A letter to our LGBTQIA+ Sisters and Brothers and their allies:

As United Methodist clergy and lay people in the Memphis Annual Conference, active and retired, we write to acknowledge the harm done last week by the Special Session of The General Conference of The United Methodist Church.

We grieve the actions of this General Conference, which tightened restrictions on the ordination of gay clergy and maintained prohibitions on our clergy performing same-sex weddings including celebrating weddings in United Methodist Churches.

We say to our LGBTQIA+ siblings: you are beloved children of God, and you are beloved by us. These actions of the General Conference do not reflect our hopes and dreams for The United Methodist Church. More importantly, we believe they do not reflect the hopes and dreams of God for a Church that is divided.  While a plurality of the General Conference delegates from the United States voted in favor of a plan endorsed by 2/3 of the Council of Bishops for a more inclusive church, through its actions in St. Louis,  the denomination has perpetuated exclusion.

Too often, our silence as clergy and lay people has done harm. We commit to advocating and working for the full inclusion of all people in God’s church. And we humbly ask for your prayers and forgiveness.

We are persuaded that the actions of this General Conference will not stand.  We believe there is a way out of no way and that a Church for all God's people through The United Methodist Church is coming into being as guided by The Holy Spirit.

As the holy season of Lent begins, we pray for those harmed by the Church.  We pray for the redemption of the Church and that it will fully embrace the General Rules of our Methodist heritage to do no harm, do good of every kind and stay in love with God through the means of grace.  We pray for our beloved sisters and brothers with whom we desire to be in fellowship who are not of one mind with us on this matter.  We believe that the historic words of John Wesley ring true in this moment -  "While we cannot think alike, can we not love alike?"  We commit in this season of Lent to resist evils in whatever form they present themselves, especially those wrapped in the language of the Church, and to always choose love, God's love in Jesus Christ as the true way forward.

We believe that God who began a good work in us will bring it to completion. We hope that you can join us in this work, but we understand if you cannot. And we commit to working alongside God, as we weep alongside you.

