Methodist Federation for Social Action

Whereas lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people (LGBTQ+) are of sacred worth, and are deserving of full inclusion in the life and ministry of the United Methodist Church; and

Whereas the amendments made to the Book of Discipline through the “Traditional Plan” denigrates LGBTQ+ people who are called into ordained ministry by disqualifying them from ordination in the United Methodist Church simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, per Petition 90036 and Petition 90043; and

Whereas the Traditional Plan unjustly punishes United Methodist clergy for officiating at same-sex weddings, implying that the celebration of marriage between couples who are gay or lesbian is so abhorrent that it is cause for removing the clergy person’s credentials per Petition 90042; and

Whereas Scripture tells us, “If one member suffers, all suffer together” and no part of the Body of Christ is to say to another part, “I have no need for you,” (I Cor 12); and whereas Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has said that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” the Traditional Plan harms or threatens to harm any of us by introducing the idea that one group of people can be systematically excluded from the Body of Christ, urging the question “who’s next?”; and

Whereas the entire Biblical record speaks of God’s love for all humanity and the Christian Gospel speaks of full inclusion and acceptance of all of humanity, we conclude that the Traditional Plan and the final amendments to the UMC constitution as confirmed by the Judicial Council are incompatible with Christian teaching; and

Whereas 1500 United Methodists from across the North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church signed a petition opposing the Traditional Plan.

Therefore be it resolved, that we urge the North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church not to implement any of the petitions of the Traditional Plan (90032, 90036, 90042, 90043, 90044, 90045, 90046, and 90047), and we call for the repeal of each petition at the next General Conference of The United Methodist Church; and

Be it further resolved that we urge the Board of Ordained Ministry to not consider candidates’ sexual orientation; and

Be it further resolved that we urge the Bishop to not enforce the new mandatory penalties for clergy convicted of officiating same-sex wedding ceremonies; and

Be it further resolved that the North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church calls for the removal of all the harmful discriminatory language in the Book of Discipline including the incompatibility clause in the Social Principles at the next General Conference of The United Methodist Church.