer, let us follow God in God’s will and God’s way. In so doing, everything we do should advance the mission to impact our community in the name of Jesus.
Third, let us love. John Wesley once wrote, “For opinions, or terms, let us not ‘destroy the work of God.’ Dost thou love and serve God? It is enough. I give thee the right hand of fellowship.” In his stilted eighteenth-century language, Wesley offers us an insight in this moment. We do not have to agree on everything. But, if we can commit ourselves to love one another and love and serve God together, we can continue to be church together. If we can agree to love God and neighbor, we can disagree on very important things but still be brothers and sisters in Christ. God calls us to be one in Jesus Christ, even when we disagree on important issues.
We have work to do. If we pray, commit ourselves to our mission, and resolve to live in love with one another, God will continue to use us mightily for God’s purposes. Rather than worry and waste energy on what may or may not happen at future General Conferences, let us focus our energy on living into God’s mission for Central here and now. Please do not hesitate to be in touch with me if you would like to talk in more detail.
Yours in Christ,
Thomas Smith