It has been indeed the issue of Homosexuality that has been the hot topic this year at GC2008. And again, we are staying with the language currently in the Book of Discipline. Those on either side -- I feel for them. I feel the hurt of a mother whose child cannot be theirself and still find a way to fulfill their call. I feel the pain of men and women where the door has been shut in their face; the pain of couples who want to be bound together in covenant.
Yet I also feel the pain of those who feel that we are losing our grounding; that we are not seeking to will of God in this; that we are denying a certain witness of scripture. They hurt as well.
To see the open wounds and the open conflict is heartbreaking. How can all this brokenness come together in unity? How can we be indeed the Body of Christ in all this?
I know that real reconciliation will not come on a legislative floor; there must be some better way. I was caught by a sentence in the May 6th Christian Century -- "Leadership often gets too far ahead of the congregation... The vision caster must wait for the team, the team must wait for the congregation, and everyone must wait on the Lord."
In the General Conference's decisions to not change our wording in the Book of Discipline, I am not hear rejection of either side. What I am hearing is, "Wait." Adam Hamilton's posting today likened a radical change in either direction to throwing a car into reverse as it's speeding along at 70 miles and hour. It would destroy this church. Let us wait a while until all of our conferences and delegates and congregation can catch up. Let us not get too far ahead.
Let us wait and pray for discernment; Let us be still and wait upon the Lord.
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