Rio Texas Methodist Federation for Social Action

The Judicial Council has just ruled that Bishop Jim Dorff’s decision in July regarding my ordination case is officially reversed. He originally stated that the appeal to him as Bishop about my removal from the process was “moot and hypothetical.”  The Judicial Council declared such a ruling to be insufficient.  The Bishop will now have 60 days to make a ruling on the original question which was whether or not I, as a certified candidate, could be removed from the ordination process by the Board of Ordained Ministry without an interview by them.

I am grateful that the Judicial Council recognized the need for a direct conclusion from our local Bishop about the breaking of polity at our Annual Conference.  I also hope this helps to keep the much needed conversation flowing across our conference as we await his decision.

To read more about the decision, visit:  http://archives.umc.org/interior_judicial.asp?mid=263&JDID=1366&JDMOD=VWD

Some quotes from the RMN Blog by Mary Ann, October 29, 2013

http://www.rmnblog.org/2013/10/longing-for-real-not-moot-or-hypothetical-peace.html

Our church is at a crossroad that cannot be avoided. Every individual, lay and clergy, conservative, liberal and those who hate those terms, have to make a decision. What should the relationship of The United Methodist Church be to queer people? If we want peace as a church, we have to create some holy conflict by answering this question. This is where our faith is tested.

Are we people who skirt around the opportunity to be a witness of our faith because there will be real consequences? Or are we followers of Christ, who willing enter into shadows to bring light, regardless of the consequences? I hope that as all the people of The UMC continue to find themselves at this crossroads, they will seize the opportunity to live out this faith we claim so boldly. If we are truly seekers of peace we will not avoid this conflict but we will march right into it with discerning hearts, integrity and a commitment to love above all else. I pray my bishop will no longer avoid this conversation, will enter into it with conviction and will stand for justice in our polity that we may all be one step closer to peace.