Monday's thoughts on Sunday's sermon

Sunday, January 8th Reverend Rebecca Mcfee will preach in the 8, 9:15, and 10:45 Sanctuary services. I will post her theme later this week.

We will be involved in a look at the United Methodist Church's issues with homosexuality at 9:15 each Sunday for the next four Sundays. We are looking at the issue in terms of the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral" (Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience).

My task next Sunday is to look at the issue with respect to "Tradition". We will look at the question of ordination, appointment, and holy unions. What does our church say about the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy? What does it say about the responsibility of clergy to do holy unions in the church?

Does the church affirm gay and lesbian people and grant that human sexuality is a God given gift?
I have been invited to look at the tradition as it has developed from the decisions made by the General Conferences of the church that meet every 4 years. I have been a delegate to those conferences since 1988 and have been a voting member for 6 of them. I was elected as a voting alternate to the General Conference in April in Tampa, Florida. Will look at the same issues we always do and consider making changes in our Book of Discipline.

Our meetings will take place at 9:15 and will meet in the parlor. I am given the responsibility of speaking on tradition. We have engaged a medical doctor to look at reason. David Dalke will speak on experience and Rebecca Mcfee will speak on scripture.

Each week a different resource of faith on the same issue. United Methodists do not conform to a common creed but we employ the resources of the quadrilateral to help us deal with issues such as this.

I invite you to join us in this four week discussion. It should be interesting.

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of this blog click on the 'comments' box below.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday and I hope you will write your opinions on this subject to me or to the readers.


Charles Schuster