Protesters objecting to the adoption of the Traditional Plan protest outside the United Methodist Church’s 2019 Special Session of the General Conference in St. Louis, Mo., on Feb. 26. (Sid Hastings/Associated Press)

Nick Totin | Contributing Writer
nick@nicktotin.com

The United Methodist Church has voted to continue its prohibition on LGBTQ weddings and ministers during a special meeting of the general conference in St. Louis, Mo., this week. The delegation of more than 800 clergy and laity from multiple countries voted 438 to 384 to approve the Traditional Plan. The TP faced hours of delay as opponents of the plan made moves to stall the voting process or make the proposal unable to be voted on.

Another plan that aimed to be inclusive of the LGBTQ community was defeated on multiple accounts during general conference proceedings. The One Church Plan would have allowed churches to decide individually on celebrating same-sex marriages and the inclusion of openly-LGBTQ people in ministry. This plan was supported by a majority of bishops.

A DFW area UMC pastor said this week he believes the work for inclusion will continue in the Dallas area.

“Most of the Methodist leaders I know are in shock,” said the Rev. Eric Folkerth, head pastor at The Woods UMC in Grand Prairie, formerly pastor of Northaven UMC in Dallas. “They believed there was a legitimate chance for a positive change at this general conference and instead the [Traditional Plan] was passed.”

The Traditional Plan still faces an uphill battle to become church law, as many believe it is not in line with the church’s constitution.

“It should be said that it is almost certainly to be struck down by the Judicial Council,” Folkerth said. “But we cannot look past the fact that roughly 55 percent of delegates voted in favor of [it], and that is incredibly shocking and depressing to me.”

The Rev. Timothy Bruster from Central Texas made a motion to request the Judicial Council review the constitutionality of the Traditional Plan. The delegates approved the motion by a vote of 405-395.

The Judicial Council is scheduled to meet in April in Evanston, Ill. Should the council find the Traditional Plan to be unconstitutional, none of its changes will be implemented in the denomination’s Book of Discipline.

Following the vote on the Traditional Plan, the delegates voted on legislation to allow churches to disaffiliate from the UMC and retain their property. That petition passed.

According to UMNews, Council of Bishops President Kenneth H. Carter said that bishops will have a heavy task of outreach ahead. “We are going to do a lot of outreach to progressives to say, ‘We see you,’” Carter said.

Bishop Michael McKee of the North Texas Conference released a statement following the conference: “To the LGBTQ persons in our churches and communities, I want to say that no legislation will change my conviction that you are beloved children of God and that you can count on the churches of North Texas to continue to be welcoming and safe spaces for you.”

McKee did not explicitly say whether or not the conference or individual churches in North Texas have made plans to separate from the denomination. He noted that it will take time for the full implication of the Traditional Plan to be seen and that “what it all will mean for the North Texas Conference is a story still to be written.”

The current pastor of Northaven UMC in Preston Hollow vowed to continue to defy the Book of Discipline and hold same-sex wedding ceremonies in the church despite any consequences. In a statement to the church membership, which a member sent to Dallas Voice, the

Rev. Marti Soper said: “Northaven will continue to abide by the Marriage Proposal adopted on June 26, 2016 in which our congregation voted overwhelmingly in favor of permitting all weddings at Northaven.”

Andrew Robinson, a Northaven member, said he was hopeful the General Conference would support and pass the One Church Plan.

Robinson identifies as a straight, cisgender man and an LGBTQ ally.

“I have two young boys,” he said. “I would be doing a disservice to them if I raised them in the Methodist church and they grew up and my older son wanted to marry a woman, he could get married in the church he grew up in, and if my younger son wanted to marry a man,

I would have to look my younger son in the eye and say ‘I’m sorry but I raised you in a church where your brother can get married, but you can’t’” Robinson said.

Robinson added that he is uncertain what his personal decision will be about his church affiliation because of the vote to approve the Traditional Plan. “It’s important to let queer people lead on this issue,” he said. “In the end I may leave [the denomination] because of my kids, but I will honor the LGBTQ people in my church if they are in favor of just waiting it out.”

However, for Robinson, if Northaven seeks to break with the Traditional Plan and face the consequences, he would consider staying.

“If we’re going to go back to doing weddings and participate in the church equivalent of civil disobedience,” Robinson said, he would support his church family and the LGBTQ community it supports.

The general conference will meet again in 2020 and has the opportunity to take up new legislative petitions on this issue.