Hope is found

And there is hope: 

“There has been increasing talk of schism of the United Methodist Church in recent months. Many say that the issue of homosexuality is so contentious that it will inevitably split our Church. We, as the young people of The United Methodist Church, would like to say that we do not desire a divided Church. “The Church that we have taken our places in is called to a ministry that includes so much more than this one issue. There are genuine, passionate perspectives on all sides of the issue and though we disagree, we have committed ourselves to loving, faithful discussion on this subject. Part of the beauty of our Church is that there has always been room at the table for a wide range of theological diversity within our connectional church family. As Wesley said, ‘May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion?’ “We urge everyone to seek solutions that promote our global unity as the United Methodist Church of Jesus Christ, rather than focus only on the issues that divide us, so that we may faithfully live out our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the denomination that took me in almost 50 years ago is in deep trouble. But there is hope.

Against all circumstances (and votes), there is hope. Hope that we will all be able to see in each other that glimmer we call the image of God. Hope that we will continue to help those who are the least and the lost. Hope that we are more than our own sexuality. Hope that we can become what God would have us be and not what we so desire.

I'm reminded of some folks.

Scriptures tell us this: “And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.”

Habakkuk 2:4 tells us that the righteous shall live by faith.

Faith tells me that the statement above, given by some young adults at General Conference yesterday, shows the most restraint and most love than any of the gazillion blogs I read this past week about the General Conference in Portland, Ore.

Faith, hope and love – but the greatest of these is love.