Council rejects resolutions on same-sex marriages
Bishop Beverly Shamana presides over The United Methodist Church'sCalifornia-Nevada Annual (regional) Conference in Sacramento, Calif. A UMNS file photo by Paul "Spud" Hilton.
By Neill Caldwell*April 27, 2009 DENVER (UMNS)
United Methodist clergy cannot perform same-sex marriages, even in states where such unions are legal or the ceremonies are endorsed by a regional church group.
The Judicial Council, the denomination’s top court, ruled at its spring meeting that it is a chargeable offense for United Methodist clergy to perform ceremonies celebrating same-sex unions.
The ruling overturned resolutions from two annual conferences supporting clergy who perform same-gender marriages.
In the case of the California-Nevada Annual Conference, the council affirmed Bishop Beverly J. Shamana’s decision voiding a resolution passed by the regional group backing retired pastors who perform same-gender marriages.
“An annual conference may not legally negate, ignore or violate provisions of the (Book of) Discipline with which they disagree, even when the disagreements are based on conscientious objections to the provisions,” the council ruled.
Council member Belton Joyner Jr. filed a dissenting opinion.
In a separate decision, the council reversed California-Pacific Conference Bishop Mary Ann Swenson’s ruling supporting a conference resolution recognizing “the pastoral need and prophetic authority of our clergy and congregations to offer the ministry of marriage ceremonies for same-gender couples.”
In a concurring opinion, Jon Gray and the Rev. Kathy Austin Mahle wrote “church law can only be made by the General Conference and cannot be achieved through piecemeal resolutions adopted in an annual conference session.”
The 2008 General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body, voted to retain its ban on same-gender marriages and to bar clergy from performing such marriages or consecrating them in the church. Pastors who perform same-gender unions risk losing their clergy credentials.
In other decisions, the council approved the lease of Southern Methodist University property for the George W. Bush presidential library, museum and public policy institute and did not take up a request from the Alaska Conference for a ruling on church law regarding the openness of church membership relative to pastoral discretion to deny membership.
The council said the lease agreement between United Methodist-related SMU and the George W. Bush Foundation does not violate church law.
Critics opposed to many policies of the Bush administration, including the war in Iraq, argued placing the institute on SMU property would be inconsistent with church teaching.
In its own review, the nine-member council said it found nothing in the lease agreement that violated the school’s Articles of Incorporation or the church’s Book of Discipline.
In the membership case, the council said it did not have jurisdiction to address possible competing claims in church rules because the request for a declaratory decision did not deal with an action by the Alaska Conference.
The case refers back to an earlier council ruling in favor of the right of a Virginia pastor, the Rev. Ed Johnson, to block a practicing homosexual from joining the congregation of South Hill (Va.) United Methodist Church. The council ruled the pastor of a local church has authority to determine a layperson’s readiness for membership.
The council also said it did not have jurisdiction to rule on a request from the West Ohio Annual Conference on the formula for deciding the number of bishops in a region. The 2008 General Conference approved a plan that will result in one less bishop in four of the five U.S. jurisdictions beginning in 2012.
*Caldwell is editor of the Virginia United Methodist Advocate and covers the Judicial Council for United Methodist News Service.
News media contact: David Briggs, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5472 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Look Forward
In a recent Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown approached his psychiatrist, Lucy, for some advice about life.
Lucy: Life, Charlie Brown, is like a deck chair.
Charlie: Like a what?
Lucy: Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Passengers
open up these canvas deck chairs so they can sit in the sun.
Some people place their chairs facing the rear of the ship
so they can see where they've been. . . . Other people face
their chairs forward. . . . They want to see where they
are going. On the cruise ship of life, Charlie Brown,
which way is your deck chair facing?
Charlie: I've never been able to get one unfolded!
Charles M. Schultz, "Peanuts,
An interesting conversation took place with a friend on January 2nd of this year. He had lamented about all that life offered him this past year and how frustrated he was with some of the events and people of 2008. In his voice as I listened, I heard resentment, blame and distress as he talked about his past 12 months.
I asked, “Which way is your chair facing? It is facing forward or backwards?”
He looked puzzled and baffled. I explained to him the Peanuts cartoon.
He responded, “That makes a difference on how I see life won’t it?”
You got it I proclaimed!
There are many scripture verses that encourage us to lay aside the negativities of the past, and to look ahead. Here are two.
