ITEM: "Para 304.3 While persons set apart by the Church for ordained ministry are subject to all the frailties of the human condition and the pressures of society, they are required to maintain the highest standards of holy living in the world. Since the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be accepted as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.

ITEM: Para 332.6 Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches."

ITEM: (March 20, 2004) Bothell, Wash. -- The 13-member jury in the trial of the Rev. Karen Dammann has returned a verdict of not guilty. Eleven members of the jury -- or trial court -- voted not guilty, while two jurors were undecided. The trial court comprises a panel of Dammann's clergy peers in the United Methodist Church's Pacific Northwest Annual (regional) Conference. Nine guilty votes would have been needed to have convicted Dammann. In a United Methodist clergy trial, the respondent has the right to appeal a guilty verdict. However, the church cannot appeal a not-guilty verdict.

You have to respond with “Say, what!?!”. Rev. Karen Dammann has openly proclaimed that she is in fact a “self-avowed practicing homosexual” and she and her partner have participated in a “marriage” ceremony.

How can you be “not guilty” to something you have confessed to?

Is that all there is to that?

Several ordained elders in the United Methodist Church across the United States have performed same-sex “marriages”. They say that they have not committed any Disciplinary violation since they performed a “marriage” - - not a “union”

We are playing games with words!

The intent and action of several General Conferences is quite clear. Time after time delegates to the General Conference have honestly debated and then voted their conscious on this issue. Each time the overwhelming majority have enacted and approved the above legislation.

All of this occurs just before the 2004 General Conference convenes at the end of next month. As they say “timing is everything”!

What are we to do about those whom we have ordained and granted authority in the church who with intent disobey and circumvent the actions of the General Conference?

What are we to with Boards of Ministry and Elder members of Annual Conferences flaunt church polity and law and continually break covenant with the majority of the church?

The church, with all the authority we have, has said a loud NO! What are we do with those who do not understand the meaning of the word No?

In the United Methodist Church we are long on patience and forgiveness. We are reluctant and slow to bring charges against anyone who acts out of Christian conscious. We are willing to go the extra mile with folks. We mostly want to just live and let live.

The Biblical story and history tells us that civilizations that give over to the extremes of human sexuality do not survive and eventually fall in upon themselves.

They may or may not be approval by government institutions of same sex marriage. The church cannot give its discipline order and polity over to the government. The church must continue to be the church.

To compare this current struggle over the issue of human sexuality with the Civil Rights movement, the Emancipation Proclamation or the Holocaust is an abomination and travesty both to history and the faith heroes who fought those battles.

Well, we have our proverbial back against the wall this time. No longer can we tolerate and abide deliberate and provocative attacks upon our covenant agreement (Book of Discipline) and polity. And now our court of last resort has failed the church.

If it means dividing the church - - then so be it.

Let those who insist on disobeying our covenant loose. Loose them from our covenant agreement and let them organize a church that has a polity and discipline that meets their standards, passions and desires.

These are essentials where we absolutely cannot find unity!

Our umbrella is big - - but it does have its drip edge!



A Jim Lane Commentary
March 20, 2004