MATTHEW 3:13-17

          NEXT WEEK I SHALL CELEBRATE MY 75TH BIRTHDAY.  A SO-CALLED FRIEND LIKES TO REMIND ME BY SAYING, “MARK, THAT’S A BIG NUMBER!”  NOT SUCH A BIG NUMBER IN THIS CONGREGATION WITH ITS SPRINKLING OF NONAGENARIANS, BUT NEVERTHELESS 75 IS A MILESTONE, MY DIAMOND JUBILEE AND ALL THAT.

          SO WITH THIS BIG BIRTHDAY JUST AHEAD, I SUPPOSE IT’S NATURAL TO CAST MORE THAN A PASSING GLANCE AT MY PAST, AT MY ROOTS.  I AM A FIFTH GENERATION METHODIST PASTOR, AND I ARRIVED ON A SNOWY DAY IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, IN 1948.  I WAS NAMED MARK FOR ST. MARK, THE OLDEST OF THE GOSPELS, AND BECAUSE I AM THE ELDEST OF THE THREE CHILDREN BORN TO MY PARENTS.  MY LATE FATHER, A LIFELONG METHODIST, WAS THE STUDENT MINISTER OF CROMBIE STREET CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH DURING HIS SEMINARY DAYS.  THE PARSONAGE,WHICH WAS NEXT DOOR TO THE MEETING HOUSE, WAS BUILT IN 1802 FOR BENJAMIN CROMBIE AND WAS AN ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL.  THE HANDSOME FEDERAL-STYLE BRICK RESIDENCE  HAD THE DISTINCTION OF CONTAINING THE FIRST HANGING STAIRCASE IN NEW ENGLAND.  THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF TIME, CROMBIE’S HOUSE BECAME THE CHURCH PARSONAGE–COMPLETE WITH A CONSERVATORY, A GOLDFISH POND, AN ENGLISH GARDEN, AND A GARDENER!  TO ME AS A CHILD, CROMBIE STREET WAS THE MOST MAGICAL, WONDROUS SPOT ON EARTH.  RIGHT NEXT TO THE BRICK WALKWAY, NEXT TO THE WROUGHT IRON GATE, WAS A TREE STUMP.  THAT WAS MY FIRST PULPIT FROM WHICH I WOULD SERMONIZE AND SPEAK TO THE SALEMITES PASSING BEFORE ME!

          WHILE I HAVE FORGOTTEN ALL OF MY TREE STUMP DECLAMATIONS, MY PARENTS TOLD ME THROUGH THE YEARS ABOUT A YOUNG JEWISH BOY WHO LIVED ACROSS THE STREET.  AND SO IT WAS ONE DAY MY LATE MOTHER OVERHEAD A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TWO FIVE-YEAR-OLDS THROUGH AN OPEN KITCHEN WINDOW.  MOM HEARD ME SAY TO MY FRIEND, “SAY SOMETHING IN JEWISH.”  THE LITTLE BOY ANSWERED AND THEN ASKED ME, “CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING IN METHODIST?”

          WHILE HISTORY HAS NOT RECORDED WHAT MY LITTLE FRIEND SAID OR MY REPLY, IT STRIKES ME AS A GOOD WAY INTO MY SERMON FOR THE DAY.  PASTOR LISA HAS ASKED ME TO SHARE MY STORY, AND SO I WILL ENDEAVOR TO TAKE YOU INTO MY CONFIDENCE, TO SPEAK VERY PERSONALLY ABOUT MY LIFE AND HOPEFULLY PROVIDE SOME PERSPECTIVE NOT ONLY ON THE CRISIS FACING UNITED METHODISM TODAY BUT ALSO ON THE BAPTISM OF JESUS DURING THIS EPIPHANY SEASON.

          WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD AND A THIRD GRADER, I FIRST BECAME AWARE THAT I WAS DIFFERENT.  I DIDN’T HAVE WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT THAT WAS; I ONLY KNEW I WAS ATTRACTED TO MY OWN GENDER.  FROM THAT FIRST  DISCOVERY, I RESOLVED TO KEEP THAT KNOWLEDGE TO MYSELF.  BECAUSE I ALWAYS KNEW I WANTED TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF MY FATHER AND MY FORBEARS, I QUICKLY REALIZED MINISTRY AND GETTING MARRIED AND RAISING CHILDREN FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.  AND SO I EFFECTIVELY ENTERED THE CLOSET.  I WOULD WILL MYSELF TO BECOME STRAIGHT.  AND WHILE IN MANY WAYS MY DECISION SEEMS ALMOST BEYOND BELIEF IN 2023, THE FACT IS THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY DURING MY 1950’S BOYHOOD IN MASSACHUSETTS AND INDIANA.  AND EVEN THOUGH MY DAD WAS ALSO A THERAPIST, HE WAS THE LAST PERSON I WANTED TO KNOW!  I WAS CONVINCED—VERY WRONGLY, AS IT TURNED OUT—THAT HE AND MY MOTHER WOULD BE CRUSHED BY THIS NEWS.

          SO I WOULD BE QUIET, I WOULD DEAL.  WHEN I MARRIED MY COLLEGE SWEETHEART AT 24, I STILL BELIEVED THAT MARRIAGE WOULD MAKE ME HETEROSEXUAL.  OF COURSE, THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.  BUT STILL I CONTINUED TO LIVE MY LIFE OF QUIET DESPERATION, BELIEVING THAT I COULD OUTWARDLY FUNCTION SUCCESSFULLY IN A STRAIGHT WORLD.

          MY CAREER GOAL WAS TO TEACH AT A COLLEGE OR SEMINARY, BUT WHEN I RECEIVED MY PH.D. IN ENGLISH, AFTER MY SEMINARY TRAINING, I WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING A POSITION.   SO I DECIDED TO ENTER THE MINISTRY.  IN THE MEANTIME, MY PARENTS HAD MOVED TO CORPUS CHRISTI.  MY WIFE AND I MOVED THERE IN 1977 AND OUR SON, JUSTIN, WAS BORN THAT NOVEMBER.  I BEGAN AS AN ASSOCIATE PASTOR AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ON SHORELINE DRIVE. 

       FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, A MINI HISTORY LESSON AND TO THOSE WHO ARE CRADLE ROLL METHODISTS, A BIT OF A REFRESHER.  THE BOOK OF DISCIPLINE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IS THE “RULE BOOK” OF OUR DENOMINATION.  WITHIN THE CONTENTS ARE THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS OF UNITED METHODISM, THE ESSENTIALS OF OUR FAITH, WHICH CANNOT BE CHANGED, AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL PRINCIPLES, WHICH CONTAIN THE  SECTION ON HUMAN SEXUALITY, WHICH CAN BE CHANGED BY VOTE OF GENERAL CONFERENCE DELEGATES.  HOWEVER, SINCE 1972, THE LANGUAGE PERTAINING TO THE SUBJECT OF HOMOSEXUALITY HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED.  WHILE AFFIRMING “THAT ALL PERSONS ARE INVIDUALS OF SACRED WORTH,” THESE WORDS ALSO APPEAR:  “THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH DOES NOT CONDONE THE PRACTICE OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND CONSIDERS THIS PRACTICE INCOMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIAN TEACHING.”    FURTHER THE DISCIPLINE  PRESCRIBES THAT “…SELF-AVOWED PRACTICING HOMOSEXUALS ARE NOT TO BE CERTIFIED AS CANDIDATES, ORDAINED AS MINISTERS, OR APPOINTED TO SERVE IN THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.”

       WHEN I WAS ORDAINED AT TRAVIS PARK CHURCH IN 1978, MY CONSCIENCE WAS CLEAR.  I HAD MET THE REQUIRED STANDARD IN THE DISCIPLINE: I WAS NOT AN AVOWED HOMOSEXUAL, AND I WAS NOT PRACTICING.  I TOOK TO HEART JOHN WESLEY’S MANTRA:  “IN ESSENTIALS, UNITY; IN NON-ESSENTIALS, LIBERTY; IN ALL THINGS, LOVE.” (1)

       IN 1980, I WAS SENT TO MANCHACA UMC AS PASTOR IN CHARGE.  THAT MOVE TO THE SOUTH AUSTIN AREA WAS FOLLOWED BY THE APPOINTMENT TO SAN ANTONIO, TWO WEEKS AFTER WE ADOPTED OUR DAUGHTER, CLAIRE, FROM THE METHODIST MISSION HOME.  OUR FAMILY SPENT FIVE WONDERFUL YEARS AT JEFFERSON UNITED METHODIST.  IN 1989,  BISHOP DIXON APPOINTED ME AS THE SENIOR PASTOR BACK AT THE CONGREGATION WHERE I HAD STARTED, FIRST CHURCH, CORPUS.