In Lamentation and Hope,

The Rev. Dr. Jonathan L. Jeffords
The Rev. Dr. Birgitte T. French
The Rev. Renee Dillard
The Rev. Camille W. Bradley
Dr. Kathy Barker
Ms. Stephanie L. Powers
The Rev. Amy Wingrove Martin
The Rev. Sara K. Corum
The Rev. Josh McClurkan
The Rev. Dr. Jerry Lee Jeffords
The Rev. Kyle Bomar
The Rev. Larry Chitwood
The Rev. Dr. Steve Stone
The Rev. Jamey Lee
The Rev. Thomas M Fuerst
The Rev. D'Leigh Harvell
The Rev. Billy Vaughan
Mrs. Martha Lyle Ford
The Rev. John Jeffrey Irwin
The Rev. William R Clark
The Rev. Dr. R. Mark Matheny
The Rev. Fred Morton
The Rev. Lora Jean Gowan
The Rev. Jason W. Jones
The Rev. Martha B Wagley
The Rev. Mary H. Stone
Ms. Barbara J. Vann
The Rev. Trina Bell Morrison
The Rev. Dell King
The Rev. Gary D Lawson Sr
Mrs. Jane Threlkeld
The Rev. Amanda Crice
The Rev. Mike Potter
The Rev. Jolinne Balentine-Downey
Mr. Dick Vaughan
The Rev. Dr. Lee Ramsey
Mr. Michael Walker
Ms. Katlyn Griffis
Dr. John R. Barker
The Rev. Diane Harrison
The Rev. Dr. Brad Gabriel
Mr.Jay Cheatham.
The Rev. Dr. M. Douglas Meeks
The Rev. Rebekah Gienapp
Mr. Josh Shaw
Dr. Mark A Jones
Ms. Jill Brookoff
Ms. Sally A Carver
The Rev. James Lee
The Rev. Dr. Ben Boone
Mrs. Shelley Ramsey Johnson
The Rev. Mary Leslie Dawson-Ramsey
The Rev. Gail W. Gaddie
Mrs. Debra Yarbrough
Mrs. Joan Laney
The Rev. Derek W. White
Mrs. Carolyn Vaughan
The Rev. Dr. Cecil Kirk
Mrs. Ann Jeffords
Ms. Sarah Cobb
Ms. Erica Stanfill
The Rev. TroyAnn Poulopoulos
The Rev. Dr. John Kilzer
Ms. Sherry L Allen
The Rev. Jathaniel Cavitt
Mr. Jacob Vaughn
Ms. Charley Johnson
Ms. Denise Coffey
The Rev. Dr. Gregory Waldrop
Ms. Danielle Harstin
Mr. Craig Yarbrough
Brother Parker Talley
Ms. Barbara A. Watt
Ms. Morgan Curlin
Mrs. Leanne L. Bailey
Ms. Tharon Kirk
Mr. Scott Murray
The Rev. Kristofer Roof
The Rev. Bill Barnard
Mr. David Smith
Mrs. Harriett Sprott
Mr. Rodney Knolton
The Rev. Nancy Johnston Varden
The Rev. Dr. Scott Morris
Ms. Ann W. Langston
Mrs. Denise Hensley
The Rev. Mimi White
Mr. Dudley Langston
The Rev. Dr. L. Edward Phillips
Ms. Ann W. Langston
Mr. Kevin Roehl
The Rev. Dr. Susan Sharpe
Mr. Marty Keith
Mr. Tory Shane Dillard
Mrs. Mrs. Jack (Jane) Morris, III
Mr. David Vaughan
The Rev. Dr. Rizzo
Mr. Pat Williams
Ms. Virginia Burt Wilson
Mr. Morgan Stafford
Mrs. Lauren Hampton
The Rev. Dr. Steve Mischke (retired)
The Rev. Linda Gabriel
Mrs. Patricia Leathers Stephenson
Ms. Mary A Meister
Ms. Janie Stafford
The Rev. Jonathan Chambers Lewis
Ms. Barbara Moorehead
Mr. Frank Langston
The Rev. William H. Lawson, Jr.
The Rev. Jim Cooper
Mrs. Cathy Philpot
The Rev. Judy Phillips Piercey
Mrs. Janet Hall
Mr. Gary Hall
The Rev. Rick Kirchoff
Mrs. Jane Kirchoff
Mrs. Jil Bruehl
Mrs. Stacey Ettinger
Mr. Collins Dillard
Mrs. Penny Wheatley Wilson
The Rev. Dr. Albert D. Mosley
The Rev. Dr. R. Craig Jordan
Ms. Annie Hunter
Ms. Ann Bowsher
Mr. Mark King
Ms. Debbie Underwood
Ms. Linda Warren Seely
The Rev. Brad Thomas
The Rev. Kathleen Masters
The Rev. M. Anne Burnette Hook
Mr. Larry Davis
