Confused? I am

 It is important to have fun, laugh and enjoy each other.    

Take time to glance thru Garrison Keillor on “Those People called Methodists”.   Garrison captures what connects all United Methodist and the grace we live in each and every day.   In a very straight forward picture.

Many are confused... 

After 10 months I am more confused then ever about the whole discernment process and what it is we are doing?   And I am discovering it is not just me!

• At our open discussion group last night (Sept. 17) a gentle lady was very confused.  She thought the discernment was about GMC and then all these other meetings happened, this and that, and this other church was invited.  It seems like the message changed and someone dropped the ball.  Can someone explain what happened.   Leaders replied with lots of words, but no clarity. 
  
  
• At the same open meeting, a gentle Methodists man shared how there is so much information and it is all confusing.   Can someone summarize the pro/con of each option in 25 words or less?   The leaders replied with the same platitudes (narrative that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful).  No clear picture. 
  
  
• Today the leaders responded via email to a "lot of questions from the congregation - "Why is Bethany leadership team making a recommendation now".    The answer is again vague and redirects attention - we were "directed by the Administrative Board to make a recommendation".  Never did we ever hear this at any of the AdBoard meetings.    All this time the lead team has been prodding the AdBoard to action.   What is going on?    Who in the AdBoard asked for this?   Did the AdBoard vote on this?
  
  
• The trustees said in the operational video that we can not hold certain meetings because of the UMC.   When asked at the open discussion what meeteings?  - the answer given was a) the UMC prevents Bethany from hold meetings promoting new churches and b) the trustees would not have too answer to the district for any meetings.   The trustees would be fully accountable. Huh?   What is going on? 
  
  
• When asked about apportionments at the open meeting the pastor said "it not just about LGBTQ issues; historically, many have been upset that funds are going to justice movements, abortion agencies, and other agencies. And we've had no way to control where/how the UMC funds are distributed?"   What?   So confused!  None of this was never discussed in any open forum meeting.   Is the independent option about politicizing the church?

What I am sure of...

The only thing I feel sure about is that staying with the UMC:

1. On Oct 2nd we can start working on building a more inclusive church - work already begun. 
2. Leaving is not an option on the sexuality issues... we CAN WORK TOGETHER ON IT. 
3. I know that 70%+ of the congregation is pro-UMC from AdBoard meeting on survey #2. 
4. I know that "Becoming fully inclusive" was the top priority (after discipleship/fellowship). 
   
   
   
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5. We can begin the real work of reconciling our different viewpoints.   
1. GMC (traditionalist) will be empowered to work on building connections. 
2. Allies/LGBTQ advocates will be empowered to work on building connections. 
   
6. Bethany becomes the model for a diverse inclusive Methodist church in Austin, Texas and the World.

Straight talk is needed. 

What is straight talk?

It reminds me of the old story of a young man seeking to understand God's word.

• So he goes to a Rabbi leader and asks - this Torah book is very big with LOTs of words and stories... can you please summarized in 1-2 sentences what this is about?   The experienced Rabbi rants and rants - what a foolish question... one must spend years reading and discerning the book. 
  
  
• The young man really wants to understand this God thing - so he goes off to several other rabbies but gets the same reaction. 
  
  
• Finally, the young man asks the most wise Rabbi and he answered.  "It is very simple, all of God's Word can be summed up in a single statement - DO NO HARM!"