"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)
"Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; it shall spring forth; I hope you recognize. I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19-20
As my friend walked to is car, he shouted, “I am not looking back – I am looking forward.”
Amen! I whispered. Amen!
Pastor William
Lucy: Life, Charlie Brown, is like a deck chair.
Charlie: Like a what?
Lucy: Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Passengers
open up these canvas deck chairs so they can sit in the sun.
Some people place their chairs facing the rear of the ship
so they can see where they've been. . . . Other people face
their chairs forward. . . . They want to see where they
are going. On the cruise ship of life, Charlie Brown,
which way is your deck chair facing?
Charlie: I've never been able to get one unfolded!
Charles M. Schultz, "Peanuts,
An interesting conversation took place with a friend on January 2nd of this year. He had lamented about all that life offered him this past year and how frustrated he was with some of the events and people of 2008. In his voice as I listened, I heard resentment, blame and distress as he talked about his past 12 months.
I asked, “Which way is your chair facing? It is facing forward or backwards?”
He looked puzzled and baffled. I explained to him the Peanuts cartoon.
He responded, “That makes a difference on how I see life won’t it?”
You got it I proclaimed!
There are many scripture verses that encourage us to lay aside the negativities of the past, and to look ahead. Here are two.
"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)
"Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; it shall spring forth; I hope you recognize. I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19-20
As my friend walked to is car, he shouted, “I am not looking back – I am looking forward.”
Amen! I whispered. Amen!
Pastor William
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Guess Blogger - William M. Williams, III
THE FOLLOW POST IS FROM MY SON, WILLIAM WHO ATTEND THE INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!! THANKS SON.
The election and inauguration of President Barack Obama was historic. The clear and honest assessment of this event is self-evident. Regardless of his platform and political ideologies, President Barack Obama transcended the Democratic political hierarchical structure and became the first African-American person to earn the title as President of the United States of America. As I reflect on this event almost a month later, I celebrate his election, and, I take time to share with you, my friends, the great celebration that took place with all people of all genders of all races of all faiths of all political ideologies on January 20, 2009, in the city of Washington D.C.
The time we took to spend with each other as mutual celebrants made the inauguration historic. As time unfolds, there will be much said and written about President Obama's administration; just as there as already been much said about his ascension into the office. I wonder what historians will say about the crowds and the stories that come from this Inauguration Day. I can imagine a short blurb in the history book that gives a final number of inaugural attendees at around 2.5 million people. But, who will tell the story about the very first stop of the red line train in Northern Maryland already having packed rail cars by 6:00 AM on the day of the event? This is true; I was there. There was barely any standing room after the first 3 stops of the train, and we still had 6 - 9 more stops to go before we exited. Who will tell the story about the hundreds of people that filed out of a single rail car to unite with the several hundred people already at Judiciary Station who were making their way up the escalator into crowds of thousands (and later millions)? I am telling this story. I am telling the story of this historic celebration that unfolded within the crowd of 2,499,999 other people.
In spite of the blistering cold, our collective nature kept us unified and warm. It was this unity that I remember the most. As brothers and sisters, we made jokes about the closeness, about the waiting, about the lack of movement for nearly 20 minutes, and we celebrated as a collective when we moved 3 feet forward. I remember the shouts of joy when this collective had its largest advance of an eight to ten step shuffle. I remember the radio interviews going on via cell phone; the kids on the shoulders of parents; the young who walked with the old, and the person who asked my cousin to remove her hat so that she could see the jumbotron. These faces and experiences with my brothers and sisters will warm my thoughts for decades to come. During this Inauguration Day we kept each other warm in spite of the blistering cold, and because of our unified celebratory attitude.
