03 - 03 - 19 - a podcast by Pastors, King Ave UMC

John Keeny's response to United Methodist Church Special General Conference in St. Louis.

March 3
Transfiguration
Communion
John Keeny
Luke 9:28-31
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2*

“I’m not going to presume to know how LGBTQI+ feel, or tell you what you should do. We don’t just look bad - We ARE bad. I find myself being embarrassed to call myself a United Methodist, but I’m proud to say that I serve King Avenue Church. We have hurt LGBTQI+ people even more. We are called to love the good AND hat the evil. If you only love the good, you’re sentimental. If you only hate the evil, you just become a damn good hater. I’m tempted to hate the United Methodist Church and be a damn good hater. But there is a lot of good that is happening that we should love. ? of the United States delegates voted for inclusion. That’s good. We are NOT alone. We are called to love the good.

Very little will happen TO us. King Avenue is still a safe place to come and worship. We will still host the CGMC Joy Concert, and Cap Pride Band. We’ll still have a rummage sale, tutor children, sing songs, ring bells, make bologna sandwiches for the poor, put on shows… There will be no tangible effect except for the hurt.

The scripture passage is Luke 9:28-43a. The Transfiguration.

Jesus suffered death in the hands of the authorities, but was resurrected through the hands of God. Resurrection follows death. Something has to die in order to be resurrected or reborn. If you want to be re-born into sobriety, you have to first die to your addiction. This is not just about physical death, but dying to old ways.

Our tendency is to hold on tightly to something that is known, even when it should die. The same is true of the church. By resisting death, we resist new life. We need to prepare for new life by allowing the United Methodist denomination as it is to die. If we try to save the church at all costs, aren’t we preventing the resurrection of a new denomination?

At General Conference, I looked over the delegates and realized that I was witnessing the death of the United Methodist Church. And it gave me hope. We are Easter people. In the transfiguration, Jesus gave the disciples a view of hope - bright, full of light and life.

Watch this video of JJ Warren who captures the bright future of our younger generation speaking at General Conference. His passion, light, and life allows us to get a glimpse of the future of our church if we don’t hold them back. Shouldn’t we let the old church die to make way for this new life?

I doubt there’s a future for the United Methodist Church - But a Wesleyan Church or a Reconciling Methodist Church has a BRIGHT FUTURE, a ministry into the world between this vision and into the future. We need to practice resurrection - Not by being passive, but by actively working towards it. We can build a new expression of inclusive Methodism.”

Further episodes of King Avenue UMC Sermons

Further podcasts by Pastors, King Ave UMC

Website of Pastors, King Ave UMC