          FOUR YEARS AFTER THAT APPOINTMENT WAS ANNOUNCED, MY WIFE FIRST LEARNED OF MY ORIENTATION.  AS HORRIFYING AS THAT EXPERIENCE WAS FOR BOTH OF US, I WAS SURPRISED AT HOW RELIEVED I FELT.  BUT STILL I WAS COMMITTED TO BEING NON-PRACTICING, TO NOT BREAK MY WEDDING VOWS OR MY COVENANT WITH THE BOOK OF DISCIPLINE.

          IN TIME, THE INFORMATION ABOUT MY ORIENTATION WAS SHARED—WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE–WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION.  AND ONE DAY IN OCTOBER OF 1996, THE SENIOR ASSOCIATE PASTOR CONFRONTED ME.  I WAS STUNNED.  I NEVER IMAGINED ANYONE OUTSIDE OUR FAMILY WOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS.  AND DESPITE MY DESIRE THAT THIS INFORMATION WOULD REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL, OTHERS IN AUTHORITY BEGAN TO LEARN MY TRUTH.  BEFORE I KNEW IT, MY DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT AND I HAD A MEETING FIVE DAYS LATER  WITH BISHOP OWEN.  HE DID NOT WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED, HE SAID, SO WE MET AT A TRUCK STOP BETWEEN SAN ANTONO AND CORPUS CHRISTI.  THE BISHOP SAID, “WE WANT TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, MARK.”  I SAID, “I WANT TO STAY AT LEAST THROUGH CHRISTMAS.”  THE BISHOP SAID, “I THINK IT WILL BE MORE LIKE A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN THE NEWS HITS.”  HE WAS RIGHT:  I LASTED EIGHT DAYS.

          WHEN I CAME HOME THAT SATURDAY AFTERNOON, I SAID TO MY WIFE, “I WANT TO TELL THE CHILDREN RIGHT AFTER CHURCH TOMORROW BEFORE THEY HEAR IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE.”  JUSTIN WAS VISITING FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING HIS FRESHMAN YEAR AT SOUTHWESTERN.  AND SO JUST BEFORE WE WENT TO BED THAT NIGHT, JUSTIN SUDDENLY SAID, “OH, DAD, THE SICKEST THING HAPPENED ON CAMPUS THIS WEEK—GAY PRIDE WEEK!”  AND THEN THIS EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD HETEROSEXUAL YOUNG MAN, WHO DIDN’T HAVE A CLUE, LAUNCHED INTO A DESCRIPTION OF THE GAY PRIDE BALL.  MY HEART BROKE INTO A THOUSAND PIECES.  WHAT AM I GOING TO SAY TO MY SON TOMORROW?  I HAD FELT SO CLOSE TO BOTH OF MY CHILDREN; I WAS TERRIFIED OF THE OUTCOME.

