There Has Been a Shift in the Force

There has been a shift in the force – did you feel it? 

The United Methodist Church operates on a quadrennium schedule. This means that all the laws, rules, policies, and practices of the United Methodist Church globally are updated every four years. Every four years clergy have particular training they must complete (such as training on ethics and boundaries) and who serves on committees for the United Methodist Church shifts. 

This year we saw a major shift in our polity. You may remember – or have heard about – the restrictive language that was removed from our Book of Discipline by an overwhelming vote at this past General Conference. In 1972 the General Conference of the United Methodist Church added what we called the “incompatibility clauses” to the Book of Discipline. These clauses stated that “homosexuality was incompatible with Christian teaching” and polity stated that “self-avowed and practicing homosexuals” were not to be ordained into the life of the church – though we would still welcome them as members. 

This is when we saw the development of the Reconciling Ministries Network. In 1984 RMN was established, working toward full inclusion of the LGBTQIA2S+ community in the local church. First Church became a member of RMN in 1993, just 9 years after RMN was established, and in so doing declared they weren’t going to stand for the discriminatory practices in the Book of Discipline. 

In doing this, First Church broke church law. They opened themselves to the possibility that queer clergy could serve in church leadership and did the work of welcoming others into the life of the congregation. After the special called conference of 2019, the Western Jurisdiction declared that they were a Safe Harbor jurisdiction and offered appointments to any queer clergy who were not safe to serve openly in the places where they were appointed. 

At the close of the 2024 General Conference, all the votes that were put in place to eliminate the restrictive discipline were put into practice. Immediately following the adjournment of the 2024 General Conference the incompatibility clause was no more. Queer clergy, no matter their location, can serve openly and faithfully in the United Methodist Church. 

This is 2025, and the new Book of Discipline is always released in January of the year immediately following General Conference. For months revisions have been made and the discipline has gone through a number of editors to ensure contradictions are resolved and all polity changes enacted by legislative vote at General Conference make it to the final edition. 

My 2024 Book of Discipline arrived on Thursday of last week. There was little fanfare. Matt brought me an envelope and told me I had a package; I thanked them and added the package to the top of my other stack of books. I didn’t even open the package until Monday of this week. 

Friends, this is the first Book of Discipline that I have purchased to own for myself. This is the first Book of Discipline that has been printed in my lifetime that does not ban me from participating as ordained clergy in the full life of the church. 

When I opened the book I half expected to find those phrases there still, telling me what I could and could not do as queer clergy. But it wasn’t there. None of the words that had previously banned me from participating in the full life of the church were printed. 

I took a breath, and it was like a weight had been lifted. 

Before our social principles stated: “All persons need the ministry of the Church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God’s grace is available to all. We will seek to live together in a Christian community, welcoming, forgiving, and loving one another, as Christ has loved and accepted us. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.” (emphasis added), para. 161.G, 2016 Book of Discipline 

Now, our social principles state: “We affirm human sexuality as a sacred gift and acknowledge that sexual intimacy contributes to fostering the emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being of individuals and to nurturing healthy sexual relationships that are grounded in love, care, and respect. Human sexuality is a healthy and natural part of life that is expressed in wonderfully diverse ways from birth to death. It is shaped by a combination of nature and nurture: heredity and genetic factors on one hand and childhood development and environment on the other. We further honor the diversity of choices and vocations in relation to sexuality such as celibacy, marriage, and singleness. We support the rights of all people to exercise personal consent in sexual relationships, to make decisions about their own bodies and be supported in these decisions, to receive comprehensive sexual education, to be free from sexual exploitation and violence, and to have access to adequate sexual health care.” para. 162.C, 2024 Book of Discipline 

These changes happened because of the work you have done and the commitment you have had to engage in healthy relationships regardless of gender and sexuality. Thanks to you and the work you have done, I can serve without fear. 

I never thought that a book of church law would bring a smile to my face, but this one has, in the best ways. 

May it allow you to breathe a little easier, too. 

Yours in Community, 
Rev. Rachel