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I will not refuse ministry to anyone based on their sexual orientation I will not refuse ministry to anyone based on their sexual orientation
(about 3 hours later)
Reverend Frank Schaefer was defrocked by the United Methodist Church last week for officiating at his son's marriage to another man. This is an excerpt from his sermon on Sunday at the Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington DC.Reverend Frank Schaefer was defrocked by the United Methodist Church last week for officiating at his son's marriage to another man. This is an excerpt from his sermon on Sunday at the Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington DC.
This morning I already had an interview with CNN. And I knew it was going to be a debate between myself and a baptist minister in Texas, so I thought to myself, I am bringing the biggest bible. The biggest bible that I can find, because I want him to know that my faith is based on the bible, as interpreted by Jesus of Nazareth. And it is a message of inclusion, a message of grace, and a message of love. And so I actually wielded my bible this morning on CNN.This morning I already had an interview with CNN. And I knew it was going to be a debate between myself and a baptist minister in Texas, so I thought to myself, I am bringing the biggest bible. The biggest bible that I can find, because I want him to know that my faith is based on the bible, as interpreted by Jesus of Nazareth. And it is a message of inclusion, a message of grace, and a message of love. And so I actually wielded my bible this morning on CNN.
We're talking about biblical obedience here. That's what I felt called to profess and confess in the witness stand, when they asked me, "will you repent for what you have done?" And I said, "I cannot". I was making a reference to biblical obedience.We're talking about biblical obedience here. That's what I felt called to profess and confess in the witness stand, when they asked me, "will you repent for what you have done?" And I said, "I cannot". I was making a reference to biblical obedience.
Now today is the fourth Sunday in advent, and that Sunday is dedicated to love. And so I thought I'd talk about love, and especially the type of love that we are asked, as Christian believers, to show – not just when things are all hunky dory, but when the going gets tough. When we are in the tension between life and faith as we find ourselves so often.Now today is the fourth Sunday in advent, and that Sunday is dedicated to love. And so I thought I'd talk about love, and especially the type of love that we are asked, as Christian believers, to show – not just when things are all hunky dory, but when the going gets tough. When we are in the tension between life and faith as we find ourselves so often.
This morning, we read about the holy couple, out of Matthew. Matthew describes the birth of Jesus, and he says this is how it came about: His mother mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, and before they came together, in other words, before they were even intimate, she was found to be with child, through the holy spirit. Now Joseph didn't know that, at that time.This morning, we read about the holy couple, out of Matthew. Matthew describes the birth of Jesus, and he says this is how it came about: His mother mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, and before they came together, in other words, before they were even intimate, she was found to be with child, through the holy spirit. Now Joseph didn't know that, at that time.
Now, I want you to just take a moment to picture with me, and imagine with me what it must have been like for Joseph to find out that his fiance – and they hadn't even had any sexual relations up to this point – what kind of pain he must have felt. Because obviously he loved Mary very, very much. And now he feared there was unfaithfulness, adultery involved. I can't even imagine what Joseph must have gone through.Now, I want you to just take a moment to picture with me, and imagine with me what it must have been like for Joseph to find out that his fiance – and they hadn't even had any sexual relations up to this point – what kind of pain he must have felt. Because obviously he loved Mary very, very much. And now he feared there was unfaithfulness, adultery involved. I can't even imagine what Joseph must have gone through.
But we know that he didn't believe the story that Mary shared initially, because he decided he was going to divorce her quietly. And it says actually in the scripture, "because Joseph, her husband was a righteous Man, and did not expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly". Without bringing it to the public, to a public trial – without having her, according to the law of Moses, stoned or anything like that. He just showed grace, and love, even under extreme tension and pressure. He was righteous, the bible tells us. He was a righteous dude.But we know that he didn't believe the story that Mary shared initially, because he decided he was going to divorce her quietly. And it says actually in the scripture, "because Joseph, her husband was a righteous Man, and did not expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly". Without bringing it to the public, to a public trial – without having her, according to the law of Moses, stoned or anything like that. He just showed grace, and love, even under extreme tension and pressure. He was righteous, the bible tells us. He was a righteous dude.
That's what God wants us to do, and that's what God calls "righteous", when we act in love and grace. Even when the tension mounts, and we get personally hurt.That's what God wants us to do, and that's what God calls "righteous", when we act in love and grace. Even when the tension mounts, and we get personally hurt.
And I'm sure you can relate to that, there were moments in your life, and maybe there are some of us who are going through tough times right now that make you want to scream. You're asked to show love and grace right now, and you find it near impossible. You're in good company with righteous Joe. He was able to do it somehow.And I'm sure you can relate to that, there were moments in your life, and maybe there are some of us who are going through tough times right now that make you want to scream. You're asked to show love and grace right now, and you find it near impossible. You're in good company with righteous Joe. He was able to do it somehow.
And after he decided to act in this gracious and loving way, during the night he had a visitation. He had a dream. And in this dream there was a messenger, an Angel of god that told him "this is the child of promise, it is true that this is a child given through the holy spirit". And everything was hunky dory again between the holy couple.And after he decided to act in this gracious and loving way, during the night he had a visitation. He had a dream. And in this dream there was a messenger, an Angel of god that told him "this is the child of promise, it is true that this is a child given through the holy spirit". And everything was hunky dory again between the holy couple.
