PlainSpoken

This segment covers the requirements for consideration for ordained ministry in the Global Methodist Church. What background is needed in order to be recommended by one's church? Once recommended, what does the educational and candidacy process look like? We have an extended reflection on the relevance of modern psychotherapy in the culling the candidates for ministry. The final content deals with the historic questions asked of clergy and how they might should be interpreted and applied today. Enjoy! Link - Allie Beth Stuckey on Social Justice - https://youtu.be/yBX-9eUtwzU?si=m7TEMjPayzvqaKnV

¶401-403 Deals with "The Ministry of the Called." It establishes a basic theological framework for ordained church leadership, beginning with Certified Lay Ministers but then getting into Deacons and Elders. In this segment, we talk through a theology of calling and how it stands against other traditions that have other litmus tests for who should lead. We also try (and largely fail) to suss out where the boundary lines are between the different roles for leadership in the church. We hope you enjoy!

A reflection on a strange farewell - This segment deals with the conclusion to the recent 'special called' Florida Conference, at which they said goodbye to another 74 local churches. The bishop had some choice words for people who 'did not leave in peace.' What could this mean? Links: Florida WCA post - https://www.facebook.com/WesleyanCovenantAssocFl/posts/pfbid0pZUXzzGa1LLZX5WADxNJyyAENKYmc8VGRmdRV1Yz6UXeFATSyaCbmhmBmbXujiTsl Florida Conference Article - https://www.flumc.org/newsdetail/with-disaffiliation-complete-the-florida-conference-looks-to-a-united-future-18162480

At the special called conference of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church (held only online), a 17-minute video of Bishop Ken Carter was played to set the tenor of the separation. His tone was mostly warm and pastoral, but near the end he turned paternal and controlling, instructing churches leaving on how they were and were not to act after separation. I haven’t seen anything like this yet and thought it worthy of note. What will happen if churches refuse to obey his commands? What if churches or pastors insist on publicly speaking about what they have experienced to be dysfunction, or even abuse?

Also, where do things stand in Western North Carolina? Did any churches get voted down? What does the future look like? Links: Bishop Carter’s Full Address (or at least the version I found) - https://vimeo.com/881210107?fbclid=IwAR02jimNpNODzK_oiJMOHtcj33iG8daCVimR6esB2qaRqndbmPHRt3cbPPk Report on Disaffiliation by Western North Carolina Conference - https://www.wnccumc.org/november-results?fbclid=IwAR2YIHKEJr3Z4PbGJrqW2lCkUecTcyJ6W9ru4R4ch68SissKw-HUz_0S6_A

Karen Oliveto has been given the status of bishop in The United Methodist Church, even though, by the denomination’s standards, she is not eligible even for ordained ministry, much less the episcopacy. Since her ‘consecration’ as a bishop, she has revealed herself to be aligned against all forms of traditional Christianity, compromising the integrity of the UMC from within. Her continued standing in the denomination delegitimates among the episcopacy who continue to suffer the lawlessness of her administration. 

In this segment, I go through a recent piece she did and connect it some other work that I have done, as well as some previous reporting on her claiming to be a Muslim and railing against the ‘basket of deplorables’ culture found within some parts of the UMC. This isn’t meant to preach to the choir (although I’m sure many choir members will appreciate this) so much as educate those outside of the Western Jurisdiction who may not know very much about her. Links: Judicial Council Decision #1341, which delegitimated Oliveto’s episcopacy - https://www.resourceumc.org/en/churchwide/judicial-council/judicial-council-decision-home/judicial-decisions/in-re-petition-for-declaratory-decision-from-the-south-central-jurisdiction Conversation with Rev. Robert Barnes, in which he details the rigged dismissal of his complaints against Oliveto - https://youtu.be/Av4Z9ENR54A Conversation with Rev. John Nadasi, in which he details the kindness of Oliveto - https://youtu.be/32rEGl0DHWQ Video Oliveto Recorded - https://www.facebook.com/MountainSkyUMC/videos/2247578005443624/?vh=e&extid=MSG-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C Article w/ Picture of Oliveto Claiming to be Muslim - Lesbian Bishop Seeks to ‘Reshape United Methodism for a New Era’ - https://juicyecumenism.com/2022/01/17/lesbian-bishop-reshape-united-methodism/

Being connected together is a hallmark of being a Methodist, unfortunately we as conservatives can sometimes forget that. Rather than banding together and tackling issues head on we've isolated ourselves in our smaller communities, its time for that to change.

Church membership is important. Sometimes our local church membership rolls look much different than the reality of a Sunday morning. When churches vote to leave the UMC and members suddenly show up that haven't been to church in years who is really at fault? And should we be mad at the Annual Conference for trying to contact members directly? Here is a short video directed at that very subject, we will release a longer video going further in depth later, let us know which format you prefer and don't for get to subscribe and share our content if you find it helpful!