All means All... Florida Annual Conference and Constitutional Amendment 1

So, as part of my field education experience here at the Warren W. Willis Camp in Florida, I got to attend Annual Conference in Florida. I just went for the day and for the most part it was tiring and I left a bit discouraged. Why? Constitutional Amendment 1.

This Amendment seeks to make the church more inclusive. If passed, this is what the Constitution would say.

Inclusiveness of the Church — The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ. The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth and that we are in ministry to all. All persons shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, and upon baptism be admitted as baptized members. All persons, upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith and relationship in Jesus Christ, shall be eligible to become professing members in any local church in the connection. In the United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body.

This is what the Constitution currently states.

Inclusiveness of the Church – The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ.  Therefore all persons, without regard to race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, to participate in its programs, and, when they take the appropriate vows, to be admitted into its membership in any local church in the connection.  In The United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition.

I believe that the constitutional amendment is a step forward for an all inclusive church, as it seeks to include all persons in the Body of Christ. When something states that ALL PERSONS are included in the Body, ALL PERSONS should be included, with none excluded. By qualifying ALL PERSONS with race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, the constitution is excluding many people who find themselves on the margins. This is not the Body of Christ. I believe the Body of Christ is the body that takes account all who find themselves excluded, incorporating them to an even higher status within the body (1 Cor. 12). In arguments I heard today, in opposition to the ammendment, the issue came down to homosexuality. If the church were to pass this amendment, then GOD forbid, the homosexuals would be let into the church... They would be allowed to enter into the Body of Christ... Then, the church would be corrupted because, the Gays would be on the prowl... Okay, so it wasn't THAT dramatic, but it was close. At one point, a man said, if we allow this amendment to pass, we might as well affirm Satan Worshippers. So, we can't let this pass or affirm those things that are clearly against scripture (was his point...)

I am not sure if this constitutional amendment affirms anything or anyone (as much as I would love our church and constitution to affirm ALL PEOPLE).. It just states that ALL are welcome into Christ's body and ALL are welcome to come into the church... ALL MEANS ALL! If we are to show the love of Christ and if we are called to be a transforming presence in the world, shouldn't we seek to be an inclusive church; that means we might even embrace (god forbid) Satan Worshippers into our churches so that they can maybe experience the Triune's God transformative love???? I'm being over exagerrative (is that a word?) but still. My point is, who are we to keep anyone out of the church???? Who are we to keep anyone out of the Body of Christ???? We are not God and we do not get to judge. Billy Graham (yes, Billy Graham) once said, "It is not my job to judge. It is my job to love. It is God's job to judge. It is the Holy Spirit's job to Convict." We are called to love. We are called to love all. We are called to love all in a way that is radical. We are called to believe in our Baptisms enough to love those that society, the world, and (sometimes) even the church, tells we can't love. So, again.. All means All. Love God. Love All. LOVE...