Trinity United Methodist Church - Austin, Texas

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead.

--Albert Einstein




Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done, in whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

--Martin Rinkert (1663)




“1DER”

--seen on a license plate in Hyde Park this week




Let us praise God. Oh Lord, oooh you are so big. So absolutely huge. Gosh, we’re all really impressed down here, I can tell you. Forgive us, O Lord, for this dreadful toadying and barefaced flattery. But you are so strong and, well, just so super. Fantastic. Amen.

--Michael Palin in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life

Unlike previous General Conferences (GC), where there was a direct downward spiral legislatively on LGBTQ inclusion, this Fort Worth's Future With Hope was mixed.

* GC kept the original basic membership language that was
misinterpreted in JC #1032 (49%-51%), but strengthened open
transfers of membership and later by a 2/3rds vote replaced a
"list" to include with the words "ministry to all" in the UM
Constitution section on Inclusivity.
* GC maintained "the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with
Christian teaching" (45%-55%) while it added "loving caregivers"
and "same-sex couples with children" to the definition of family.
* GC kept a funding ban on "promoting homosexuality" but stressed
that it could not be used to "reject or condemn lesbian and gay
members and friends" and further passed anti-homophobia,
anti-heterosexism pieces that mandated providing resources to
educate and reduce harm.
* Finally, GC gave us two peaks to celebrate: 1) the election of
moderates to the Judicial Council who hopefully can tell the
difference between "may" and "shall" in the eligibility section
for membership and 2) the refusal to discriminate against
transgender persons -- lay or clergy.

What smoothed the ride out on this roller coaster was the consistent spirit presence of the One Family Tree witness from the Parent's lunch, Young Adult drumming and rally, Reconciling Worship at First UMC, Good Friday "die in" and "Were You There?" floor witness, to the Easter hope wedding of Sue Laurie and Julie Bruno. We started with family and ended with family. We can't create One Family Tree by human means alone, but God can with and through us. Remembering our long-haul mission, planning for 2012 in Florida has already begun.

–Rev. Troy Plummer, Reconciling Ministries Network


( Trinity at General Conference )