Hearts on Fire
To:
MELRICHEY@aol.com
June 8, 2005
NC Christian
Advocate
I am writing to
express my concern regarding an event scheduled for the Lake Junaluska
facilities on Labor Day weekend of this year. At that time a national
Reconciling Ministries convocation is supposed to occur which will bring
to our Southeastern Jurisdiction individuals from all over the country
who are openly opposed to the Discipline's stand on homosexuality and
who are supportive of gay unions, ordination of homosexuals, and full
inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender persons into every
aspect of church life. Seven United Methodist Bishops supposedly have
agreed to come and be a part of the program including bishops Richard
Wilke, Minerva Carcano, Susan Morrison and Melvin Talbert, along with
Karen Oliveto and Beth Stroud, both of whom, are self-avowed practicing
homosexual clergy in the United Methodist Church. If this event is
allowed to occur, it is my personal opinion that we will have taken a
giant leap backward in representing that which is holy and righteous in
the eyes of God.
I am sure that the immediate response by some to what I have
just said will be taken as being mean-spirited, divisive, or even
self-righteous. These are the usual rhetorical terms that are used when
one speaks out against the homosexual lifestyle and the detrimental
effect it surely has on the church. However, the issue here is not
homosexuality--the issue is sin. Whether individuals in the church
refuse to accept it or believe it does not change the truth. Scripture
clearly and distinctly defines the practice of homosexuality as sin, and
the Discipline of the United Methodist Church defines homosexuality as
"being incompatible with Christian teaching." (Par.
161 G, 2004 Discipline)
Furthermore, it is
not my purpose in writing to insinuate that heterosexual persons are
better loved more by God than homosexual persons. As the Discipline
also states in paragraph 161 G, all persons are of sacred worth and God
is certainly no respecter of one person over another. However, does
this mean that the church should endorse or condone a lifestyle that
both Scripture and the law of the church have defined as sin?
The Reconciling Ministries Network has a perfect right to
voice their opinion and have a convocation. But is it right to allow
this to occur at Lake Junaluska? For decades, thousands of brothers and
sisters in Christ have been called to this beautiful place to worship
and praise the Lord. There we have all been challenged to "go onto
perfection"--to live holy and righteous lives in obedience to our
Heavenly Father and His Son. How then can we offer a forum to any group
or organization which espouses a doctrine or theology which is
contradictory to orthodox Christian teaching? Our church has had a long
record of opposing the use of alcoholic beverages (Par.
162 J, 2004 Discipline). What if the
distilleries or breweries of America should contact Lake Junaluska and
ask the use of the facility for their national convention. Would we
allow them to come in the name of Jesus? I think not.
I have had the personal privilege to represent our conference
as a lay delegate to both the 2000 and 2004 General Conferences.
Legislation proposed and affirmed during these meetings in reference to
the fiscal responsibilities of the General Council on Finance and
Administration read as follows in the 2004 Discipline:
The General Council
on Finance and Administration shall be responsible for ensuring that no
board, agency, committee, commission, or council shall give United
Methodist funds to any gay caucus or group,
or otherwise use such funds to promote
the acceptance of homosexuality.
(Par. 806.9, Emphasis added)
And yet, if one looks at Volume 1, page 309 of the 2004
Western North Carolina Conference Journal, you can read this comment
from Jimmy Carr, Executive Director of the Southeastern Jurisdictional
Administrative Council: "As we finish this quadrennium, I want to thank
the Western North Carolina Conference for all your support. Your help
provided 15% of our total budget
through your
apportionments." (emphasis added)
Also, if one looks
in the same volume of page 238, you will see that the proposed budgetary
request for the Western North Carolina Conference to support the 2005
Jurisdictional Administration Fund (line item 514) is $225, 370.00. It
seems unconscionable to me that in a day and time when it is extremely
difficult for many of our churches in the conference to even pay their
apportionment that we would ask them to provide a quarter of a million
dollars to support an agenda that is contrary to the wishes of the vast
majority of people who call themselves United Methodists.
In the 19th chapter
of Luke we find the wonderful story of the triumphal entry of Jesus into
Jerusalem. His followers were praising God in loud voices for all the
miracles they had seen. Some of the Pharisees came to Jesus and
demanded that he tell them to keep quiet. Jesus responded, "if they
keep quiet, the stones themselves will cry out." Brothers and Sisters
of the Western North Carolina Conference, the stones of Lake Junaluska
are crying out.
Les Fowler
Asheboro, North
Carolina |