When I went to this church trial I had never had any experience like this in my life. I had hoped that the church would be more like Joseph, and show grace and love, even though I had violated one of the rules in the book of discipline. I had hoped that in the tension of this moment, that they would recognize that I was in a moment of tension when I had to choose between the love for my son and affirming my son, and keeping the rules of the church.When I went to this church trial I had never had any experience like this in my life. I had hoped that the church would be more like Joseph, and show grace and love, even though I had violated one of the rules in the book of discipline. I had hoped that in the tension of this moment, that they would recognize that I was in a moment of tension when I had to choose between the love for my son and affirming my son, and keeping the rules of the church.
I was disappointed that the church trial found me guilty. I was devastated when they took my credentials this past Thursday. The church I have served for over 20 years. Being a United Methodist minister is the only way I know how to minister. All of my children have been baptised in the United Methodist Church. It was our church. This is our church.I was disappointed that the church trial found me guilty. I was devastated when they took my credentials this past Thursday. The church I have served for over 20 years. Being a United Methodist minister is the only way I know how to minister. All of my children have been baptised in the United Methodist Church. It was our church. This is our church.
I knew that I had to confess what in my heart I knew to be true, and I had to stand against the church – not the entire church – but the institution of the United Methodist organizatoin to say "I believe that this rule is discriminatory and wrong", and I knew I had to tell my lawyers that.I knew that I had to confess what in my heart I knew to be true, and I had to stand against the church – not the entire church – but the institution of the United Methodist organizatoin to say "I believe that this rule is discriminatory and wrong", and I knew I had to tell my lawyers that.
And so when I sat in the stand, and it came to that moment to share about my true faith, and to stand against the church. I was sick to my stomach. And I was thinking, "can I actually get those words out"? And as I was in that moment, I looked out into the room, and I saw my family. Behind my family there were people sitting. Some of the people were from this church, wearing rainbow stoles. And all of a sudden it was like I could feel their prayers, and I heard myself say to the jury: "I will put on this stole, this rainbow colored stole, as a sign that I will from now on stand in advocacy of the LGBT community of our church".And so when I sat in the stand, and it came to that moment to share about my true faith, and to stand against the church. I was sick to my stomach. And I was thinking, "can I actually get those words out"? And as I was in that moment, I looked out into the room, and I saw my family. Behind my family there were people sitting. Some of the people were from this church, wearing rainbow stoles. And all of a sudden it was like I could feel their prayers, and I heard myself say to the jury: "I will put on this stole, this rainbow colored stole, as a sign that I will from now on stand in advocacy of the LGBT community of our church".
And I heard myself say, "I want you to know, that if I am going to be a United Methodist minister tomorrow, I will not refuse ministry to anyone based on their sexual orientation."And I heard myself say, "I want you to know, that if I am going to be a United Methodist minister tomorrow, I will not refuse ministry to anyone based on their sexual orientation."
And I heard myself say:And I heard myself say:
I can no longer be a silent supporter. I will always be an advocate and I will tell the church that these laws are discirminatiory. And that we treat our LGBT brothers and sisters as second-class Christians, and that the hate, the hate speech of the church has to stop.I can no longer be a silent supporter. I will always be an advocate and I will tell the church that these laws are discirminatiory. And that we treat our LGBT brothers and sisters as second-class Christians, and that the hate, the hate speech of the church has to stop.
We have veered from the message of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ who is inviting all. In 1972, we introduced this homophobic language, these homophobic laws into our book of discipline. And I am committed to do whatever is in my power to take our church back to the way Jesus Christ wants us to be: inclusive of everybody.We have veered from the message of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ who is inviting all. In 1972, we introduced this homophobic language, these homophobic laws into our book of discipline. And I am committed to do whatever is in my power to take our church back to the way Jesus Christ wants us to be: inclusive of everybody.
We have been taken captive. We have been in a homophobic captivity for more than 40 years and enough is enough. We have to move forward. Enough is enough. We have to treat God's beloved children the way he asks us to treat them: with respect and to accept them the way our creator has made them, in Jesus' name.We have been taken captive. We have been in a homophobic captivity for more than 40 years and enough is enough. We have to move forward. Enough is enough. We have to treat God's beloved children the way he asks us to treat them: with respect and to accept them the way our creator has made them, in Jesus' name.
This is not the time to give up the fight, this is the time to intensify the, to fight the good fight for inclusion of everybody. This is not the time to give up the fight, this is the time to intensify the fight, to fight the good fight for inclusion of everybody.
We're doing this not for ourselves, we're doing this out of love for all people, God's beloved people. And in this day and age, we're doing it for our gay and lesbian, bisexual and transgendered brothers and sisters, children, parents, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. They belong to us and we belong to them. And we must stand with them and for them, in Jesus' name. Amen.We're doing this not for ourselves, we're doing this out of love for all people, God's beloved people. And in this day and age, we're doing it for our gay and lesbian, bisexual and transgendered brothers and sisters, children, parents, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. They belong to us and we belong to them. And we must stand with them and for them, in Jesus' name. Amen.
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