Post submitted on May 3, 2012 by Amory Peck, First Elected Lay Delegate to General Conference and Conference Lay Leader. Mary Simpson-Stanton praying during morning plenary on Friday, May 4 by Patrick Scriven.
Friends,
I’m up, dressed, mostly awake. Ready to head to the last day of General Conference. The main thought in my head is “I want to go home.” Home to my partner, Linda, of course. Home to regular routines. Home, too, to Garden Street UMC — it will be especially good to be in a reconciling congregation this next Sunday. Home to my Annual Conference (not everyone’s in agreement there, but most are wonderfully supportive of a fully inclusive church. Home to the Western Jurisdiction and the ways we do church and God.
If you’re reading this post, you’ve most likely been following the actions of General Conference. You know that yesterday (Thursday) morning was wrenchingly difficult. Not only were the petitions on full inclusion soundly defeated, but, the discussion was difficult — and, at times, hateful. One translator apologized — and then (according to my French speaking friends) tempered what was being said.
The joy in the day was the support of the PNW delegation, standing, singing, praying and crying with hundreds of others. When we gathered (illegally) around the communion table, when we broke bread and took the cup together, we were truly in the presence of a loving God.
And so, we’ll gather for one final day. We’ll continue the business of conference. Business that, I’m afraid, has too often been motivated by attempts for power and control. Business that has been focused on the tedium of details on how we handle business and short on how we live out the Gospel.
It’s certainly time to end this note. I’m bone-tired, fuzzy minded, but fortunately aware that I should stop rambling.
Thank you for reading along.
Amory
I am so thankful for each one of you who has followed this call to represent us in this session. As I’ve read the reflections, the tweets, the pain and the flashes of joy in the experience, I’m even more in awe of a God who still loves us ALL in spite of our differences and calls on us to love ALL and continue to fight for the kingdom among us. Clearly, there is still a lot of work to do and maybe it is time to look for more ways between GCs to be in communion with our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world.
Dear, dear Amory. I read your morning message with grief and sorrow for the pain inflicted by hateful, controlling expressions from those within our Church that cannot yet see the Love of God fulfilled in ALL followers of Christ. Thank you for your faithful witness these two weeks and especially for yesterday’s prayerful action in the plenary.
May God’s Peace be with you and, yes, those of us back here in the Pacific Northwest await the opportunity to embrace you and extend our hands of fellowship to you and the Western Jurisdiction. I noted yesterday, however, that there were many delegates and observers from the Northeast and elsewhere in tears and pain from the non inclusive vote yet again.
Even as my memories of GC 2000 in Cleveland were evoked once again, please know that we stand with you and together.
In love and respect,
Jim
Thank you for your soulful, tireless ministry, dear Amory! May Love continue to carry you through GC and bring you home.
Get some rest! Your pain is felt by all of bus pflags in the pnwc. we are proud of you and we all STAND with u, our sister in Christ.