You’re invited to a critical conversation in today’s life of our church. On Saturday, September 16, from 9am to 3pm, Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader will lead us as we discuss who we are as part of the body of Christ, specifically The United Methodist Church.
We will be discussing questions of identity, purpose, and mission as we think about the challenges that our differences around human sexuality present us at this time in The United Methodist Church.
This is not an educational event on homosexuality but on ecclesiology – the study of the mission of the church. Laity and clergy alike are invited.
We will meet at Grace UMC, 300 E. Gartner Road in Naperville. I look forward to seeing you there.
Bishop Sally Dyck
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Each active clergy serving local churches should have received a copy of the book Unity of the Church and Human Sexuality put together by the General Board of Higher Education at either the clergy session or annual conference. We will use it to guide our conversation on September 16.
We will reflect on the following questions from the Council of Bishops:
…In our diverse and global existence, what is the shared mission/purpose of the Church?
…Is there a proactive way for us to live together in our differences that doesn’t presume that we will resolve our differences? What would it be?
…What might be a form of unity that would empower us living together?
…What is our witness and what can be our witness to the world in relation to our differences?
The book can be used as a study guide in your local church before or following the event. Click here for more information. For more information and resources on the Commission on a Way Forward visit: www.umcnic.org/wayforward.