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Dear Saint Mark Family,
I write this note to answer a few questions and reaffirm my position and the Conference’s support for Saint Mark.
A few persons have shared that they are unfamiliar with the proceedings of the denomination and want to know what is General Conference, and if the discriminatory language in United Methodist Book of Discipline will be changed.
The General Conference is the only body that can set official rules and speak for the denomination. General Conference usually meets every four years. The next one will be from April 23 to May 3, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
One of the issues we at Saint Mark are hoping that will be addressed at General Conference next year is for the removal of the discriminatory language against the LGBT community from our Book of Discipline. While The United Methodist Church affirms that all people are of sacred worth and are equally valuable in the sight of God, the discriminatory language, which was added to the Book of Discipline in 1972, prevents members of the LGBT community who are “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals” from being ordained in the denomination, to be married in our church, and United Methodist Clergy to officiate same-sex weddings. It is only by the General Conference can the discriminatory language be removed from the Book of Discipline.
We are hoping that there will be proposals to remove this language from the Book of Discipline, and that they will pass. We do not know what the outcome will be at this point, but we are hoping it will be what has been long awaited.
Let me reaffirm my position. I support full inclusion in our denomination. I fully support you, Saint Mark. I love you. I love serving you and doing ministry with you and alongside you, and I am here for you. As I have told you before, you are beloved children of God, made in the image of God. You belong here at Saint Mark and in the United Methodist Church. Saint Mark will always be your home and you will always be welcomed here. Saint Mark is still active because of you, the LGBT community, and we will continue opening the doors of this church to you and to the many others who will come.
A member shared with me recently that there might be some fear creeping in because we are seeing change with the new faces coming here, and change can be scary. Yes, change can be scary, but please know that as we are growing and new members are coming, it does not mean that the LGBT community will no longer have a place at Saint Mark. Let me be clear, you are loved, and this is your home and will always be your home.
Let me also reaffirm the Conference support for Saint Mark. I have had the full support of both Bishop Sue and Bishop Dease for Saint Mark. They have repeatedly expressed their support for our church. When I was appointed here, and I asked Bishop Sue about my appointment, on two different occasions she gave me the same answer: “I wanted someone who would truly love that congregation, so I prayed and the Lord placed you on my heart.” She has also shared that with some of the members here at Saint Mark.
Bishop Sue came as our guest preacher at Pride Sunday last year. She walked the parade with us and expressed her gratitude for the invitation to preach. You may not know that she was severely criticized for preaching at Saint Mark that day. She was called a liar online, even as she was preaching. She was trolled and accused of twisting the gospel. We both received emails and letters harshly criticizing us, but she received far more.
Bishop Dease has also expressed her position of support for full inclusion in the denomination, and she shared it openly when she was nominated as a candidate for bishop. Although she is relatively new to our Conference, and we are still getting to know her, she has already made it clear that she is fully supportive of Saint Mark.
I have shared multiple times that my office door is always open, and I welcome members to come in and talk with me. If you are uncertain about something, or if you have a question, please feel free to stop by the office or call me. I would love to hear from you and answer any question you may have. If I do not know the answer, I will ask others who may know and get back to you. Please come.
Saint Mark, I love you and I fully support you, and I am here for you.
In Christ’s love,
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