Comments on: Bad news from the United Methodists http://boyinthebands.com/archives/bad-news-from-the-united-methodists/ Scott Wells on the practice of Christian faith Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:10:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Tim Cravens http://boyinthebands.com/archives/bad-news-from-the-united-methodists/#comment-47674 Tim Cravens Sun, 04 May 2008 00:26:35 +0000 http://boyinthebands.com/?p=2554#comment-47674 Here is something that baffles me: the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist denomination prohibits any celebration of a same-sex blessing of any kind on their organization's property. That means that if a church that is not United Methodist rents space from a local United Methodist congregation, that church cannot hold a same-sex wedding or other blessing, regardless of its own doctrine or policy. Despite this, there is a Metropolitan Community Church (which came into being specifically to minister to lgbt folk) near me that rents the fellowship hall of a dying United Methodist congregation, having set it up as their own sanctuary. But if a couple in the Metropolitan Community Church wants to get married, they have to go somewhere else! My own congregation (fully inclusive Independent Catholic) meets in a Unitarian Universalist church's building. They have fully welcomed us, and same-sex marriages are probably the LEAST weird thing we do in their eyes! (We get funny looks during Lent when we bring in the large crucifix . . . ) We would never dream of subsidizing a United Methodist congregation, regardless of the local organization's views. Here is something that baffles me: the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist denomination prohibits any celebration of a same-sex blessing of any kind on their organization’s property. That means that if a church that is not United Methodist rents space from a local United Methodist congregation, that church cannot hold a same-sex wedding or other blessing, regardless of its own doctrine or policy.

Despite this, there is a Metropolitan Community Church (which came into being specifically to minister to lgbt folk) near me that rents the fellowship hall of a dying United Methodist congregation, having set it up as their own sanctuary. But if a couple in the Metropolitan Community Church wants to get married, they have to go somewhere else!

My own congregation (fully inclusive Independent Catholic) meets in a Unitarian Universalist church’s building. They have fully welcomed us, and same-sex marriages are probably the LEAST weird thing we do in their eyes! (We get funny looks during Lent when we bring in the large crucifix . . . ) We would never dream of subsidizing a United Methodist congregation, regardless of the local organization’s views.

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