Delegated rejected change despite a Virginia pastor's warning: 'You will be putting a virus into the American church that will make it very sick, and it will be sick quickly.'
Trying to marshal support for the One Church initiative on Tuesday, Rev. Tom Berlin of Virginia called it the"only shot at change" for people who want to lift blanket bans on same-sex couples who want to wed, and on LGBTQ members of the church who want to be ordained.
On the other hand, Berlin warned, there would be dire consequences if the Traditional plan were to be embraced — particularly for Methodist churches in the U.S., where they represent the country's"You will be putting a virus into the American church that will make it very sick, and it will be sick quickly," Berlin said, adding that however it's intended, the Traditional plan will be perceived as an overt act against gay church members and others.
"Other people will stay and fight. And they will do weddings; they will break the Book of Discipline; there will be trials; it will be in the news," he said, adding that the focus will shift away from any good the Church accomplishes. Berlin urged anyone who is against the minority report to abstain from voting, or to reject the Traditional plan so the church would maintain its current status quo.
"When that is the message — when gay persons become convinced I don't love them because I don't condone their behavior, it hurts my relationships with them," Nicklas said."You surely don't want to be united with me, if I am as mean and unloving as I am accused," Nicklas said."If the One Church plan passes, I'm certain you will not stop trying to make me fit your idea of a loving person.
"The One Church plan does not agree with the words of our savior," Denardo said, warning that it"deceives young persons into believing that same-gender marriage is OK with God — when clearly it is not."
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