Oklahoma Methodists discuss transitions
A denominational split rests at center of debate
The inability to safely gather for inperson debate on issues like same-sex marriage hasn’t stopped key developments from occurring in the global United Methodist Church, including in Oklahoma.
• A conservative Methodist group will host informational meetings in Oklahoma City and Tulsa on Saturday and Sunday to discuss plans to form another denomination.
• Oklahoma’s United Methodist bishop has taken steps to deal with changing dynamics if a split in the United Methodist denomination occurs.
• And Oklahoma Methodists are speaking out on both sides of the issues that have caused denominational fissures.
At the heart of the matter is a denominational split that some United Methodists expect to occur at the 2022 General Conference.
The denomination currently bans same-sex weddings and prohibits gay and lesbian individuals from being ordained into the United Methodist ministry. A much-anticipated discussion on these topics was to have taken place at a 2020 gathering but the meeting was canceled during the pandemic. Recently, the denomination’s leaders said the discussion likely will happen at a General Conference assembly in 2022.
Conservative split
A group of conservative United Methodists who favor the ban on same-sex weddings and gay and lesbian ordination recently announced plans to form another Methodist denomination called the Global Methodist Network.
An organization called the Wesleyan Covenant Association-Oklahoma chapter will host a meeting to discuss the network movement from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday at St. Andrews United Methodist Church, 2727 SW 119 in Oklahoma City. Another meeting will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa.
“They are informational meetings for those who are concerned with the direction of the United Methodist Church and may want to be a part of the Global Methodist Church,” said Cara Nicklas, an Edmond woman who is part of a transitional leadership team for the Global Methodist group.
Nicklas said Keith Boyette, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, will be featured speaker at Nicklas the coming meetings and question-and-answer panel discussions with a local group of panelists will also be held. Nicklas will be a panelist for the Oklahoma City discussion, along with Boyette and the Rev. D.A. Bennett, senior pastor of St. Andrews.
She said Tulsa’s panel will include the Rev. Tom Harrison, senior pastor of Asbury-Tulsa, and Tom Junk, a lay person.
Preparing for transitions
Meanwhile, the Rev. Jimmy Nunn, bishop of the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference and Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, said he has appointed a clergy leader to help the Oklahoma conference with changing demographics and transitions. Nunn said he appointed the Rev. Tish Malloy as the conference’s new director of transitional ministries. Nunn said the idea behind the new appointment is to have someone to help support local churches in transition.
He said he expects Malloy will be working with some churches that have experienced changing demographics for various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic. But he said another part of the transitional ministries’ role will be helping with transitions that may arise due to denominational issues.
“I’m not wanting to get so far ahead but I do expect some transition,” he said.
Nunn said he is aware that the General Conference delays mean many Methodists have been waiting longer than anticipated to see how the issues are resolved.
“We’re just waiting and, in many ways, we’re kind of stuck,” Nunn said.
Nevertheless, the bishop said it’s important to note that the United Methodist denomination will remain in some form, no matter what happens.
“Really, the big thing is there will be a United Methodist Church after General Conference,” he said.
‘Balancing act’
Nicklas In a recent said those story in involved The Oklahoman, with the Global Methodist Network movement hold to the traditional view that heterosexual marriage is God’s design for human relationships and that this is a doctrinal stance that should not be changed to reflect current culture.
Several Oklahoma United Methodist ministers said they want to let Oklahomans know that they have consistently taken a stance opposite those espoused by conservatives in the Global Methodist Network movement. They said they felt the need to share their views because of the delayed discussions regarding full inclusion for LGBTQ+ individuals in Methodist Church.
The Rev. Trina Bose North, senior minister of Crown Heights United Methodist Church, and the Rev. Scott Spencer, senior minister of Mosaic United Methodist, said they would like to see the Methodist Church overturn the prohibition on gay ordination and samesex weddings.
North said the timing of the delayed denominational gathering has had real effects on her church.
“The pandemic is not our fault, but the pandemic happened. We have couples who are engaged who attend Crown Heights United Methodist and right now there are restrictions on them getting married in the church. There are ordination candidates going through the process,” she said.
“This idea of justice delayed is justice denied — here is an example of that.” Spencer agreed.
“It just puts everybody in this very awkward position and feeling that they don’t quite belong to a denomination where there is equality. It’s just been a balancing act,” he said.
Spencer’s church held a “Resist Service” in January 2020 when new punishments went into effect for Methodist clergy who defy the denomination’s prohibition against gay ordination and same-sex marriage.
Spencer said he had hoped to have an opportunity to voice his dissent regarding the ban but the prolonged postponement of the General Conference discussion seems to “hang over us like a dark cloud.”
Jen Logsdon-Kellogg, an associate minister at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church in Tulsa, said she is an optimist who believes that the delay may translate into more time for conversations on the key issues to be held at the local church level.
“I believe the longer the church grapples with justice issues in general, we’re beginning to have those conversations and perhaps some people will change their perspective and not just their perspective, but scriptural interpretation,” she said.
For now, Logsdon-Kellogg said her church has put policies in place that allow the church’s pastors to use their discretion to determine whether to marry any couple, heterosexual or LGBTQ+, and that the house of worship will support LGBTQ+ ministry candidates if they demonstrate the gifts and graces for ministry.