Grace Upon Grace

Gracious God, I kneel before you a sinner.

I know that I am not worthy to be called a child of yours.

Yet despite my sin, despite my continuing to sin and fall short of your glory --- forty years ago --- you called me into ministry.

Loving God, these past few weeks have been hard --- as we have wrestled over who is worthy to be a pastor in YOUR church.  And as I have studied the bible, I have become even more conflicted. 

Clearly in the few texts that spell out requirements of ministry I fall short. 

I have failed to live up to the ideal that the authors suggested.

And yet O Lord, I have been called by you, vetted and ordained by your church.

I thank you for accepting me --- for I kneel before your throne only by your grace.

Grace that is sufficient for me --- grace that is sufficient for all.

As we wrestle today --- put in our minds eyes other servants who have been called by you --- yet clearly by the ideal requirements stated in the bible are unqualified

·         every pastor who has been divorced or married a divorced person

·         every pastor whose children have not remained in the faith or have rebelled

·         every pastor who has not demonstrated self control at all times

·         every pastor who is a woman

Gracious God we have all fallen short of your ideal --- I have fallen FAR short of your ideal --- for my sins are legion --- and yet you have still called me and invited me to pastor your flock.

Thank you for your grace that enables me to stand before you and your people.  This I pray in Jesus name.  Amen.

Almost 20 years ago, the United Methodist Church adopted a new slogan

          Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

For many of us, we saw in this slogan a glimmer of hope that the church that we loved would truly open the doors to the many marginalized in our society.

The church that I was serving at the time was going through a long range planning session and as a result adopted a new vision statement stating that they saw their mission as "offering hope, unconditional love and meaning for life."

A couple of years ago, Discipleship Ministries of the UMC continued along this same vein when they encouraged each Methodist to "See All The People".

If you have been paying attention to the media these last few days --- from all the major outlets, to NPR and the religious news services --- the overwhelming majority suggest that --- with the action that we took in St. Louis this past week --- we closed the door to a majority of people, and are shutting our eyes and our hearts toward them.

There have been lots of emotions this past week

·         Some of you feel defeated

          "Kicked in the gut" was how someone described it to me

          "Asked to leave home" was another

·         Some of you feel as if God has been defended

          Satisfied to know that we didn't "give in" to culture

          Happy that the Bible was protected and held in high esteem

More than anything I just felt sad

          Sad that we made our church more and more exclusive and unwelcoming

And before you get angry with me --- I believe both points of view are real and authentic

Obviously I don't agree with the decision that was adopted in St. Louis

So what happened?

In 1972, the General Conference added to our social principles the sentence that we have wrestled with ever since.

"we insist that all persons are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured, though we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teachings."

And I will be honest, if I had been asked my opinion on it in 1972, I probably would have agreed. 

          But I don't today.

My relationship with Jesus has moved from an idolatry of the Bible (thinking it was God) to hearing the voice of Jesus

Every 4 years since 1972, those words have been debated, argued over as we have sought to understand how we relate to a changing world.

In 2016, the General Conference decided to create a Commission on The Way Forward as it relates to this issue.

They were to study the issue and bring a proposal to the Council of Bishops and to a specially called General Conference, the one that just wrapped up in St Louis last Tuesday.

The Commission initially presented two plans, The One Church Plan and the Connectional Plan, and, after 2 1/2 years of study at the last minute the "Traditional Plan" was thrown in the mix.

The Council of Bishops received the plans and by an overwhelming majority recommended the One Church Plan which allowed each Jurisdiction, Conference and local Church to wrestle with the issues of sexuality in their individual context.

The plans, along with many petitions went before the elected delegates of the General Conference last week.

After much debate, the General Conference adopted issues around pensions for churches or pastors that wish to leave the denomination, an exit plan for churches to leave and a modified traditional plan.

To be honest with you, I do not know the exact language of what passed.  I am sure it is available somewhere, but I have yet to find it.

Regardless, what I can tell you is that the conference was hurtful to the body of Christ.  I witnessed that in statements made by persons on both sides of the issue.

We will not easily mend the hurt that happened.

Rev Tom Berlin from the Virginia Annual Conference said this about the Traditional plan

"it will be a virus that will make the American church very sick  Many pastors are going to leave, many annual conference will leave. … There will be trials, and they will be on the news. The only news about the church will be about people we don’t serve.”

In my mind, the saddest part is that many portions of the traditional plan will be ruled unconstitutional, as will the exit plan.

          In other words, we will be right back to where we started (or will we?)

Many believe that the traditional plan was put forth to scare the rest of the UMC and allow particularly our Southern Methodist Churches to leave with their property.

I would not be surprised if that isn't still the result.

But at what cost?

          And I am not talking about money

          At what cost to our mission of sharing God's unconditional love?

          At what cost to making --- not believers in Jesus --- but Disciples of Jesus?

70% of those under 50 support gay marriage

68% of those in mainline denominations do as well

What are they going to say to this harsh and mean spirited decision that has come out of St Louis?

          Well if my text messages, email and FaceBook are any indication, many will leave

We have been through this before ---

In 1939, the UMC was trying to figure out what to do with black people

At that GC, the segregationalist and racist Central Jurisdiction was voted into being. The late Bishop Thomas wrote that the white folks stood up and clapped, and the black folks sat down and cried.

From what I am witnessing we are at another stand up and clap, sit down and cry moment.

And the question becomes --- where do you find yourself?