          SOMEHOW I GOT THROUGH MY SERMON THAT DAY AND A FUNERAL FOLLOWING.  BY THE TIME I GOT HOME, JUSTIN WAS GETTING HIS THINGS TOGETHER TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.  I SAID TO BOTH CHILDREN, “YOUR MOTHER AND I NEED TO SPEAKTO YOU.”  MY SON AND DAUGHTER IMMEDIATELY SENSED SOMETHING BIG WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN AND LOOKED AT ME WIDE-EYED.  WE ALL WENT INTO THE DEN AND SAT DOWN.  AND THEN I SAID, “CHILDREN, I NEED FOR YOU TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING YOU HAVE LEARNED IN SUNDAY SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE HEARD ME PREACH ABOUT JESUS AND HIS LOVE.  AND I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT I AM A NON-PRACTICING HOMOSEXUAL, THAT YOUR MOTHER AND I ARE GETTING A DIVORCE, THAT I AM LEAVING THE MINISTRY, AND I’M LEAVING TEXAS.”  I WANTED TO SAY IT ALL BEFORE WORDS FAILED ME.  TWELVE-YEAR-OLD CLAIRE BEGAN TO WEEP  QUIETLY.  AND JUSTIN CONTINUED TO STARE AT ME.  THEN HE FINALLY GOT UP OUT OF HIS CHAIR AND PUT HIS HEAD ON MY SHOULDER.  HE CRIED AND SAID, “DAD, IT MUST HAVE BEEN SO HARD FOR YOU ALL THESE YEARS.”  AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, “AN ANGEL HAS SPOKEN TO THIS BOY IN THE NIGHT.  WE’RE GOING TO BE FINE.”  AND SO, THANK GOD, I  REMAIN VERY CLOSE TO MY CHILDREN AND MY FOUR GRANDCHILDREN.

          BUT THAT NEWS 26 YEARS AGO HIT THE CONGREGATION WITH REAL FORCE.  I WAS TOLD THAT TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH WERE PLANNING PROTESTS.  ONE GROUP OF PARISHIONERS WAS GOING TO START JEERING WHEN I STARTED PREACHING; THE OTHER GROUP PLANNED TO REFUSE TO TAKE COMMUNION FROM MY HANDS.  WHEN THEY KNELT AT THE RAIL, THESE CHURCH MEMBERS WERE GOING TO DRINK FROM THE CUP AND THEN PLACE THE BREAD UNEATEN IN THE GLASS AND HAND IT BACK TO ME.  WHILE I RECIEVED 700 CARDS AND LETTERS AND EMAILS, I KNEW THE PROTESTERS WOULD BE A HUGE PROBLEM.  IT DID NOT MATTER TO THEM THAT I WAS NOT AVOWED AND HAD NEVER BEEN WITH A MAN, THEY REFUSED TO BELIEVE IT.  I RESOLVED TO RESIGN, BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO PUT MY FAMILY OR MYSELF THROUGH THAT ORDEAL.  IT WAS REPORTED IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER THAT I WOULD PREACH MY FINAL SERMON THAT NEXT SUNDAY.  WHEN I STEPPED UP TO PREACH, A DEAR FRIEND, WHOSE SON HAD DIED OF AIDS, HAD WRITTEN A NOTE:  “THERE ARE ANGELS ALL AROUND THIS PULPIT TODAY.”  FOLLOWING THE WORSHIP SERVICE, I FORMALLY RESIGNED MY PULPIT AND READ A PREPARED STATEMENT IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL.  I WOULD MOVE OUT OF MY OFFICES DURING THE NEXT WEEK, AND OUR FAMILY WOULD SERVE COMMUNION TO THE CONGREGATION ON THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY EVENING.

          ALTHOUGH I REMAINED NON-PRACTICING, THERE WAS GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT ME PREACHING AGAIN FROM THE FIRST CHURCH PULPIT.  AND SO ON THAT FRIDAY EVENING, I PREACHED FROM A MUSIC STAND SET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHANCEL.  AND THEN IT WAS ALL OVER:  NO MARRIAGE, NO PULPIT, NO INCOME, NO HOME.  WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD I DO?  MY BROTHER, A DOCTOR IN KENTUCKY, HAD OFFERED HIS HOME AS A PLACE OF REFUGE FOR AS LONG AS I NEEDED.  I PUT MY BELONGINGS IN STORAGE AND PACKED UP THE REST OF THE FAMILY.  SIX MONTHS LATER, I RETURNED TO CORPUS CHRISTI, TO BE NEAR MY DAUGHTER AND TO TAKE A JOB AS A PETROLEUM LANDMAN.  IT WAS THE FIRST OF TWELVE JOBS I WAS TO TAKE DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT AND TO KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER.   ONE DAY A YEAR LATER, I SUFFERED A MASSIVE CORONARY AT OUR LANDMAN OFFICE.  MY BOSS FOUND ME, MIRACULOUSLY, AND SAID MY BODY WAS RIGID, MY FACE WAS PURPLE.  I WAS NOT BREATHING AND HAD NO PULSE.  WITH A CONFIDENCE SENT BY GOD, ANDY LITERALLY THREW ME AROUND THE ROOM; I STARTED TO BREATHE AGAIN IN 45 SECONDS!  TWO DAYS LATER I HAD A SINGLE BY-PASS.  TODAY MY HEALTH IS EXCELLENT, REMINDED AS I AM DURING THIS EPIPHANY SEASON, ABOUT MY OWN REBIRTH.  DURING MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, I FOUND MY WAY TO THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, THE PROGRESSIVE WING OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH I HAD KNOWN AS A CHILD.  I CAME FULL CIRCLE AND RECEIVED A CALL TO A UCC CONGREGATON IN BANGOR, MAINE. 

