Cathy Falcone's and Michelle Jackson's Dialogue Response

From: Cathy Falcone and Michelle Jackson
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008
To: Vicki and Bo Gordy-Stith
Subject: Mission statement proposed revision

We both like the use of the following:

"To Reach out to all people seeking a deeper relationship with God, Welcome them into a community of followers of Jesus who freely choose to worship, serve, and live together prayerfully and in peace following a Methodist understanding of God’s gift of grace, Equip them to live as the Holy Spirit gifts and guides, and Send them to serve and reach out to all people in Christ's name."

It is our feeling that if the word "all" is used, then everything after that ("regardless of age, racial, ethnic or national origin, physical or mental ability, marital status, religious experience, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socioeconomic status"), is redundant. "All" is a superlative, and it's literal meaning taken for what it is. Using "all", then going on to itemize accepted groups disregards the meaning of "all" and actually says, parenthetically - this is who we mean by all; thereby effectively excluding anyone not on that list.If we begin listing groups, then we risk having to revise the mission statement again when the next excluded group comes up. Not that periodic review and revision are bad. As the Constitution used "all", it was dynamic, allowing itself to conform to changing times; not needing rewording to express inclusion for any particular group or groups. If, as it would appear, Skyline is attempting to roll with the changing times by revising the mission statement, then we, too can be dynamic by following that example. Why not change it in such a way that it is always true, and always faithful.

We don't want to become known as an LGBT church. As believers, Christ is first, and who we are in Him takes priority over what communities we identify with inside the community of believers. The mission statement wording should not be what draws people to Skyline. It should be the attitude and hearts of the membership, and above all, the wooing of the Holy Spirit. We know we were led to Skyline by the Holy Spirit. The people at Skyline made us feel welcome and part of this family. We were welcomed into this church without the benefit of particular wording in the mission statement. We appreciate the diversity of this congregation, and that INCLUDES those who may not approve of us or our sexual orientations. It would be sad, if in our attempt to level the playing field, we unintentionally exclude those who are perhaps tolerant, but may not agree with us. We don't want to see wording marginalize others even as we try to de-marginalize certain groups of people.

We read one member's comment about not wanting the focus of Skyline taken from Jesus. We have been to churches who formally state their inclusions, and we've found their focus to be not on Jesus, but on an LGBT lifestyle. We too, are concerned that we could lose our focus.

We believe God calls us to encourage all who seek relationship with him, regardless of sexual orientation. It is also our feeling that Skyline does this very well - currently - and we testify to that in our membership in this church.

Cathy Falcone and Michelle Jackson