Since last fall, Matt and I have been wrestling with this issue --- whether at information sessions, Bible Studies, various committees within the church or with you individually

We have tried to educate and share why we believe what we believe: that the One Church Plan made the most sense for the UMC and for Meridian Street in particular.

Through this process, Jesus has moved me, and given me a better understanding -- not only of scripture --- but more importantly, of my relationship to Jesus and others.

I will not be the same after this

I DO NOT BELIEVE that committed homosexual relationships are a sin --- any more than committed heterosexual ones are.

I do not believe that wearing more than one type of clothing is a sin.

Nor do I believe it is a sin to eat shellfish or pork

I do not believe a person who remarries and has been divorced is committing a sin

I do not believe that God's grace is limited to the people I accept, or who believe like I do

I do not believe that believing in the right things is enough --- we are to be actively engaged in following Jesus, seeking to transform the world with his unconditional love.  And that we are called to especially care for those who are marginalized in our society.

My intention this morning was to make the case why I believed the One Church Plan was the most grace filled.

I planned on doing that with the text that was read this morning. 

          The idea that God will separate the wheat from the chaff -- that it is not our job

And I fully believe that.

          Our job is not to be the gatekeepers for Jesus

                   Jesus opens the gate wide to all and Jesus can decide

          Our job is to welcome all into Jesus

I have been a Methodist my whole life. 

          I remember in 1968 when we merged and became United Methodists

I have served in ministry since my sophomore year in college, when I helped start a campus ministry --- which means I have been engaged in ministry for 40 years

The churches I have served have been committed to the United Methodist way -- promoting connection and that God's grace is available to all

Under the rules that just passed at General Conference; I doubt I would be approved for ordained ministry today. 

          I doubt most of the people I know who are clergy could get accepted either

While I find much of the legislation repugnant --- especially that which calls the “practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

What bothers me more is that it went on to imply that same sex married couples who wish to be reconciled with the church need to divorce and break up their families (which often include children).

The legislation further added mandatory penalties for any pastor who performs a same sex wedding or even hosts one.

          Such a pastor would be suspended for 1 year without pay for a first offence

          And automatically defrocked for a second.

Bishops would also be under penalty if they disobeyed the Discipline.

Approximately two thirds of US delegates voted against the Traditional Plan

It was approved by a coalition of our global United Methodist brothers, and sisters

Adam Hamilton, pastor of the largest UMC in the United States wrote:

My hope is that the leadership of the WCA (Wesley Covenant Society) is re-evaluating what’s happened, and the legislation their coalition just passed.  They appear to have the votes to pass whatever they would like.  It is hard for many of us to see any future in a scenario in which the WCA and their supporters control the church and show disregard for the rest of the church.   US churches that disagree with this path backwards will not sit by quietly and watch as this takes effect.  They will protest, live in disobedience to the Discipline or leave, and the impact will be far greater than the leadership of the WCA ever imagined.   If the WCA leadership does nothing, I believe they will have won the battle and lost the church.   

My mentor in seminary was the former Dean of the Duke Divinity School Thomas Langford.  I served on staff at the church that Tom and his family attended, and he was not only a professor, but also my friend.

I remember while in seminary, Tom shared with a class an early draft of a book that he was working on --- I don't believe it was ever published --- but it was entitled GRACE UPON GRACE

It was his premise that God's grace is sufficient

          That God is big enough to defend God's self and it was our job to invite people in

One of the things that has always struck me is the notion that God's love is somewhat limited.  If God loves you --- there might not be enough for me.

But there is grace upon grace --- sufficient for all of creation --- our job is to humble accept it and to invite others to experience it.

In just a few moments, you are going to be invited to God's table.

          NO ONE HERE MERITS BEING INVITED

But just the same, God invites you.

But as long as I am pastor at Meridian Street UMC, this table will be open to ALL.

          Straight, gay,

          Married, single, or divorced

          Black, brown or white

          Citizen or alien

          Rich or poor

          Sinner or Saint

This table will always be open

And I will do everything that I can to open the doors of the church to all of God's children.

I will support those who believe they are called by God to ministry but also were created by God gay

I have never performed a same sex wedding --- it has always been my biggest fear.

I was afraid I would have to choose between what I knew was right --- and angering some of the members in the church I was serving at the time.

In the future ---I will do what God calls me to do

To all of our gay members here at Meridian Street Church --- I LOVE YOU, GOD LOVES YOU

And to all who are broken hearted over this decision --- let us make this our rallying cry

Don't leave; let us keep working for change.

God's table is big enough --- even if we disagree

No one --- regardless of which side of this issue you are on --- is being excluded from God's table

Someone shared a powerful story the other day and I hope that they are not offended if I share it

They talked about being on a youth retreat when the leader of the retreat, as they were sitting in a circle, turned to the person that they really disliked and said to them "I love you most of all (and then gave a reason).

As you can imagine, this young person was upset that their leader had made this affirmation to the one that they struggled with, because they thought they were loved most of all.  And for a time they sat their stewing in their indignation

But soon, the leader turned to them and said: "I Love You most of all . . ."

As we prepare to come to the table, I encourage you to think of the biggest sinner you know. 

          Can you see them?

          Put them in your minds eye

          If you can't see anyone, then just think of me

And listen as God says to them: "I Love You most of all . . ."

And unless you can hear them say that to the one you really struggle with --- I doubt you can really understand or appreciate it when God says to you: "I Love You most of all . . ."

Let us care for one another, and come together to God's table.  Amen.