Invitation to Join the Dialogue

Greetings in the name of Jesus the Messiah!

In January, 2009, Skyline UMC will be celebrating God's gracious call to dialogue, or verbal communion that enables us to live together with different understandings and perspectives of God's presence. We are currently engaged in a community conversation about whether or not God is calling us to make public our present policy of welcoming people into full membership who are typically marginalized in the church, including persons with mental and physical challenges and persons of minority affectional orientation and gender identity, who identify as both Christian and LGBT.

This blog collects some of the reflections of our members and friends, as we consider expanding our Mission Statement to explicitly welcome people who are typically marginalized in the Christian Church. You can read more details about this process at Skyline, including a FAQs section and an Invitation to Join this Dialogue, and participate online simply by responding to this post.

Our proposed Mission Statement:
The Mission of Skyline United Methodist Church is to:
reach out to all people seeking a deeper relationship with God, regardless of age, racial, ethnic or national origin, physical or mental ability, marital status, religious experience, affectional orientation, gender identity, or socioeconomic status,
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.

As you reflect on this proposed mission statement, please respond to the following questions:
1. What are your thoughts about the above revised mission statement?
2. How would you feel if our church adopted the above revised mission statement?
3. How would the revised mission statement impact you, the members of your household, our church and our community?
4. How do you sense God is calling you to behave toward seekers and followers of Jesus Christ who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender?

Peace,
Bo & Vicki Gordy-Stith
Co-Pastors of Skyline UMC