A couple of local pastors weighed in on a recent decision by delegates with the United Methodist Church’s special session of the General Conference who voted to maintain current rules against LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage.
The vote made by delegates during a special session in late February in St. Louis, Mo., rejected the One Church Plan, which would have eased restrictions on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriages. According to reports on the conference, delegates from around the world voted 438 to 384 to pass what was called the Traditional Plan, which maintains the church’s rules.
The issue is controversial among churches and membership throughout the world.
In the Twin Tiers area, two United Methodist clergy from the Bradford and Kane communities in Pennsylvania offered comments on the decision.
Clergy at two United Methodist Churches in Olean, N.Y., Trinity United Methodist Church and Christ United Methodist Church, however, did not return several calls left by a reporter with Bradford Publishing Co.
At Tower Church in Bradford, Rev. Seth McClymonds said the decision made at the special session is to maintain the Traditional Plan for now.
“Some of the controversy that has risen is from some who think the policy is not accurate or not correct, so that’s where the struggle comes in,” he said. “This was a special conference, but every four years we also have a General Conference that talks about the church quality in what we call the Book of Discipline. The next one is in May of 2020, and I’m sure (the issue) will be reviewed then, and then 2024 and 2028. It will continue to be brought up as it continues to be a part of our society and United States culture.”
McClymonds said the issue is “so raw that I’m not comfortable” in offering a personal opinion on the topic.
Patrick Lenox, superintendent of the Kane District who serves under Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, offered comments, as well.
“The church is still open to receiving folks who are practicing homosexuals and they are still eligible for church membership,” Lenox stated. “There is nothing prohibitive in our church law for that. The prohibitions in our church law are surrounding ordination and our facilities and pastors are not eligible for same gender weddings, but those were all in place prior.”
He said the General Conference that met was the decision-making group that sets the policy for all local churches. The 12 delegates from Western Pennsylvania who voted in the special session were six clergy and six lay members who were elected in the summer of 2015.
“We’ll be electing delegates this summer, 2019, for the next General Conference in 2020,” Lenox explained.
He said that trying to legislate rules for the worldwide denomination is a challenge.
“In most of the countries in Africa … practicing homosexuality is punishable by death. So that would make their perspective, when we come to dialogue about that, very different.”
While Lenox didn’t offer a personal opinion on the issue, he said the Book of Discipline “says we consider all people of sacred worth and created in the image of God. The call is for us to love all people.
“I pray and hope we would all greet one another as people of sacred worth and created in the image of God and seeking to live in relationship with God and one another,” Lenox added.
He said that while the decision has been made and will stand for present, another challenge for churches at this point will be to “live into it” with their congregations.
“Our bishop has already been here in the Kane district to hold a two-and-a-half hour debriefing meeting and she’s doing that in all 10 districts in Western Pa.,” Lenox concluded.
