It's here. A day I've been simultaneously waiting for with baited breath and dreading for the past three years. A million miles away (more accurately a few thousand) strangers, friends, and siblings in Christ have gathered, are currently discussing, and will decide in fewer hours than I'd like how full a member of my church I get to be.
I have been assured by clergy and laity alike that regardless of the UMC's decision today, the mission of PNW churches won't change, even though our name might. So all told, my daily life and the work I do as a queer Christian person will remain very much the same. My norm, locally, will stay consistent. And yet my anxiety remains.
Because this isn't about me. This is about something so much bigger.
Humanity needs a win. It needs power to take a step back, and recognize that it has the privilege to make change. The United Methodist Church has enough of both to be that win. We, as a body, have the ability to be a force that recognizes hate and oppression, not just against queer folks, but all marginalized groups in our midst, and rejects it. We, as a body, have the privilege to call out our own systemic bigotry, and apologize for the harm it has done. And I pray that we, as a body, have the grace and compassion to hear hurt when our siblings tell us they are hurting. And the humility to recognize that reconciliation is healthier than denial. And the love for our fellow humans that can lead to that reconciliation.
We need a win. We need oppression to speak to power and for power to hear it, really hear it, and recognize the wrong that it has done the oppressed. We need Jesus' real teachings, the ones about love, and peace, and being light in the world to outweigh legalistic understandings about who is worthy of that love.
Please be that win. Please let this General Conference be the one that we can proudly proclaim lifted up the lowly and and hurt and broken, and put the needs of others before the misguided prejudice of power.