The stories are numerous. (And) though no two stories will be alike, I gather their components will have similarities: African-American president; historic inauguration; 2.5 million people, not a single criminal incident, and smiles. My favorite memory is of me running through the 3rd street tunnel yelling with excitement and energy, “Shake a hand, meet a friend, get your official Inauguration name tags”. Vendors were soliciting these tags and using this phrase to promote the unified celebration of the day. I do imagine that some historians will capture the red eyes of some, the laughter of others, the random friendships that were made, the congeniality, the patience, the cheers, the boos, the vendors, the National Guards people, the police, and the celebrities and other notables. But, most importantly, in my opinion, I imagine history will capture the smiles and the joyous attitudes that existed from and within the 2.5 million people who unified with each other to celebrate this historic occasion. It was a joyous celebration, my friends, and I thank God for the opportunity as well as my mother and father, Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Rose _____, Congressman Lee Terry’s office, and the prayers of my family: Jamise, Jenna, Edward, Ocean, & all of my other family and friends, including the 2,499,999 I was fellowship with on January 20, 2009
The election and inauguration of President Barack Obama was historic. The clear and honest assessment of this event is self-evident. Regardless of his platform and political ideologies, President Barack Obama transcended the Democratic political hierarchical structure and became the first African-American person to earn the title as President of the United States of America. As I reflect on this event almost a month later, I celebrate his election, and, I take time to share with you, my friends, the great celebration that took place with all people of all genders of all races of all faiths of all political ideologies on January 20, 2009, in the city of Washington D.C.
The time we took to spend with each other as mutual celebrants made the inauguration historic. As time unfolds, there will be much said and written about President Obama's administration; just as there as already been much said about his ascension into the office. I wonder what historians will say about the crowds and the stories that come from this Inauguration Day. I can imagine a short blurb in the history book that gives a final number of inaugural attendees at around 2.5 million people. But, who will tell the story about the very first stop of the red line train in Northern Maryland already having packed rail cars by 6:00 AM on the day of the event? This is true; I was there. There was barely any standing room after the first 3 stops of the train, and we still had 6 - 9 more stops to go before we exited. Who will tell the story about the hundreds of people that filed out of a single rail car to unite with the several hundred people already at Judiciary Station who were making their way up the escalator into crowds of thousands (and later millions)? I am telling this story. I am telling the story of this historic celebration that unfolded within the crowd of 2,499,999 other people.
In spite of the blistering cold, our collective nature kept us unified and warm. It was this unity that I remember the most. As brothers and sisters, we made jokes about the closeness, about the waiting, about the lack of movement for nearly 20 minutes, and we celebrated as a collective when we moved 3 feet forward. I remember the shouts of joy when this collective had its largest advance of an eight to ten step shuffle. I remember the radio interviews going on via cell phone; the kids on the shoulders of parents; the young who walked with the old, and the person who asked my cousin to remove her hat so that she could see the jumbotron. These faces and experiences with my brothers and sisters will warm my thoughts for decades to come. During this Inauguration Day we kept each other warm in spite of the blistering cold, and because of our unified celebratory attitude.
The stories are numerous. (And) though no two stories will be alike, I gather their components will have similarities: African-American president; historic inauguration; 2.5 million people, not a single criminal incident, and smiles. My favorite memory is of me running through the 3rd street tunnel yelling with excitement and energy, “Shake a hand, meet a friend, get your official Inauguration name tags”. Vendors were soliciting these tags and using this phrase to promote the unified celebration of the day. I do imagine that some historians will capture the red eyes of some, the laughter of others, the random friendships that were made, the congeniality, the patience, the cheers, the boos, the vendors, the National Guards people, the police, and the celebrities and other notables. But, most importantly, in my opinion, I imagine history will capture the smiles and the joyous attitudes that existed from and within the 2.5 million people who unified with each other to celebrate this historic occasion. It was a joyous celebration, my friends, and I thank God for the opportunity as well as my mother and father, Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Rose _____, Congressman Lee Terry’s office, and the prayers of my family: Jamise, Jenna, Edward, Ocean, & all of my other family and friends, including the 2,499,999 I was fellowship with on January 20, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bishop Woody White Annual Letter to Rev. M. L. King
Each year Bishop Woody White writes a letter to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. He has done this since 1968. I have read the letters each year since 1984. The letters have been inspiring, challenging and insightful.
This year, Bishop White, retired, writed the annual letter on the eve on Barack Obama becoming the 44th president of The United States and first person of color to lead the most powerful nation in the world.
Click in the following link and you will find Bishop's White letter.
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2072519&ct=6494289&tr=y&auid=4406969
Blessing and Peace
Pastor William
This year, Bishop White, retired, writed the annual letter on the eve on Barack Obama becoming the 44th president of The United States and first person of color to lead the most powerful nation in the world.
Click in the following link and you will find Bishop's White letter.