          WHEN I MET WITH THE SEARCH COMMITTEE IN 2001, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAD NEVER BEEN AN OUT GAY PASTOR IN BANGOR BEFORE.  I WAS PROUD OF HAMMOND STREET CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC WHEN THEY VOTED TO CALL ME AS THEIR MINISTER.  MY ORIENTATION WAS A NON-ISSUE FOR THE NINETEEN YEARS I SERVED AS PASTOR AND TEACHER.

          A MONTH LATER AFTER I ARRIVED, CLAIRE CAME FOR A TWO-WEEK VISIT AS A HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR AND DECIDED NOT TO LEAVE.   IN LATER YEARS, CLAIRE AND HER TWO BOYS LIVED WITH ME FOR MOST OF THE TIME I WAS IN MAINE.  JUST AFTER I MOVED THEM INTO THEIR OWN PLACE, MY HOME BURNED DOWN ON CHRISTMAS EVE OF 2019.  THE CAUSE WAS NEVER DETERMINED,  BUT THAT TRAGEDY CAUSED ME TO RETIRE AND MOVE BACK TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2020.

           THIS MORNING MARKS THE INAUGURATION OF A UNITED METHODIST CHURCH INITIATIVE, #BeUMC.  PASTOR LISA HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE SERMONS FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS WILL FOCUS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE PART OF THE UNITED METHODIST TRADITION, EMPHASIZING JOHN WESLEY’S THREE SIMPLE RULES.  TODAY’S RULE IS,  “DO NO HARM.”

          WHILE THE INJUNCTION TO “DO NO HARM” SOUNDS EASY ENOUGH, IN PRACTICE IT IS OFTEN QUITE DIFFERENT.  HOW DO WE HONOR DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN OUR DAILY LIVES?  HOW INCLUSIVE ARE WE IN OUR CHURCH’S MISSION, AND HOW AFFIRMING ARE WE IN OUR LITURGY AND  HYMNODY? (2) 

       I HAVE HAD TO EXAMINE THESE SAME ISSUES IN MY OWN LIFE.  HOW DO I DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO DON’T BELIEVE A GAY PERSON CAN ALSO BE A PASTOR?  HOW DO I HONESTLY FEEL ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO ARE DISAFFILIATING WITH THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND JOINING THE GLOBAL METHODIST CHURCH OR BECOMING INDEPENDENTS? 

          WHEN I MOVED INTO MY TOWNHOUSE AT LAS BRISAS, I SURPRISED MYSELF BY HANGING A PICTURE OF JOHN WESLEY ON MY  BEDROOM WALL.  I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, “MARK DOTY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”  WITHOUT REALIZING IT, I HAD  FORGIVEN THOSE WHO HAD HARMED ME AND BEEN HOSTILE TO MY MINISTRY.  RETURNING TO FATHER WESLEY’S FOLD AND THE DENOMINATION OF BOTH SIDES OF MY FAMILY JUST FELT RIGHT.  AND THAT DECISION LED–NATURALLY ENOUGH–TO JOINING THIS CHURCH FAMILY!  HOW I HAVE LOVED THE PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS AT LAUREL HEIGHTS UMC!  YOU HAVE EMBRACED ME AND PUT ME ON THREE COMMITTEES!  SINGING IN THE CHOIR AND BECOMING ACTIVE IN THE EPWORTH CLASS, ALONG WITH OCCASIONAL TEACHING AND PREACHING ASSIGNMENTS, HAVE FILLED MY CUP WITH MEANING AND JOY!

