Well, the annual conferences are past history now. How are we doing with this show of unity that ended General Conference in Pittsburgh? Was the Western Jurisdiction able to refrain from rebellion? Was the Discipline enforced? Kind of sounds like a soap opera doesn’t it.

Would you believe that, rather predictably, Bishop Galvan and the Pacific Northwest annual conference did not fail to disappoint? Item #1 – Karen Damman, the lesbian elder in that conference, has been continued as an elder in full connection. She is not being appointed to a church, but is eligible even though she was found by a trial court to be a self-avowed practicing homosexual. Item #2 – Katie Ladd, a lesbian who came out of the closet in 2001 at the same time Mark Williams did, has been appointed as pastor of Woodland Park United Methodist Church, the church Mark left. She has been on leave up until this year, but now has been given an appointment because she did not say she was “practicing” or have charges brought against her. Mark Williams also remains as an elder in full connection in that conference even after standing before his annual conference in 2001 and stating that he was as proud of being a practicing gay man as he was of being a United Methodist pastor. He was able to keep his credentials by refusing to answer questions related to his sexuality that were asked by the committee on investigation. He has been appointed to attend school this year. Item #3 – Another openly practicing lesbian has been elected by the PNW conference as their lay leader 2004. Item #4 – In a resolution, the PNW conference voted to affirm gay laity and clergy members of the conference, and to recognize their right to participate fully in leadership and ministry within the conference.
A lay member of the conference wrote describing what she saw as she walked around the conference floor. “There are large displays promoting the acceptance of the abominable sin of homosexual behavior. There is legislation that is proposed and adopted condoning sexual sin and the accompanying 'lifestyle'.”

The craziness is not all limited to the West Coast.

For instance, the Kansas East Annual Conference passed the following resolution disagreeing with the actions of General Conference. After revision in committee, the following petition passed 51-27, then passed the entire conference 206-199.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that:
1. the Kansas East Annual Conference indicate its disagreement with the ambiguities contained in the language of the Discipline used to describe homosexuality as "incompatible with Christian teaching";
2. the Kansas East Annual Conference structures a study over the next quadrennium that will seek to clarify the language in the Discipline to describe homosexuality in terms that are more unanimously considered theologically compatible with United Methodist tradition,
3. the Kansas East Annual Conference send a copy of this resolution to the secretary of the 2004 General Conference as a record of our disagreement with the revised statement on homosexuality.

This is in the buckle of the Bible belt.

These are just a few of the actions of our annual conferences in the wake of our display of unity. It just doesn't feel very united to me.

Could it be that our continued hemorrhage of membership and attendance could be tied to the actions of these radicals in our church? I wonder.

Next we will see what happens at our jurisdictional conferences. We’ve got to be in earnest prayer for these conferences. There will be 20 bishops chosen. The leadership we choose will be crucial to the future of our denomination.