Missionary Renegade: RMN Western Jurisdiction - October Update for Friday, 26 October 2018 from The Reconciliation Ministry Network of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Friday, October 26, 2018

RMN Western Jurisdiction - October Update for Friday, 26 October 2018 from The Reconciliation Ministry Network of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States

RMN Western Jurisdiction - October Update for Friday, 26 October 2018 from The Reconciliation Ministry Network of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States

The Road to St. Louis

When I moved to Berkeley, CA from the Philippines on August 19, 2003 I was a gay clergy deep in the closet. Today, I am the only out gay United Methodist clergy from a conference outside the United States. I have maintained my membership in the Philippines Annual Conference to hold my bishop and conference accountable to me, and me to them. I want to remain in covenant with my home conference so we can continue the dialogue on LGBTQ justice and strengthen our relationships.
The special 2019 General Conference in St. Louis, MO is important to me as a United Methodist from a central conference. This is the first time - in our collective struggle for LGBTQ equality in the UMC - that votes from conferences outside the United States will play a pivotal role in potentially taking down some of the language in the UMC Book of Discipline that are harmful to LGBTQ persons and our allies. It is statistically impossible to pass any single plan by simple majority without the swing vote of GC delegates from central conferences.
I am aware that there is active organizing in the central conferences. The Wesleyan Covenant Association is proffering schism in the Philippines. This breaks my heart. While I live within the bounds of California-Nevada Conference - a Reconciling conference, and within a progressive Western Jurisdiction, my heart remains in the Philippines - the land of my birth and the church that cradled and nurtured my faith. It would be privileged of me to say I am done with them and that I'm taking my marbles elsewhere. I believe that God is never done with my own people. God is not yet done with me either! Grace has taught me that. The best way for me to carry on as a witness to the UMC in the Philippines is to continue the dialogue and maintain my missional relationships with my central conference. That is what perfection in love looks like to me in our given context.
I ask for your prayers and support for Reconciling United Methodists organizing in the Philippines. They are courageous, passionate, and very dear to my heart. If you want to support organizing in our central conferences in Africa, the Philippines, and Europe, please contact me by clicking on the button below. Thank you!
Blessings,

Rev. Dr. Israel I. Alvaran
Western Jurisdiction Organizer
Phone: 510-717-4894
izzy@rmnetwork.org
Support for Central Conference Organizing
GC 2019 Toolkit
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WHEN: The workshop is usually scheduled on a Saturday from 9AM – 5PM (lunch/snacks provided by the host church)
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