Mrs. Elaine Davis
Mrs. Linda Douty Mischke
Mrs. Jackie Flaum
Mrs. Melissa Bosserman
Mr. Kelly Bosserman
Mr. Jim Lindstrom
Mr. Richard Kucha
Dr. Sarah J. Fitch
Ms. Letitia C. Moss
Ms. Sophie Barker
Mr. Mike Coop
Mrs. Becky Ross McRae
Mr. Alan Butler
Ms. Cheryl Dare
Mr. Bob Murphey
Mr. Daniel Hampton
Ms. Carolyn Carnesale
The Rev. Judy Loehr
Ms. Sophia Lively
Mr. Alex Jarratt
Ms. Kay Due
Mr. Nathan Brasfield
Mrs. Meredith Coupe'
Ms. Missy Williams
Ms. Susan McKnight
Ms. Lila Beth Burke
Ms. Kimberly P. Moore
Ms. Carol Wright
Mrs. Ann Lane Neal
Dr. Carla Shirley
Mr. Ben Carmichael Neal, Jr.
Dr. Michael Turner
Ms. Mary Claire Melton
Mrs. Robin Wylie Tate
Mrs. Dena Stoudt
Mr. Andrew Halford
Ms. Bonnie West
Ms. Shana McCoy Johnson
Ms. Marian Carruth
Mr. Marc Tate
Mrs. Natalie Duncan
Ms. Cris Gates
Mrs. Natalie Duncan
Mr. Richard Carruth
Mrs. Natalie Duncan
Ms. Martha Hayes-Burkhead
Dr. Ted Horrell
Ms. Kathy Irwin
Mrs. Amy Worrell Sterling
Mrs. Sarah Horrell
Mrs. Arleen Cooper
Mrs. Joanne Williams
Ms. Marilyn R. Kemp
Mr. Zachary R. Ferguson
Ms. Rachel Wiley
Ms. Shirlee M. Clark
The Rev. Autura Eason-Williams
Ms. Karen J. Moore
Ms. Marian Bacon
Mrs. Marjorie Levy
Ms. Ginny Wilcox
Mr. Matthew R. Lott
Mrs. Ashley Cunningham
Ms. Laurel White
Mr. Robert Hollingsworth
Mr. Ronnie Gilmer
Dr. Marcy Mittelstadt
Mrs. Kat Farris
Mrs. Melissa Ungberg
The Rev. Dr. Myra Bennett
Mr. Roland L Bullock
Mrs. Caitlin C. Bomar
Mrs. Jennifer Bugg Van Waes
Mrs. Kay Pattat
Mr. David Hensley
Mr. Michael Masters
Mr. Christopher Williams
The Rev. Dr. Angela Harris
Mrs. Linda Hensley
Ms. Kathy Irwin
Mrs. Sherry Crump Carmichael
Mr. Travis Hamm
Mr. James Farris
Mr. James Rogers
Mrs. Tina Day
Mrs. Margaret B. Cobb
Mr. Joseph P. Cobb III
Mrs. Mary Ann Giampapa
Ms. Amanda Graham
Mr. Kurt Knotts
Mr. J. Jeffrey “Elmo” Adams
Mrs. Libby Garrett
Ms. Lynda S Smith
Mrs. Karen Machart
Ms. Sue Hyland
Mrs. Mrs. Susan Edwards
Ms. Claire Prince
Ms. Luanne Gowan Hearn
Mr. Sam Crump
Mrs. Rae-Anne Pitts
Mrs. Miriam F. Handorf
Mr. Woody Burton
Mrs. Blaire Burton
Mr. Matthew Pitts
Mr. Donald Tyson
Mrs. Anna Michael Grisham
Mrs. Megan Starling
Mr. Russell H. Walker
Ms. LeeAnne Cox
Mr. Joe Shelton
Ms. Carol Craig
Ms. Lyn Stewart
Mr. Joel Alsup
Ms. Suzy Kehoe
Mr. Eddie McDoniel
Mr. Larry Kaler
Mr. Ryan Baker
Ms. Barbara Pyles
Ms. Merri L Dodson
Dr. Christopher Tinius
Dr. Todd Richardson
Mrs. Nancy H Reagan
Mr. Donald M. Wood
Mrs. Paula M. Wood
Mrs. Lindsey Alsup
Mr. Randy Reagan
Ms. Phyllis Crockett
Ms. Ruthie Thompson Bernabe
Mrs. Leigh Richardson
Dr. Sue Langham
Mr. G. William Gallops
Ms. Olivia Jane Bernabe
Mrs. Nanci Hargrove
Mrs. Ruth King
Mr. William Colton
Mr. Jeff Michael
Mr. Herb Levy
Ms. Phyllis Steketee
Mrs. Faye Bartlett
Mrs. Sara M. Holmes
The Rev. Gregory S Taylor
Mrs. Anne Richards
The Rev. Dr. Joe E. Piercey
Ms. Ruthie Thompson Bernabe
Mrs. Kristy Jeffords
Mr. Keith H. Parsons
Ms. Helen Parsons
Mrs. Barbara R Michael
Ms. Brittany Martin
Ms. Terri Panitz
Ms. Suzanne Harvey
Dr. David Melton
Mrs. Lauren McGehee