Letter from Bishop Linda Lee on Judicial Council Decision 1032

[Note: Below is a letter which appeared recently in the Wisconsin Annual Conference Newsletter, Communique. Since, I have not found that letter elsewhere on the web, I reproduce it below. General permission was given to reproduce the content of Communique]

December 2005

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

At its fall 2005 meeting the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church made 32 decisions of church law. The structure of the United Methodist Church resembles that of the U.S. government. General Conference is the legislative branch; Judicial Council is the "supreme court." The Council of Bishops is similar to the executive branch but, although the Council has a president, elected every two years, there is no single general officer or executive of The United Methodist Church.

One of the decisions made by the Judicial Council was #1032. This decision included a response to the question of whether a pastor must receive into church membership anyone who is able to receive, affirm and promise to affirm the vow of membership. In this instance, it was a person who is homosexual.

This decision of the judicial body of our Church has caused alarm among what appears to be a significant segment across our membership. In the Council of Bishops there was enough concern about the implications of this decision, that at our November meeting we drafted a unanimous response including the following understanding of our Constitution:

"The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth. All persons without regard to race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking the vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection."

The first criteria for membership in the United Methodist Church and the Church universal is our relationship with Jesus Christ. Everything else we do and commit to flows from that relationship.

in addition to my understanding that the words of our constitution are clear, I have a couple of other questions about this decision.

I affirm the duty and responsibility of appointed pastors to "exercise responsible pastoral judgement in determining who may be received into the membership of a local church," (Decision #1032). However, I believe the Judicial Council interpretation of this responsibility sets a precedent that allows determination of membership to be based on criteria which are neither Biblical nor Disciplinary. It opens a door that has the potential to set human relations in our nation and denomination back 50 years or more because it allows for an arbitrary standard of church membership that can be easily abused. This decision also has the potential to undermine the covenant of the clergy session and the supervisory responsibilities of Cabinets and Bishops.

This kind of decision by the judicial body of our denomination is serious in its implications for the future membership of our congregations because its effect can be divisive and exclusionary. As we look toward 2006 in the Wisconsin Conference, let us join our hearts and spirits in prayer for our denomination. Let us claim the ministry of reconciliation and witness to God's love, given to us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us be clear in our convictions, open in our hearts, strong in our trust in God and abiding in love for one another. It is by our love that the world will know that we are Jesus' disciples.

"Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain - Spirit - where we all come to drink. The old labels we once used to identify ourselves - labels like Jew or Greek, slave or free - are no longer useful. We need something larger, something more comprehensive." (I Corinthians 12: 27)

That more is this:

"You are Christ's body - that's who you are! You must never forget this." (I Corinthians 12: 27)

In Christ's Spirit,

Bishop Linda Lee