My photo du jour is Irene’s stollen.  At our house we began the day with her cake… Wonderful… then we went off to church.

It’s Christmas Season… and while I’m not in the mood for ranting, some “stuff” that happens cries out for more than a ho-hum response.  I’ve followed the news reports coming out of Pennsylvania  about  Methodist Pastor Frank Schaefer who was stripped of his credentials after he decided to violate church rules knowing full well that his disobedience to the institutions requirements could get him defrocked. He officiated at his gay son’s marriage.  His denomination’s decision to punish him will almost surely push thousands of parishioners in Methodist churches all over America to decide they can no longer ignore the institution’s prohibition of a relationship between two people who happen to be a same gender couple. Civil laws in the majority of states don’t prohibit same gender couple from loving each other… they just can’t be married to each other.  The Methodist Church, among several religious institutions, not only refuses to allow their clerics to officiate at same gender weddings in buildings the church owns,  it refuses to allow ordained Methodist clergy to officiate at same gender weddings no matter the venue.  Furthermore, Methodist clergy may not serve same gender Christian couples who simply wish to have a ritual of blessing in states where gay marriage is not allowed.  As a matter of fact, sexual relations as expressions of love between same gender persons are explicitly forbidden because such behaviors are considered “not consistent with the Christian Gospel.”

Some Christians serious about their commitment to civil justice and love for all people may continue a relationship with a church because of the obvious good it does in community, but many will find ways other than church membership for affirming and promoting civil justice and love. Several years ago I withdrew formally my membership from a Methodist Church.  I sent a letter asking for my name to be stricken from the membership roll.   For several reasons I continue to “go to church.”  I especially like the actual inclusiveness of the Methodist Church where I attend services, inclusiveness in spite of the prohibition in the Methodist Book of Discipline.  The church hires employees known to be gay. I like the physical church, the beauty of the sanctuary. I like the music. I like the clergy who cry out for the denomination to change its institutional insistence that LGBT persons may  participate in some of the sacraments but not in others. I have held onto a belief that I can do more to effect change by my presence  in the community, even as a non-member, than I could by staying away altogether. Sometimes like now, however,  as I think about Frank Schaefer, I find myself wondering if I should disassociate myself altogether from the Methodist church… wondering if I am wasting my time and energy. 

I am encouraged to continue because Bishop Minerva Carcaño has invited Fran Schaefer to serve in ministry in the California-Pacific  conference. She says she has no power as bishop to reinstate Schaefer’s ministerial credentials, but she indicated a willingness to seek procedures that could lead to his credentials being restored to him. I like what she does and what she says… Carcaño acknowledged that she holds no power to reinstate Schaefer’s ministerial credentials, but that she will continue to seek a way to do it.  “I believe that the time has come for United Methodists to stand on the side of Jesus and declare in every good way that the Unit ed Methodist Church is wrong in its position on homosexuality,” Carcaño wrote.  “Frank Schaefer chose to stand with Jesus as he extended love and care to his gay son and his partner.  We should stand with him and others who show such courage and faithfulness.”  The senior pastor of the church which I attend has said he likes and supports Bishop Carcaño’s decision to stand with Frank Schaefer.