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2072519&ct=6494289&tr=y&auid=4406969
Blessing and Peace
Pastor William
MUCH TO CELEBRATE
Greetings and belated Happy New Year:
I know it has been a while since my last posting. Life has been challenging – changing and inspiring since my last visit posting.
In short, I continue to experience the love and peace of God given thru Jesus Christ.
Idalene, my wife received her Ph.D. in August. It was a wonderful ceremony and our three children and 2 grandchildren attend the graduation and hooding ceremony in Minneapolis. Idalene’s aunt and sister from Kansas City also attended. Then the children and I threw her big celebration party. Family, friends, sorority sisters, church members and former church members attended. It was a grand event. Sweets, know that I am proud of you.
William, III, has entered seminary. He is attending St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. He is excited and found the first semester exhilarating. In our phone calls and his holiday visit, he helped me remember my time at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas. It seems fitting that Williams III is in seminary. He attended with me on a regular basis, the first 6 months of his life. In between taking notes, asking questions and drinking lots of coffee, I changed diapers, fed, burped and gave lots of love.
Jamise continues to be a good mother. She works for the Middle School Learning Center Initiative as the Site Director @ King Science for the Omaha Public School Foundation. It has been a great fit and has provided Jamise with plenty of opportunity for professional and personal growth. Jamise, who has her Master’s degree continue to be a staff member at ROCKbrook United Methodist Church, coordinating the childcare each Sunday and sings with the Praise Team when they sing.
Jenna, today (January 14, 2009) turns 25. Happy Birthday Jenna, has talked, dreamed, hoped and desired to move to California, (Hollywood) to find success and fulfilled her dreams through acting. She has dream and or talked about doing this since she had the lead role in the Hobbit at the Rose Children’s Theater. Throughout high school and college, Jenna set her sight on making it through acting. Well, she is ready to take that next step of life. Jenna and Maya, her college friend, have leased and apartment and Jenna will be leaving in 7 days to begin her journey. (Today January 22, 20090.
I ask that you pray for her and that she will find happiness and success. William will be driving her to Los Angles. She will miss Jamise, a sister and best friend. I ask that you pray for them.
Mom and Dad will have a hard time adjusting without ‘Cupcake” around to assist, help and just have a presence. As much as we celebrate her decision and pray for her success we will miss her deeply.
Fly Jenna Fly. May you reach your goal.
DadPastor William
I know it has been a while since my last posting. Life has been challenging – changing and inspiring since my last visit posting.
In short, I continue to experience the love and peace of God given thru Jesus Christ.
Idalene, my wife received her Ph.D. in August. It was a wonderful ceremony and our three children and 2 grandchildren attend the graduation and hooding ceremony in Minneapolis. Idalene’s aunt and sister from Kansas City also attended. Then the children and I threw her big celebration party. Family, friends, sorority sisters, church members and former church members attended. It was a grand event. Sweets, know that I am proud of you.
William, III, has entered seminary. He is attending St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. He is excited and found the first semester exhilarating. In our phone calls and his holiday visit, he helped me remember my time at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas. It seems fitting that Williams III is in seminary. He attended with me on a regular basis, the first 6 months of his life. In between taking notes, asking questions and drinking lots of coffee, I changed diapers, fed, burped and gave lots of love.
Jamise continues to be a good mother. She works for the Middle School Learning Center Initiative as the Site Director @ King Science for the Omaha Public School Foundation. It has been a great fit and has provided Jamise with plenty of opportunity for professional and personal growth. Jamise, who has her Master’s degree continue to be a staff member at ROCKbrook United Methodist Church, coordinating the childcare each Sunday and sings with the Praise Team when they sing.
Jenna, today (January 14, 2009) turns 25. Happy Birthday Jenna, has talked, dreamed, hoped and desired to move to California, (Hollywood) to find success and fulfilled her dreams through acting. She has dream and or talked about doing this since she had the lead role in the Hobbit at the Rose Children’s Theater. Throughout high school and college, Jenna set her sight on making it through acting. Well, she is ready to take that next step of life. Jenna and Maya, her college friend, have leased and apartment and Jenna will be leaving in 7 days to begin her journey. (Today January 22, 20090.
I ask that you pray for her and that she will find happiness and success. William will be driving her to Los Angles. She will miss Jamise, a sister and best friend. I ask that you pray for them.
Mom and Dad will have a hard time adjusting without ‘Cupcake” around to assist, help and just have a presence. As much as we celebrate her decision and pray for her success we will miss her deeply.
