The Untied Methodist Church

This blog has been a long time coming. It is vital that I say this correctly. Next weekend I am speaking in my United Church of Christ (Congregational) about how much I love my new church home. I have spent the past few weeks working on essays for seminary. And through all of the exciting things happening in my spiritual life, this blog has continued to nag me.

A few years ago, I attended the annual conference of the Arkansas United Methodist Church, where I joined the running to be a delegate to General Conference 2008. Homosexuality continued to be a huge issue, with the far right insisting that we are unrepentant sinners and the far left crying for radical inclusion. In the past few General Conferences, schism has been batted around as an option for a church at a stalemate. Then I have also heard pleas for unity, that the UNITED Methodist Church should remain united and find room at the table for all and for all opinions.

I get both sides, I do. And I love the United Methodist Church, the church of my birth and the family of my choosing. However, I am tired of making room for people who do not want there to be room at the table for my whole, authentic self. So I find myself asking, at what price unity? It seems to be the price we are paying is human dignity, connection, communion. Until there is truly room for all at the table, I can no longer be expected to make room for those who deny me my personhood. It is unacceptable and contrary to the nature of God/ess as I have experienced Her to exclude anyone from the grace of God or the grace of community. I will not do it. So I left. The price was too high.

Often, when I type United Methodist Church, I accidentally type "Untied" instead of "United." That is the Methodist Church I am waiting for: the Untied Methodist Church. As a lesbian Christian, I want to be loosed from the bonds of bigotry at the hands of my family members. I want to be freed for loving service, offering my whole self to God/ess and to those whom I feel called to serve. Untie me, cut the ropes that prevent my hands from serving Communion, release my feet to walk humbly with God and to love boundlessly.

The idea of untying also allows for connection and communion without collusion. We do not have to agree; we can love each other in spite of our differences. I can support that. And I think it would be unimaginably easier to love and extend kindness to the conservative Methodists if I no longer resented them for stifling my ministry and attempting to snuff the divine Light I feel called to share. "Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love" could be our rallying cry. Binding our hearts in love is a much better way to be bound.