Note from the pastor
Within the past week, there have been two newsworthy and for some, very disheartening, communications from our denomination. I wanted to take an opportunity to share them with you and to open a time for further learning and discussion.
An email came out from Bishop John Schol on May 4th regarding the Council of Bishop's review of the three plans developed by the Commission on the Way Forward. In 2016, the General Conference asked the Bishops of the UMC to lead a process that would find a way forward for the church concerning human sexuality and, in particular, the inclusion of gays and lesbians in the church,
which will be presented to the Special Session of General Conference in 2019
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If you have not yet read the Council of Bishop's recommendations, I invite you to do so now. As the General Conference is the only body who has the power and authority to make changes to our Discipline and thereby our polity, these recommendations are just that... recommendations. The decision making and voting of new policies that will carry our denomination into the future will take place at the
Special Session of General Conference on February 23-26, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. Please be holding our denomination and it's voting delegates in prayer as this conference session approaches.
It is my prayer that we will continue to live out the love of God through the ministry and fellowship of the UMC of Red Bank, and that no matter what the denominational stance says, everyone knows that they are a beloved child of God. Let us not give up the fight for justice and love as we live out our call to be the Body of Christ to a broken and hurting world.
God bless!
Pastor Jess
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