Fly Jenna Fly. May you reach your goal.
DadPastor William
Monday, June 30, 2008
Surviving the Storms of Life
Don’t be alarmed when the trials of life crash around you. God is there to help!
This summer, we have experienced a variety of storms which have disrupted our lives. We had the tornado 3 weeks ago and then the “hurricane or wind storm last weekend. Both of these storms disrupted our lives, displaced some from home and in short, caused all king of havoc and chaos. Our homes and churches suffered through damage, power outages and fallen trees. On last Friday, Jamise, Edward and Ocean, my daughter and grandchildren were on our way to Kansas City. We were at the corner of 129th and Maple when the storm hit. While Jamise covered her children, I stopped the car and held on for life. Later Edward declared, “Storms are not fun!”
Storms will come
You are right grandson. Storms are not fun. But, storms will come into our world. Storms will come in to our lives. They come to us all, and when they hit, they are not fun. In Acts 27, we read the account of when Paul was on a ship with 275 other. In the midst a violent storm he steps forward and tells them all to “be of good cheer.”
Many if not all can look at our present life circumstance and declare, “I am in the midst of a storm”. It could be personal, work related, with children or a spouse, it could be with life changes of aging or other health related issues. Those storms could be your present financial situation. Yes, these are the storms of life. What are other storms of life you can name?
Storms are temporary
I wrote this definition of a spiritual storm: “It is an unpredictable, temporary period of distress over which we have little, if any, control.” Paul referred to the storms in his life as “light afflictions,” which last “but for a moment.” Yet, if you read his biography, you find that he endured one storm after another. How could he call them light afflictions?
A place of refuge
When storms come our way, we should seek shelter, refuge, and safety from the storm. We can find safety within a relationship with Christ and with the Church, ROCKbrook The storms will continue, but you can always find refuge in the midst of the storms. Psalm 16:1[ A miktam of David. ] Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Meet the Lord of the storm
Have you met the Lord of the storm? Have you met the One who can see you through no matter what you face in life? Are you trying to find your own way, your own solutions? Or, are you willing to say, “Lord, I need Your help.” If you do, the Lord will under gird you. God will help you weather the storm. God will give you victory. God will bring you good cheer.
God is indeed our Refuge:
Pastor William
This summer, we have experienced a variety of storms which have disrupted our lives. We had the tornado 3 weeks ago and then the “hurricane or wind storm last weekend. Both of these storms disrupted our lives, displaced some from home and in short, caused all king of havoc and chaos. Our homes and churches suffered through damage, power outages and fallen trees. On last Friday, Jamise, Edward and Ocean, my daughter and grandchildren were on our way to Kansas City. We were at the corner of 129th and Maple when the storm hit. While Jamise covered her children, I stopped the car and held on for life. Later Edward declared, “Storms are not fun!”
Storms will come
You are right grandson. Storms are not fun. But, storms will come into our world. Storms will come in to our lives. They come to us all, and when they hit, they are not fun. In Acts 27, we read the account of when Paul was on a ship with 275 other. In the midst a violent storm he steps forward and tells them all to “be of good cheer.”
Many if not all can look at our present life circumstance and declare, “I am in the midst of a storm”. It could be personal, work related, with children or a spouse, it could be with life changes of aging or other health related issues. Those storms could be your present financial situation. Yes, these are the storms of life. What are other storms of life you can name?
Storms are temporary
I wrote this definition of a spiritual storm: “It is an unpredictable, temporary period of distress over which we have little, if any, control.” Paul referred to the storms in his life as “light afflictions,” which last “but for a moment.” Yet, if you read his biography, you find that he endured one storm after another. How could he call them light afflictions?
A place of refuge
When storms come our way, we should seek shelter, refuge, and safety from the storm. We can find safety within a relationship with Christ and with the Church, ROCKbrook The storms will continue, but you can always find refuge in the midst of the storms. Psalm 16:1[ A miktam of David. ] Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Meet the Lord of the storm
Have you met the Lord of the storm? Have you met the One who can see you through no matter what you face in life? Are you trying to find your own way, your own solutions? Or, are you willing to say, “Lord, I need Your help.” If you do, the Lord will under gird you. God will help you weather the storm. God will give you victory. God will bring you good cheer.
God is indeed our Refuge:
Pastor William
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