Re: Pastor sues over Native American license plate - UMC.org

Circuitrider — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 17:42:44 -0000

I understand, Keith.

Thanks, and blessings on your ministry.

Rev. Mark Whitley

Re: Pastor sues over Native American license plate - UMC.org

Circuitrider — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 02:52:27 -0000

Nicely stated, Kevin. Are you the same Kevin Will associated with the GBOD Camp and Retreat Ministries?

Rev. Mark Whitley
Chairperson, The Oklahoma Conference Board of Church & Society
circuitrider03@yahoo.com

Re: Pastor sues over Native American license plate - UMC.org

Circuitrider — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 18:44:48 -0000

As chairperson of The Board of Church & Society of The Oklahoma Conference of The United Methodist Church, and on behalf of the entire board, I offer the following response to this issue:

1. The Oklahoma Conference Board of Church & Society has historically taken positions of advocacy whenever social injustices prevent individuals and groups of individuals from achieving their full place in culture and society.

2. We support the protection of individual civil rights that include expressions of religious liberty and freedom of speech.

3. These recent civil actions by an ordained elder of The Oklahoma Conference of The United Methodist Church have become widely public, and have brought to our Conference, to The United Methodist Church, and to the church universal publicity that we believe is generally perceived to be negative and adverse to our denominational mission as United Methodists to "make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
--(http://newsok.com/appeals-c...

4. Though we hold to an individual's rights to protect those rights from impingement of freedom of speech, or infringement upon religious liberty, we also hold that ordained persons are subject to a higher calling to work toward unity as described by Jesus of Nazareth in John 17, and not to act in ways that are divisive, excluding, and in ways that do nothing to forward the work of the kingdom of God.

We hold that legal actions that lead only to Pyrrhic victories for individuals but bring untold cost to the greater causes of the church and the salvific work of God in our world should be avoided.

5. We are proud of the particularly strong presence of Native American culture here in Oklahoma and rejoice that the first presence of Methodist Christians in Oklahoma was within the Native American peoples, long before there was a presence of Methodist Christians among those who settled these lands later. We rejoice in the presence of our brothers and sisters within the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference and stand in solidarity with them whenever prejudices and social injustice negatively impacts their cultures and ways of life.

6. Citing the current Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, this Board agrees that "The United Methodist Church has officially recognized that "many Native traditions were erroneously feared, rather than understood as vehicles for the grace of God" and that "such fears have resulted in persecution of traditional Native peoples and Native Christians" and that "many traditions have been misinterpreted as sin, rather than varying cultural expressions leading to a deeper understanding of our creator." The United Methodist Church, at the highest level, "affirms the sacredness of Native people, their languages, their cultures, and their gifts to the church and the world" and honors "as sacred those practices that: call us back to the sacredness of Native people; affirm as beautiful their identity among the world's peoples; lead us into right relationship with our Creator, creation, and those around us; and call us into holy living. We call upon...the United Methodist Church and the people of the UMC to receive the gifts of Native people as people of God."
--UMC Resolution #3334, adopted 2004, readopted 2012

7. We support the wise and grace-filled perspectives offered by Rev. David Wilson, Conference Superintendent of The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference in response to this issue.
--http://indiancountrytodayme... plate-lawsuit-149995

8. We support and advocate for open discussion and cultural education of those persons among the clergy and the laity whose prejudices and misunderstandings and insensitivities separate any among us from the communion of any cultures and all peoples who were all created by God Who Is Love.

9. We especially call upon all United Methodists to remember and abide by John Wesley's historical counsel to us all:

"It is expected of all who continue herein that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,
First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced...Fighting, quarreling, brawling, brother going to law with
brother...

Secondly: By doing good, by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men...

Thirdly: By attending upon all the ordinance of God..."
--The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2012, pp 76-77

10. We pray for a peaceful resolution to this issue outside any and all Courts of Law and implore all parties, and each of us to lead with grace, to do acts of mercy and justice, to walk with spiritual integrity, to serve each other and our fallen world with the humility of Christ, and to journey submissively in creative partnership with God who beckons to lead us on paths of righteousness.

Graciously submitted,

Rev. Mark T. Whitley
Senior Minister
Verdigris United Methodist Church
Verdigris, OK

Re: Jesus Wore Red, White, and Blue

Circuitrider — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:58:00 -0000

Oh, and blessings from a fellow INFP who never "fit" in life until ministry happened a few years back.

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Re: Pastor sues over Native American license plate - UMC.org

Re: Pastor sues over Native American license plate - UMC.org

Re: Pastor sues over Native American license plate - UMC.org

Re: Jesus Wore Red, White, and Blue