A friend recently said, "Ten pastors will have to be defrocked before the UMC changes its stance toward gays."
Two
years ago Frank Schaefer became our first martyr in most recent UMC history.
His ministerial credentials were removed following a church trial. (They were
later reinstated.) Frank’s story and martyrdom brought light to the harm done
to the LGBTQ community by the UMC. It also created tension and pain for our
denomination. This brought us closer to making the change to full inclusion.
I had
the opportunity to officiate at my daughter’s same gender wedding last August.
A complaint and just resolution followed. Last month I had the privilege of
officiating at Rev. Hutchison’s same gender wedding following his forced resignation
from the Cassopolis, Michigan UMC. A complaint was filed against me. I’m
willing to go to trial and lose my credentials.
God is
looking for 8 more martyrs.
How can
you be a martyr for God’s kingdom of justice and inclusion for all people?
1. Officiate at a same gender wedding.
2. Have someone file a complaint. This can refer to
any same gender wedding you’ve officiated in the past six years. Some
suggestions for people to file the complaint: Your District Superintendent, a
Good News evangelical, or even an ally.
3. Don’t settle for a just resolution when you meet
with the Bishop.
4. Let your case go to trial.
5. Encourage media (social and traditional and
denominational) coverage of every step of your process.
The goal of this
martyrdom is to bring light to the harm done to the LGBTQ community by the
United Methodist Church. It is also to bring tension and pain to our
denomination which is at a tipping point. Hopefully, we will have 8 more
martyrs by the 2016 General Conference so that God’s desired changes are voted
up.
Martin Luther
King Junior said from the Birmingham jail: “Nonviolent direct action seeks to
create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that
has consistently refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue.”
He also said, “I
submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust,
and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the
conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest
respect for the law.”
God is looking
for 8 more martyrs. Will you be one of them?
Mike Tupper,
pastor of Parchment, MI UMC, michaeljamestupper@yahoo.com
