These past few
weeks many in The United Methodist Church experienced just the latest moments
of pain and anguish at the hands of our church. The trial of Rev. Frank
Schaefer for celebrating the wedding of his son, Tim, to his partner several
years ago was held in Pennsylvania this month. It was a gut-wrenching trial, conviction,
and penalty phase. It had to have been an unbelievably painful moment for Frank
and his family – and was, as well, for many persons and groups working for full
inclusion in the UMC.
Previous to
this, the Council of Bishops asked for charges to be filed against retired UM
Bishop Melvin Talbert for performing the wedding of two men in Georgia. The
request to file charges was another blow to many who have felt blow after blow
in the church. And there are more trials, most likely, on the horizon.
They have
brought about yet more instances of anger and frustration for many in The
United Methodist Church. And it has been another time of crying out in
righteous indignation and “hearing” the absurd silence of too many in the
church.
Also this
past week, I sat in a movie theater watching the Robert Redford movie All is Lost. The movie is about a man
fighting the elements after his yacht is damaged while sailing alone in the
Indian Ocean. It is, in my opinion, a cinematic masterpiece. The images - both
under and above the water - were stunning to the point of almost being
overwhelming. The acting job by Redford is a tour de force. I sat breathless
for much of the movie. It was simply incredible.
The movie is
at the same time one of the loudest and the quietest movies I have seen
experienced.
The crashing
waves, spooling lines of rope, surging storms, spilling cargo, billowing sails,
and howling wind are so loud at times that it makes the listener uncomfortable
– but not because the volume was loud. It was because of the impact of the
sounds.
The reason
for this heightened audible impact was because the main character, Redford,
only speaks three times in the entire movie. The sounds from other elements of
the film are even more profound due to the absence of speaking from the only
actor ever seen on screen.
Redford only
speaks three times in the entire movie –
First he
speaks into a radio he is trying to repair and pleads for someone to hear his
SOS. He says it over and over several times asking for anyone to hear his cry
of desperation. His voice is raspy and dry. The suffering he has already endured
is evident. He is pleading for help. He
is asking for someone to hear his plea. But it is clear that no one hears his
cry.
LGBTQ folks
in the UMC have cried out for years for someone to hear their pain. Cries for
help and change have gone unheard and unheeded by too many in the church. We cannot even seem to be heard enough to
agree that we disagree on the issue of homosexuality in our church. It’s as if
the apparatus we are using to cry out is broken and the message is unable to
get to those who need to hear. Or maybe they hear, but choose to ignore the
anguish because they are so certain in their own positions on the issue.
Second he
cried out in rage when his predicament becomes worse and worse – crying out in
a loud voice “Fu#k” with all of the righteous indignation he could muster. We
are beyond that point in the UMC. There is no way to know how many LGBTQ
persons have felt our denomination, how many pastors have left over our position
on sexuality, or how many person called into ministry have said way will they
venture into our system. Many do so in deep pain – crying out with all of the
righteous indignation they can muster. The strains are loud right now – on both
sides of the debate. But the painful anguish of those excluded is pushing our
church and I for one will continue to cry out with them.
The final
time he speaks in the film is crying out to a passing ship, “Here! I’m here!
Here! Help me!” The United Methodist Church often seems to be a gigantic passing
ship not even aware of those who they have left behind. But I know many who are
keenly aware. And many who are working hard to make their voices and their
stories heard and known. We have Bishops, District Superintendents, pastors,
laity, and leaders from all kinds of positions in the church whose hearts and
minds are being changed to be receptive to the cry for full inclusion in our
church.
In the end,
the voices of those calling for inclusion are getting louder and louder. The
media sees the UMC as a bully right now. Many are decrying the fact that
despite the rules, a father celebrating the marriage of his son and his partner
should not result in a church trial. Many are looking for our church – one of
the last mainline Protestant denominations to embrace inclusion – to be who we
say we are, United. Many are calling on our church to live out our doctrine and
theology of grace. And many are pleading with rasping voices for our motto, Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors, to
finally come into reality.
All is not
lost – justice will prevail. Because I believe that grace is bigger than
exclusion and inclusion will win in the end.
