(Rev. 2/12/20)

HISTORY OF THE WAY FORWARD MOVEMENT AT CENTRAL CHURCH:

Issues have been raised that strike at the heart of Christianity in America and the soul of the Church.  In February 2019, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church voted to approve legislation which retains and enforces the church's laws prohibiting LGBTQ persons for full inclusion in the church.

Pastors Dale and Chris appreciate the ways that Central has already been a welcoming congregation that has tried to be compatible and accepting of differences.  They are available to hear questions and concerns, to pray with you, and to guide Central UMC into a hope-filled future. In doing this, they intend to honor the gospel of the hospitality practices this church has lived out for a decade: To fully include our gay neighbors in this Christian community.

At this time, because of Central's tradition of championing social justice and sharing a message of love and acceptance of all, we must stand in opposition to our denomination which is telling gay members and friends that they can't be gay and be Methodist. No other group is being told by the United Methodist Church that their lives are "Incompatible with Christian teaching" except LGBTQ persons.  This is unacceptable.

In response to the decisions made by General Conference in regards to this issue, the Church Council of Central UMC has made the following recommendations:

• Central will remain affiliated with the United Methodist Church as church leaders from around the world seek to create a more open Methodist Church. We will pay our ministry shares (financial support) to the denomination because we want it to be strong as it works through this.
• We will not be anxious or reactionary.
• We will create a task force to explore what it means to become a "Reconciling Congregation" so that we are globally recognized as being accepting of all persons, including LGBTQ persons. As a Reconciling Congregation, we will join over 1000 United Methodist congregations and communities who have already affiliated with Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), embracing the goal of full inclusion of LGBTQ persons in the church, both in policy and in practice.  Read more about RMN here:  rmnetwork.org

As part of our exploration process to become a Reconciling Congregation, we held several education opportunities for the congregation.  Following are links to audio recordings of those sessions. 

Additionally, we have created a list of FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS and a GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS . We encourage you to read these documents prior to attending the upcoming church meeting, and make note of important dates listed on this page.  Please continue to refer to these documents as new questions may arise during our exploration process.

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On Sunday, July 7, 2019 we held a membership vote on whether Central Church should have a clearer and more intentional welcome for those who identify as LGBTQ.
With a total of 437 ballots cast (absentee and in-person), the majority of our church members agreed (87.5%) to become a Reconciling Congregation and (89.6%) to add additional language to our welcome statement that names this deeper hospitality.  
We appreciate all who came to the meeting and cast their votes either in-person or by absentee ballot.

SEE THE RESULTS OF THE MEMBERSHIP VOTE HERE

What happens next? 
On Sunday, July 21, 2019, Central Church celebrated its official designation as a Reconciling Congregation registered with the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN).  As part of this designation, our revised Welcome Statement appears on our Sunday Worship Bulletins and in several locations throughout the building. This designation allows us to be included in the RMN nationwide directory, so when persons are looking for welcoming congregations, they will see Central’s name included there.

As a reminder, this vote was not about leaving the United Methodist denomination. 
Like most United Methodists, we are anticipating the 2020 General Conference May 5-15, 2020 in Minneapolis, MN, in hope that a new Methodism will emerge which allows for conferences and churches to practice ministry according to their conscience and context.  Central's Way Forward Task Force continues to monitor developments as we approach the conference and will keep the congregation updated as official information becomes available through the United Methodist News Service.

Additionally, once General Conference 2020 has concluded, we will begin to consider if Central Church will host same-gender weddings in our building. Central has long practiced radical hospitality toward visitors and guests. Now our LGBTQ neighbors will know that, in spite of the action our denomination has taken, they are fully welcome here.

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As part of our exploration process to become a Reconciling Congregation, we held several education opportunities for the congregation.  Following are links to audio recordings of those sessions. 

Additionally, we have created a list of FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS and a GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS for your reference.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES:
Becoming a Reconciling Congregation: Why Be an Inclusive Church?
(The following are links to audio recordings of education sessions held at Central Church)

May 8, 2019 - Part 1: Scripture: "What the Bible Says" presented by Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann

PODCAST

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May 15, 2019 - Part 2: Theology: "Toward a Theology of Inclusion" presented by Rev. Dr. Dean Francis

PODCAST

NOTES

May 22, 2019 - Part 3: Practice: "What is it like to be part of a Reconciling Congregation?" presented by Rev. Dr. Dean Francis and Sue Halsey

PODCAST

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