          LAST YEAR I RETURNED TO FIRST CHURCH, CORPUS, FOR THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHRIST STATUE AND RECEIVED A BEAUTIFUL WELCOME.  THE WORLD HAS INDEED CHANGED AND MANY OF GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED AS WELL—INCLUDING ME. 

          A TRAUMATIC AS MY OUTING WAS, IT REALLY WAS THE MAKING OF ME; I FOUND MY VOICE.  AFTER IT HAPPENED, MY SISTER SAID, “YOU USED TO MAKE THESE LONG SIGHS—LIKE SOMETHING WAS WEIGHING ON YOUR SPIRIT.”  YOU DON’T DO THAT ANY MORE.”  “YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE”!

          AS I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU THE DETAILS OF MY SPIRITUAL REBIRTH, I CAN’T THINK OF A BETTER BIBLICAL TEXT THAN THIS MORNING’S GOSPEL LECTION FROM MATTHEW 3,  THE STORY OF THE BAPTISM OF JESUS.  WE READ THAT JESUS COMES FROM GALILEE TO THE JORDAN RIVER, SEEKING TO BE BAPTIZED BY HIS COUSIN, JOHN.  AS JOHN BAPTIZES JESUS, THE TEXT TELLS US JESUS SEES GOD’S SPIRIT “DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE,” EVEN AS HE EXPERIENCES GOD’S BLESSING.

          BILL LEONARD IS A BAPTIST SEMINARY PROFESSOR WHO WROTE A PIECE IN WHICH HE CALLS TO  MIND THE BAPTISM OF HIS DAUGHTER, STEPHANIE, A PERSON WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, LEARNING AND MOTOR SKILLS DISABILITIES.  HE HADN’T THOUGHT STEPHANIE COULD BE A CANDIDATE FOR BAPTISM, BASED ON WHAT SHE COULD UNDERSTAND.  BUT WHEN SHE ANNOUNCED, AT AGE SIXTEEN, “I THINK IT’S TIME FOR ME TO BE BAPTIZED,” THEY TALKED TO THEIR PASTOR ABOUT IT.  BILL LEONARD SAYS THAT THE MINISTER “DID NOT SPEAK TO HER OF WHAT SHE HAD TO KNOW BUT WHAT SHE WISHED TO BE.”  IT WAS A TRUE DAY OF CELEBRATION WHEN STEPHANIE LEONARD WAS BAPTIZED!

          THE PROUD DAD ENDS HIS ARTICLE BY SAYING, “WE ARE ALL SPECIAL NEEDS PERSONS, YOU AND I.  IN SOME OF US, IT IS JUST MORE PUBLIC THAN IN OTHERS.”  WHAT I BELIEVE AND WHAT I THINK JOHN WESLEY STOOD FOR AND WHAT THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BELIEVES AND GETS RIGHT—FINALLY!–IS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LINED THE RIVER JORDAN THE DAY JESUS GOT BAPTIZED WERE NO STRANGER THAN WE ARE.  CAN I HAVE AN AMEN???

          IF I CAN SAY ANYTHING IN METHODIST, IF THERE IS ANYTHING I WILL STAKE MY LIFE UPON, IT IS THAT WE ALL COUNT.  NO MATTER WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE ARE FROM, YOU AND I WILL ALWAYS AND FOREVER BE, CHILDREN OF GOD.  BELIEVE AND REJOICE!

1  I am indebted to my retired colleague and friend, the Rev. Milton Lewis, for his “Senior Pastor’s Paper on Homosexuality and the Church,” written to his then congregation at Northern Hills United Methodist Church, San Antonio, January of 2017.

2  “#BeUMC Week 1:  The People of God Who Do No Harm,” by Derek Weber, Discipleship Ministries, The United Methodist Church.

Copyright 2023 by the Rev. Dr. Mark Allen Doty