most important ideas that brought me to confirmed here, sang in children’s choirs
the United Methodist Church: that we
and belonged to youth groups. He rebuilt
can discuss ideas and work together and homes on Sierra Service Project trips and
that everyone has a voice. I have never
represented our youth at the national
thought I must be or look a certain way
Youth Alive in Atlanta when he was in
to be accepted or to be a good Christian. high school, coming back shocked at how
I’ve never felt judged here. I’m lucky.
different those Methodists were. He
We don’t need to look down on people
stood in the pulpit on Youth Sunday his
because of race,
gender, sexual orientation, economic
status, political
affiliation, or education levels.
In the Lenten
class that I’m taking right now with
Pastor John and
Mary Garbesi, we’re
trying to write a
Rule of Life. As we
read and study what
helps us to have
better relationships
One idea that keeps sticking with me
with God, we find
is that of treating everyone the way
ideas for that rule.
One idea that keeps one would treat Christ if he were here;
sticking with me
to see him in every person we meet.
is that of treating
everyone the way
one would treat Christ if he were here;
senior year and gave part of the homily,
to see him in every person we meet. Our again feeling comfortable enough to talk
Church Council’s resolutions will help us about some of the things he wasn’t sure
to do just that.
about. He always assumed he would get
We know of other churches that have married in our Sanctuary. So when he
passed similar resolutions. Imagine if
finally came to accept and understand
this is the beginning of a wave of conwho he truly is, a gay man, did that mean
gregations that are ready to say “Yes!” to he was now to be a lower tier member of
Jesus’ teachings of love and “No!” to the Westwood? Was he now to have access
exclusionary statements written in the
to most but not all of the ministries of the
Book of Discipline. I really believe that we church? I asked Zach whether he even
must answer to God and be on the right
thought about what it would be like at
side of history here.
church once he came out. He said that he
I must admit that I do have a “dog
didn’t really think about it at all – he has
in this fight.” My son, Zach, is gay. He
always felt so loved and cared for here. It
was baptized here at Westwood. He
just didn’t seem to be a problem.
hunted Easter eggs in the courtyard and
I told Zach about the church trials
attended lock-ins at the church. He was
that have been held for pastors that have
5
married gay couples in our denomination. I was so ashamed; I couldn’t believe
this was happening in my church. But I
was also thrilled to let him know about
the response that our Bishop Carcaño has
made. The fact that she invited the Rev.
Frank Schaefer* to come join us in our
Annual Conference made sense to him.
This is the United Methodist response
that he understands.
When I walked out of the Church
Council meeting on March 1, the first
call that I made was to Zach. When I told
him about the resolutions we passed, he
was very happy. Again, he said that he
really wanted to be able to get married
in our Sanctuary where he spent his life
growing up.
We got it right. With this resolution,
we are just stating a fact that should be a
statement in any house of God. “All ministries shall be available to all people.”
Thanks be to God.
* Editor’s note: The Rev. Frank Schaefer, a
clergy me