"Hope and Action for a Just and Inclusive United Methodist Church" The Reconciling Ministries Network in Chicago, Illinois, United States

"Hope and Action for a Just and Inclusive United Methodist Church"  The Reconciling Ministries Network in Chicago, Illinois, United States

As the called General Conference approaches, more and more voices from across The United Methodist Church express both hope for the church we love and fear of an uncertain future. Perspectives and suggested solutions vary greatly, shining a spotlight on our diversity.
We, the undersigned, reject fear and recommit ourselves to the path of love, justice, and hope, remembering that "there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18) and that our faith gives us "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Heb 11:1).
As clergy and laity who celebrate people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, we publicly renew our commitment to a just and fully inclusive United Methodist Church - a global denomination that is welcoming of LGBTQ people in the life and leadership of the church.
We recommit ourselves to ongoing prayer, study, dialogue, relationship building, and advocacy and we continue our work for a church in which:

• people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are equally welcomed, loved, and celebrated, both in policy and practice
• all whom God calls to ordained ministry are nurtured, educated, ordained, and appointed based solely on their gifts and graces without regard for sexual orientation or gender identity
• laity called to serve are employed and dismissed based solely on their gifts and graces without regard for sexual orientation or gender identity
• all people in loving, committed relationships who wish to be married are able to enter into the covenant of marriage through a service of Christian worship held in their local United Methodist churches, surrounded by their church families, and officiated by their United Methodist pastors, without regard for sexual orientation or gender identity
• our resources are equally available for the care of all people without regard for sexual orientation or gender identityWe renew our commitment to:
• remain in intentional relationship with all willing to journey with us
• create and invest in opportunities through which we share and grow with United Methodists who hold differing beliefs and perspectivesWe renew our commitment to:
• do no harm, do all the good we can, and love God as we continue to build a just and inclusive church.

If you are interested in being an active part of continuing education, ministry, and witness for justice for LGBTQ people in The United Methodist Church, please sign your name to this letter by following the button below.
Add your signature and view a list of hands-on opportunities

You may have noticed that the top of this email was missing the familiar "Flashnet" heading. The information in these emails will remain as insightful and pertinent as ever, but they will be coming under a new name with a new look! This year we are launching many new ways to get involved in the movement, and we wanted a fresh, clean look to match! You don't want to miss upcoming emails, so if you need to update your information to ensure you keep receiving them, follow the button below.

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