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CalPac response to Gay Marriage |
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Dear Members of the California-Pacific Annual Conference:
Last week, following sessions of prayer and Holy Conferencing held during the 2008 Annual Session, members of the Annual Conference approved three resolutions concerning same-gender marriage. The text of each resolution can be found at www.cal-pac.org. Each resolution offers support to same-gender couples who enter into the marriage covenant and encourages both congregations and pastors to welcome, embrace and provide spiritual nurture and pastoral care for these families.
The Conference Leadership Team and the Cabinet offers this initial letter of guidance for understanding and interpreting these resolutions. Adoption or approval of resolutions at Annual Conference means that the annual conference has identified common ground from which we seek to live faithfully. It does not mean that all conference members personally agree with the action or that members of local congregations must agree. It does mean is that this is the current statement of our annual conference.
With that background, we offer our understanding of the effect of the Annual Conference resolutions:
1. The resolutions acknowledge the legality of same-gender marriages in the State of California, and that the gospel calls us to be in pastoral care with same-gender couples who seek to marry.
2. The resolutions call upon our churches to be welcoming and embracing of same-gender couples and to reject heterosexism.
3. The resolutions call for compassion and understanding in dealing with any charges brought against pastors in our annual conference who conduct same-gender marriage ceremonies.
4. The resolutions calls upon United Methodists to work to defeat the California Marriage Protection Amendment on the November 2008 ballot
5. The resolutions do not change any aspect of church law or policy in The Book of Discipline (2004 and 2008,) which state in &341.6 that "ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches."*
In this regard, the Episcopal office and its extension through the District Superintendents fulfill two roles, pastoral and supervisory (presidential). In their pastoral role they want to affirm that the Bishop and cabinet are available for counsel, encouragement, support, and reflection. In the supervisory or presidential role, they are officers of the church and responsible for upholding the order of the Discipline. Despite their diverse individual perspectives, they are obligated to process complaints arising from breaches of these provisions in a manner appropriate to the circumstances.
Our covenant with each other to obey the provisions of The Book of Discipline may lead to the filing of charges against any pastor who violates provisions of the Discipline. The Book of Discipline does not mandate particular punishments for particular offenses so the consequences for violating the Discipline would be up to the deciding body dealing with the charge.
In considering pastoral care, rituals and celebrations, pastors and congregations will need to understand the rules, risks and the scope of consequences as well as recognizing the continuum of possible ministries which can be offered.
In adopting these resolutions, our Annual Conference has acted in its prophetic role to declare our conviction that the gospel of Jesus Christ calls us to support and embrace men and women who love someone of the same gender and who seek to pledge their love and commitment in a public way.
We recognize the diverse perspectives shared on this issue within our community of faith. Therefore, we remain committed to be in conversation with each other about our beliefs and our desire to "Do no harm," as Wesley describes it. We invite your faithful participation in this work of discernment and leadership.
May we, as covenantal members of the California-Pacific Annual Conference, respond with compassion and understanding as we live out our faith in this time and place.
The Conference Leadership Team and Cabinet
*The cabinet statement read during Conference Session and quoted afterward referenced an action of the General Conference extending the prohibition against holy unions to marriage. Subsequent research has determined that no such action was adopted or recorded.
Copied from: http://www.cal-pac.org/con_News_Conference.cfm?c=1001691&v=3
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