RESPONSES TO SPECIAL GENERAL CONFERENCE 2019
Here is the statement adopted by Trinity UMC in April 2019:
We are grieved by the action of the Special General Conference on February 26, 2019, which passed the 'Traditional Plan.' Trinity United Methodist Church has a been a church where the sacred worth of ALL people has been affirmed. This will not change. Trinity United Methodist Church will continue to affirm, support and advocate for the basic human rights of all of God’s children – and at this time most specifically – those who are LGBTQIA+.
We stand with our Western Jurisdiction which, “believes in ONE CHURCH for all. Mission and ministry is too important. This is where we stand, we are not moving, we are not leaving, and we are not changing.”
Trinity and the other United Methodist Churches of the Central Coast placed full page ads in local papers. Click here to see the ad.
Click on the links below to see responses by our Bishop and the Western Jurisdiction.
- https://mailchi.mp/calpacumc/bishop-hagiya-reflections-from-the-western-jurisdiction-meetings-march-2019?e=ec783d5958
- http://westernjurisdictionumc.org/as-we-make-our-way-back-home/
- http://westernjurisdictionumc.org/wj-continue-being-a-home-for-all-following-gc2019/
Update 8/29/19:
There are several plans being developed by different groups and caucuses in the United Methodist Church. One such group is UMNext, "composed of Centrists and Progressives". Click here to read about the plan they propose to offer at the 2020 General Conference.
Update 11/6/2019:
The Bishops of the Western Jurisdiction have joined together to declare that the Annual Conferences of the Western Jurisdiction will remain safe for LGBTQIA+ persons and clergy who officiate at their weddings. On November 6th, they issued a "Safe Harbor Declaration." Click here to read the document.
Update 11/15/2019:
The Western Jurisdiction, of which our church, Trinity UMC (as a congregation of the California Pacific Annual Conference), is a part, has issued a powerful statement about how we will continue to support our LGBTQIA+ siblings.
Click here to read the Theological Declaration of the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church.
Update 11/16/2019:
This one is a little more technical...The Central Conference Bishops (all those outside the US) support making the United States a "Regional Conference" which would give US churches a measure of autonomy. One possible effect might be that the churches in the US could modify their Book of Discipline to allow the ordination of LGBTQIA+ persons and clergy to do weddings without regard to questions of gender identity.