Reflections on the UMC Mountain Sky Annual Conference

Hints at a post-crisis United Methodist Church

Last week, Jeralynne and I spent three days attending the Mountain Sky Conference Annual gathering in Caspar, Wyoming. It was our second year serving as Lay Members on behalf of Belong Church.

I wrote up my observations when we attended last year. My demographic summary remains the same as I wrote then.

So what did I learn about the future of the United Methodist Church in more that 25 hours of meetings over two and half days? First, the young (to me) clergy and district and conference leadership have a deep commitment to the Wesleyan identity of the United Methodist Church. I would argue that they are committed to translating John Wesley’s vision of ministry into the contemporary age. Second, for all of the past fights over LGBTQIA+ acceptance in the church, moving to affirmation will enhance, not inhibit, that pursuit of mission. Third, as a “connectional church” the Methodists in the Mountain Sky Conference see themselves as fellow laborers for Christ, albeit also having a strong sense of regional pride.

This year’s annual conference was larger than last year’s gathering. The Colorado Springs meeting has just over 300 voting delegates. Caspar had just under 400.

The big change from last year, of course, is that this was the first annual conference after the General Conference in Charlotte changed the language on LGBTQ+ issues in the book of discipline. It is now possible for gay clergy to serve UMC churches and for clergy to perform same-sex marriages (although they aren’t required to). The harsh language on homosexuality was removed from the Book of Discipline.¹

Last year’s conference began with approving the disaffiliation of over 40 congregations who were leaving to either join the Global Methodist Church or go independent. The window for disaffiliation closed at the end of 2023. We did approve the closure of four small churches whose membership and attendance had shrunk to single digits (one didn’t have an indoor bathroom).

Much remained the same as last year due to the routine nature of much of church business. We had to set minimum compensation levels for local clergy, district leaders, and conference personnel. We had to approve the budget for the conference. We had to approve nominations for conference and jurisdictional level committees and councils. We recognized those clergy and spouses who had died since last year in a moving service.

There was one morning session devoted to just lay delegates.² It was a smorgasbord of various program ideas that might be useful as local congregations attempt to serve their communities.

So while I was in Caspar, I had my sociology of religion antennae up to see how things might be different post disaffiliation and General Conference. Two significant themes stood out to me: a spirit of contrition and repentance and a deeper embrace of the model provided by John Wesley.

Contrition and Repentance: The first thing one notices upon arrival in the Ford Center was the large Native American lodge house at the back of the arena. Not only were we on appropriated land, but 1864 Sand Creek Massacre was a major theme on Saturday morning. The colonel who led the massacre, John Chivington, was a Methodist pastor. The Saturday session included representatives from the Tribes and a history given by the new president of Iliff Seminary. The resolution approved by the conference ends as follows:

At this point in time, Methodists should have already turned 180 degrees from 11/29/1864. Real, meaningful repentance requires continuing active leadership and relationship building between General Church and the Tribes. Repentance must begin to be daily, continuing support and relationship. In relationship we learn and accept the culture and traditions of people of other cultures, without imposing or demanding assimilation and colonization. We, as Methodists, as well as the rest of the world should be focused on sovereignty, identity, culture and other values supporting peoples of every Tribe.

It was also reported at annual conference that the General UMC had made a financial settlement with victims of sexual abuse by representatives of the Boy Scouts. Not that Methodists were directly involved, but given congregations’ historic practice of sponsoring troops there was a recognition of some shared responsibility. In the same spirit, Bishop Karen Oliveto read a statement regarding sexual misconduct happening in congregations. That apology recognized that “protection of the institutional church kept us from holding persons accountable, thus perpetuating harm..”. and laid out better steps going forward in support of victims.³

My friend Liam Adams, religion reporter for The Tennessean, was attending the Tennessee-Western Kentucky annual conference while I was in Caspar. In his story in this morning’s Tennessean, he reports on the apology offered to LGBTQ+ and other underrepresented Methodists.

In the wake of those policy changes, United Methodists are now defining at the local level what it means to be practically committed to that “big tent” ideal. A first step for the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference was acknowledging the church’s hurtful treatment of LGBTQ+ people through a resolution on “confession and reconciliation.”

The resolution, ultimately supported by 84% of delegates, calls for “a more inclusive, affirming, and restorative church that seeks to heal historic harms done to the Black, Brown, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, indigenous communities, and women.”

That acknowledgement is important “for a lot of us, especially as someone who is LGBT and are seeking a place in this church when so many others who have faced historic harms by the Methodist movement,” said delegate Charles Uffelman, who co-authored the resolution, during a Wednesday floor debate. “Confession frees us to build the church that serves everybody.”

As Liam’s story observes, this “Big Tent” of the new UMC offers a glimpse of a broad based commitment to unity across diversity with an attempt to redress past wrongs.

John Wesley: In spite of what Methodist critics like to claim, a “Big Tent” doesn’t mean that Methodists “just believe any old thing”. Instead there is a proactive and confident embrace of the model John Wesley laid out for Methodists from the beginning. Not only did we keep hearing about the “Love of Jesus” and “pressing on to perfection”, but we got to heard a presentation from Ashley Bogan, General Secretary for Archives and History for the General UMC.

She told the story of the Wesleys and their Holy Club at Oxford. But her focus was on what she called “Wesleyan Vile-tality” Wesley had said that there were things that he did that others and he himself would have considered “vile” like preaching in the fields instead of church. He “submitted to be more vile” in service of the Gospel, which is actually connected to his more famous statement, “the world is my parish”.

Wesley and the others in the Holy Club were involved in prison ministry, and worked in support of a prisoner who was charged with homosexuality under British Law. He raised money and advocated for the proper treatment of the prisoner.

Bogan quoted from Wesley’s “Advice to the People Called Methodists”. She summarized these ideas in the following slide.

We are, she said, a new people governed by love. Of course, there will be those who take offense when we act on that premise. But we are to share the reason for our actions, speaking of God’s love and not the political fights. She quoted from Wesley’s sermon on “Catholic⁴ Spirit” where he said “though we can’t think alike, may be not love alike? May we not be of one hear, though we are not of one opinion?". Bogan concluded by arguing that Wesley’s “vile spirit” is behind our impulse to love above all else.

What I saw at the Big Sky Annual Conference is only a glimpse of what the next decades of a new UMC will look like. Denominations do not change overnight, when they change at all. It’s a slow process.

But if the commitment to reach out in the love of Jesus to those society has called vile, to be willing to name past evils (intentional or unintended) and make amends, and to follow with the courage and confidence of Wesley remains at the center of that new UMC, things look bright indeed.

1. This stands in sharp contrast to those denominations that are tightening their positions and forcing affirming pastors, churches, and faculty out of their midst.

2. There was a similar session for clergy but I obviously don’t know what they did.

3. Given the news out of Gateway Church, the SBC, the ACNA and many others, this was refreshing.

4. Ecumenical