Way Forward Essays, Videos & Sermons
Pastors and lay people inside and outside the denomination are talking about human sexuality and the decisions that must be made in The United Methodist Church. Just as with the books, none of these postings are endorsements of one way of thinking or another.
Instead, they are meant to provide the people of the Louisiana Conference with information and to provoke deeper thought.
- Wespath document shares potential impacts of outcomes of the 2019 special session
- During the season of Advent, the Rev. Nathan Stanton shares thoughts on the book "Anatomy of Peace" and the bishop's town hall meetings.
- The Rev. David F. Watson, academic dean and professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary, writes about the Judicial Council decision from late October.
- Bishop Cynthia Harvey and Bishop Ken Carter's remarks to the Judicial Council's decision - The Book of Discipline as a “Revelation of the Holy Spirit”: A Sacred Mission, Our Theological Task
- Bishop Michael J. Coyner offers "Commentary: Misused words in church debates"
- Rev. David Livingston, lead pastor at St. Paul's UMC in Lenexa and a General Conference delegate, writes a blog about how we can disagree and remain in the same church.
- Rev. Lovett Weems, senior consultant at the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary, writes about how the Church should not loosen the trust clause or in other ways make it easier for congregations to leave the denomination.
- Gil Rendle (consultant to the commission): Presentation to the Council of Bishops on Feb. 26, 2018
- Rev. Nathan Stanton: "Anatomy of Peace" workshop from the 2018 session of Annual Conference
- Rev. Amy Lippolt: "A Way Forward" sermon series
- Dr. Ben Witherington
- Decision 2019: One with Christ, one with each other, one in ministry to all the world (special edition of Circuit Rider magazine)
- Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr.: Foreword
- Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr.: One church, many contexts
- Rev. Jessica LaGrone: The playing field: scripture and the traditional faith of the church
- Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli: How to love through resistance
- Rev. Tom Berlin: How does our decision affect a local church?
- Bishop John R. Schol: Agreement "to" rather than agreement "with"
- Bishop Gregory V. Palmer: Church dividing issues
- Barbara A. Boigegrain: Economic and pension consequences of General Conference 2019 actions
- Bishop Mande Muyombo: Unity for the sake of mission
Video series from Commission on Religion and Race
A new video series from the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race offers a study program for talking about race, the church and human sexuality among people who disagree. The program features short videos of theologians, pastors, worship and lay leaders, biblical scholars and community activists — many of them people of color.
UM News Service video perspectives
Many United Methodists feel uncertainty as the denomination heads toward the special General Conference on Feb. 23-26, 2019. United Methodist News Service has featured different perspectives of church leaders on the work of the Commission on a Way Forward in this special series.
Video series from the Commission on a Way Forward
The Commission on a Way Forward has released a series of videos that the Commission hopes will inform The United Methodist Church on its processes and work done during the 18-month period of its meetings and deliberations.
Patricia Miller, Executive Director of the Confessing Movement, and Matt Berryman, former Executive Director of Reconciling Ministries Network, talk about their friendship and their experiences serving together on the Commission. (Length 7:55)
Commission members Mazvita Machinga (laity, Zimbabwe East Conference), David Field (laity, Swiss Conference), and Myungrae Kim Lee (laity, New York Conference), share their thoughts about the work of the Commission. (Length 10:56)
A Parable for Today is a video featuring Commission consultant, Gil Rendle. Gil shares a story that illustrates the difference between positions and interests. When we are able to move from holding onto our positions to seeking to understand each other’s underlying interests, we are better able to move forward together. (Length 5:14).
Gil Rendle gives an overview of the Purpose, Principles and Importance of the work of the Commission. This video was recorded during the final Commission meeting in May 2018. The video gives an in-depth theological and technical overview of the work done by the Commission that helps to frame the task given to the delegates to the February 2019 General Conference. (Length 54:18)
Bishop Grant Hagiya, a member of the Commission, shares reflections on the book Anatomy of Peace. Bishop Hagiya explains why the principles of this book can help us make a fundamental shift to allowing spaces where people can have open and honest dialogue with one another. (Length 5:44)
Commission members Donna Pritchard (clergy, Oregon-Idaho Conference), Tom Salsgiver (clergy, Susquehanna Conference) and Leah Taylor (laity, Texas Conference) share reflections on their work, the value of connection, and the relationships they formed during their time together as members on the Commission. (Length 7:02)
Bishops Sandra Steiner Ball, David Yemba and Ken Carter share an overview of their role as moderators for the Commission and how service was one of their primary focuses. (Length 5:35).
Jasmine Smothers, Julie Hager Love and Tom Berlin are Commission members who are also clergy serving in the Southeastern Jurisdiction (SEJ). In this interview, they reflect on their experience and their hopes for the future of the United Methodist Church. (Length 5:46)
Dave Nuckols (laity, Minnesota Conference) and Helen Cunanan (clergy, Pampango Philippines Conference) have a conversation about the Commission, sharing their experiences from different places in the world. (Length 7:50)
Bishops Gregory Palmer and Robert Schnase, who are members of the Commission, talk about how the work of the Commission points to the larger mission of The United Methodist Church. (Length 5:35)
