March 3, 2019 - Transfiguration Sunday - Shiny Moments Disappear Quickly

There were many beautiful moments in the service today. One was blessing Bob and praying about the surgery he is about to undergo. Creator's Quilting Group presented him with a quilt and Michael joined him with a quilt the group had previously presented him outside of a service.

Other moments were not confined strictly to the service. I have spent time taking in, and meditating on, what happened this week at the 2019 General Conference of the United Methodist Church.

For decades, the United Methodist Church has officially judged homosexual activity to be immoral, barred gays and lesbians from serving as clergy, and opposed same sex marriage.

Those conservative doctrinal positions went against prevailing cultural and social trends, at least in the United States, but they didn't split the church into rival conservative and progressive camps because church leaders rarely enforced them.

This week the Conference adopted several resolutions that not only reaffirmed the church's longstanding conservative positions but also introduced tough new measures for their enforcement. Methodist clergy who officiate at any marriage not involving a man and a woman will now face a one-year suspension for the first offense and permanent removal from the ministry for any subsequent offense.

This coincidentally contrasts against Creator's Ten Year Anniversary of Becoming an RIC church. We voted to adopt an Affirmation of Welcome to all expressing that no ethnicity, socioeconomic status, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status would be  barrier to our invitation to Creator on April 5th, 2009.

Pastor Ray referenced the UMC Conference's decision in his sermon and I suddenly saw the Transfiguration account details differently than earlier in the week.

Ten years ago Creator went through this incredibly beautiful, life-giving experience, much of which remains indelibly etched in our collective memory. Later that same year the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis passed "Human Sexuality, Gift and Trust", which approved more positive assessments of same-gender partnerships in the church. Four ministry policy resolutions were adopted that opened the way for congregations to recognize and support such partnerships and for those in committed same-gender partnerships to be rostered leaders within the ELCA. A separate motion at the same assembly recommended that a rite of blessing for same-sex unions be provided.

Two different church bodies that voted differently on a church stance in narrow margins ten years apart. The language around the competing UMC proposals were illuminating. The restrictive proposal was called Traditional. The defeated proposal was called One Church,

Throughout the sexuality debate in many churches, the traditionalists have spoken of the fear that orthodox theology is being muddied into incoherence by a vague commitment to “openness” and a capitulation to secular liberal social mores. They believe turning the church into a basically secular social justice and community service organization will leave it spiritually dead.

So what does this have to do with the Transfiguration? Jesus wants to transform our lives. Pastor Ray emphasized Transfiguration and transformation are different blessing even though the words and results are related.

Luke's Gospel account is as follows:

"Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone."

There was a shiny moment that came in this reading. The account starts with three men, Jesus, Moses and Elijah all appearing in glory. Moses and Elijah cam from the tradition of faith. When Peter suggests dwellings celebrating the glory of tradition and of their vision of Jesus, tradition disappears and they are left with their vision of Jesus. The voice from the cloud says "Listen to him". The right way to understand this debate can be seen as cloudy but Transfiguration gave a perspective, a command and a grace for my heart to follow.

Jesus spoke for those who were vulnerable and marginalized. He gave no exception for the victimizers who feel justified in scapegoating to fall back on an idea they are somehow victims of the vulnerable they are attacking. Jesus always shared love and grace with those around him.

I know there are people who will disagree that the description in the last paragraph pertains to this particular debate. There will be people who will say they welcome their LGBTQ+ members but only preserving "God's law" by excluding certain aspects of that welcome.

Many will be hurt no matter whether a church body decides to be - Traditional or One Church. Some may seek the best "amicable" split within the current UMC. Some will be tempted to think only of their own side of the debate prevailing or not in the vote. Some may suffer separation or permanent suspension from other church members. Others will valiantly fight for what they believe is God's Word and truth. I felt inspired and my heart was moved by what one UMC member's observation about the Conference overall this week:

"Nothing can separate any of us from God's love, not even the church."