We as leaders of the Milton United Methodist Church celebrate and model the love of Jesus by welcoming and affirming people of all abilities, classes, cultures, gender identities and sexual orientations.
Lay Leadership of Milton United Methodist Church
The Way Forward
For The United Methodist Church
Introduction and background
The United Methodist Church consists of 458 congregations in Wisconsin (including Milton UMC) and 12 million members worldwide. We are global, connectional, inclusive, Wesleyan, grounded in Scripture, concerned about social justice, mission-oriented and ecumenical.
Because of its diversity, size and global reach, the greater church has disagreed for decades regarding its theology of human sexuality. A special meeting held in St. Louis in February 2019 to resolve the matter resulted in further division and pain.
The following statement from the lay leadership and staff of Milton UMC reflects our prayerful, faithful response to current complexities.
A statement of Milton UMC concerning The UMC’s Way Forward
We celebrate and model the love of Jesus by welcoming and affirming people of all abilities, classes, cultures, gender identities and sexual orientations.
We acknowledge the global United Methodist Church has not been of one mind regarding human sexuality. We deeply value our United Methodist connection and lament this division. But we commit to standing with persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities as a matter of justice and love. We disagree with church law when it categorically discriminates against persons.
Regardless of what the denomination decides in the months to come, we will stand with United Methodist churches all over the United States and world in opposition to the exclusionary ruling of the 2019 General Conference. Instead, we support the full inclusion of all people in the life of the church, affirming the gifts and graces of all who choose to follow Christ.
When disagreements among God’s people inevitably occur, we will remain a part of Christ’s church. We pray to keep open minds, hearts and doors.
Lay leadership and staff of Milton United Methodist Church
June 2019