tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post7038696510731806923..comments2024-03-22T08:29:51.173-05:00Comments on UM & Global: The Hollowing Out of The United Methodist ChurchDavid W. Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024204453848260271noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-23301544226307859132021-04-09T13:26:27.992-05:002021-04-09T13:26:27.992-05:00AmenAmenGrannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05938295418131220731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-61314995446420073202021-04-09T13:26:16.147-05:002021-04-09T13:26:16.147-05:00AmenAmenGrannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05938295418131220731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-48940085396030212632021-04-06T16:09:52.825-05:002021-04-06T16:09:52.825-05:00Thank you, David, for your trenchant analysis. You...Thank you, David, for your trenchant analysis. You are right on target in understanding the consequences of doing nothing. In all the discussion over various options, people often forget about discussing the option of doing nothing and what that will cost us.<br /><br />In response to "Unknown" and Rev. Brooking, loving someone doesn't mean approving of all their actions. Conflating the two is what has led United Methodism to a place where we have no common identity and no reasonable system of accountable discipleship. Everyone can just live as they see fit, believe what they want, and call themselves United Methodist. Just this week, David Watson wrote of a UM pastor he heard who said he did NOT believe in eternal life or resurrection. One wonders what he preached about on Easter Sunday. But he was/is still a UM pastor in good standing.Tom Lambrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17913619221384169979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-54596808392114380522021-04-06T12:42:57.446-05:002021-04-06T12:42:57.446-05:00Amen! "Those who say, “I love God,” and hate ...Amen! "Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters,[c] are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister[d] whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen." 1 John 4:20Rev. Jim Brookinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09208637380211565309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-34899477329422689012021-04-05T23:22:09.949-05:002021-04-05T23:22:09.949-05:00Thank you David for you analysis. As a previous m...Thank you David for you analysis. As a previous member to JC's and GC's, I am familiar with our process, its blessings and its failings. What I cannot understand is how we as a denomination can continue to focus on exclusion vs inclusion and still propose to be followers of Christ. As long as we continue to find reasons/rationale to exclude <br />those who do not fit our model of Christian, we will fall short of our sacred mission. Time to welcome ALL to the table regardless of who or how they love but instead giving thanks to God that LOVE is lived out. Loving God with all that we have/are and loving neighbor as ourselves is the true measure of our love of Christ.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01157684213177250016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-8549455226779819082021-04-05T21:49:31.209-05:002021-04-05T21:49:31.209-05:00The last General Conference passed 'major legi...The last General Conference passed 'major legislation' along biblical lines, and the COB and the progressives ignored it. There were no repercussions and no one was held accountable. As in the day of the Judges, "all the people did what was right in their own eyes". Its time to take the way of the Protocol.William H. Pearsall, Sr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03935284201141143495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-17889875170691922522021-04-05T17:18:57.409-05:002021-04-05T17:18:57.409-05:00The Protocol isn’t perfect and not everyone was at...The Protocol isn’t perfect and not everyone was at the table, but it is a way out the wilderness. Hopefully the vote can happen in 2022 (and the Judicial council doesn’t rule unconstitutional). Highwood Montanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11079562610734175697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-59746180534609344242021-04-03T07:52:33.917-05:002021-04-03T07:52:33.917-05:00I am not and never have been a delegate to JC, GC,...I am not and never have been a delegate to JC, GC, or any other denominational body. I am an Elder in the BWC who is locally in the minority, and am a member of the WCA. I don't think that the hypothetical scenario proposed is likely, though I agree that if it does happen, the results will very likely be as suggested here.<br /><br />For me, while ire and bitterness is growing between the divided wings of the current UMC, consensus among most (at least most outside of the COB) is that we much prefer some sort of negotiated solution over a litigated one. While the protocol isn't perfect, it is a powerful witness to the potential for a negotiated settlement, and while large parts of the UM polity were radically under-represented, a majority were at least somewhat present at that negotiating table. <br /><br />In other words, I don't think that institutional inertia and/or the institutional power of the CoB can thwart the large and I think growing consensus that we are MUCH better off separated than we are united in continuing and escalating bickering.<br /><br />The One Church Plan failed. The CoB seems to long for a return to that plan, but we are not one church, and pretending that it is so is living a lie, the results of which you have correctly spelled out, but which are already plainly visible...Travis D Knollnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-7817057964285206262021-04-01T08:44:55.702-05:002021-04-01T08:44:55.702-05:00That's lovely. Thank you.That's lovely. Thank you.David W. Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17024204453848260271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-46192082875460865722021-04-01T06:17:10.463-05:002021-04-01T06:17:10.463-05:00From the place where we are right
flowers wil...From the place where we are right<br /> flowers will never grow<br /> in the Spring.<br />The place where we are right<br /> is hard and trampled<br /> like a yard.<br />But doubts and loves<br /> dig up the world<br /> like a mole, a plow.<br />And a whisper will be heard<br />in the place where the ruined<br /> house once stood.<br />(Yehuda Amichi)Robert Hunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12733025264316575349noreply@blogger.com