Dear Bishop Connie Shelton,
You mentioned in your video, that you are keen to remove the harmful language in the Methodist book of discipline, around homosexuality. You then you went on to gas light UMC members that disagree with your position as having ‘Vilification’ and ‘Demonisation’ as a part of their personal character. You then suggested that the same people take their ‘Mean Spirited Arrogance with them and leave the United Methodist Church”…
People are certainly leaving the United Methodist Church this week and taking their buildings and church property with them, yet none of them are people with issues around ‘Vilification or Demonisation”. Neither are they Mean Spirited or Arrogant.., – Yet on that, it also can be true that what we see in others, that we most dislike; often can be what is actually true of ourselves first and foremost. I’d ask you and the remaining leadership of the United Methodist Church to prayerfully consider that suggestion.
We are not Vilifying Bigots because we believe in Holiness and Purity before God,
We don’t “Demonise” anyone, not even you Connie. The hand of true Reconciliation has long been offered to you and your fellow leaders, yet its you, and your group that have chosen to close the door on being reconciled.
We are not full of hate because we reject sinful behaviour. We do emphasise the words of Jesus though, to tell people that have come to Him to ‘Go and Sin no More”; because of the freedom that it brings from being enslaved to the world and its various substances, addictions and worldly values.
You’ve taught us what its like to not go along with the crowd and for that I am grateful. Seeing the many people and congregations voting themselves out of the United Methodist Church these last weeks, has been an incredibly liberating experience and the freedom and joy that its bringing to congregations, all over the nation is a miracle in itself. Being set apart for the Christian Faith that John and Charles Wesley founded and not following you and the peer pressure given to make the doctrinal changes to embrace the Unitarian Universalist Faith is certainly the harder physical choice, but its the choice that God is calling us to make as we seek to follow Him and the call that He has placed on our churches and us as individuals and groups before Him.
Farewell Bishop Connie Shelton; as the true number of the UMC churches leaving under your watch, becomes known; do not forget, that you can reopen the door to turning back to the truth of Scripture, and the Christian Faith that these Methodist churches burn for, any time you wish. Join with us in prayer, for the many new GMC churches that are being planted, out of the UMC churches that voted to stay UMC. Either way, Christ will be glorified here today, irrespective of anything that is done or said here. Yet know that the invitation to being reconciled is still open to you. For as Jesus said…,
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come to him and dine with him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on my throne as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne”.
Peace., if you want it,
dontmakemeangrymrmcgee 