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Mountain Sky Shared Futures

1/23/2015

From Bishop Elaine J. W. Stanovsky
Mountain Sky Outlook: Shared Futures
January 2015

Greetings sisters and brothers in Christ!

In September, leaders from the Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone Annual Conferences received a recommendation to enter into serious conversation about merging these two conferences into one. The recommendation came from the Futures Task Force of the Yellowstone Annual Conference. The task force proposed the merger to encourage a more “solid disciple-making structure.”

I have named a Mountain Sky Area Shared Futures Committee composed of leaders from both conferences to review and respond to this proposal before annual conferences in June. This committee will be co-chaired by the Rev. Janet Forbes, of the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference, and the Rev. Dave McConnell, of the Yellowstone Annual Conference. The committee will answer two questions:

What vision of vital ministry do the Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone conferences share?
Is there value in the two conferences pursuing vital ministry together?

After their discussions, they will distribute a report to conference leaders as well as advise me on their findings and outcome of their work to inform future planning and action.

Even as we move forward in the formation of this committee, remember that this process takes time. The group will explore whether the two conferences share a vision strong enough to support a merger and bring a preliminary report to the 2015 annual conference sessions. If a vision emerges that is worth pursuing, then I will assign another group to develop a concrete proposal for consideration at the 2016 annual conference sessions. Such a proposal would then be referred to the Western Jurisdictional Conference for action in July 2016. Only the jurisdictional conference can determine the boundaries of the annual conferences. If changes to conference boundaries were approved, they might take two more years to implement.

With each step is a new possibility of strengthening our ministry for Jesus Christ. This is an opportunity to be intentional about our future and living out our mission to be fruitful and faithful. I ask now that we continue to pray for our annual conferences, the members of the Shared Futures Committee and for our life-giving work ahead.

In Christ,
Bishop Elaine J. W. Stanovsky

Members of the Shared Futures Committee:
Steve Burnett
Janet Forbes
Chris Frasier
Kristi Kinnison
Dave McConnell
Elizabeth McVicker
Doug Morton
Margaret Novak
Doug Palmer
Debbie Schmidt
Jeremy Scott
Alice Swett
David Burt
Youngsook Kang
Bishop Elaine Stanovsky

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Statement on Bishop Melvin G. Talbert

1/5/2015

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Statement of Bishop Elaine J. W. Stanovsky
Jan. 5, 2015

Christ is our peace; he has broken down the dividing wall that is between us.
Ephesians 2: 14

Nearly a year ago I received complaints against Bishop Melvin G. Talbert for blessing the marriage of Bobby Prince and Joe Openshaw.   According to the Book of Discipline, I initiated a supervisory response to the complaints, including a facilitated just resolution process. I have accepted a Just Resolution Agreement signed by the parties. Therefore, I have determined that a just resolution has been achieved, the complaints are resolved and the matter is closed.

The United Methodist Church is searching to understand how God’s love is expressed in human relationships, even as scientific and social understandings sometimes diverge from traditional biblical teaching. The official position of The United Methodist Church prohibits unions between people of the same sex, though laws in many places now allow these marriages.

The Church struggles to discern whether God is calling it to protect traditional biblical teachings and norms, or to recognize and bless expressions of love that it has not recognized in the past. Out of conscience, some clergy and churches have defied the official position of the Church by blessing relationships that the Church does not recognize. Others, also out of conscience, have brought complaints against those they believe to have acted beyond what the Church allows. The resulting conflict raises a question faced in every human relationship: how do people live together despite their differences? How can the people with opposing views remain in one Church?

The Just Resolution Agreement achieved by the complainants and Bishop Talbert is a reminder that United Methodists don’t have to be divided by their differences. The conflicted parties came together, prayerfully listened to one another, challenged one another, and searched for God’s guidance for themselves and for the Church. Their conversation produced an agreement that acknowledges their differences, allows each their distinctive voice, and creates a framework for staying in relationship. The ability to recognize one another as members of the household of faith, and to remain in community while continuing to grow in the knowledge and love of Christ together, is at the core of the Christian life in the Church.

I was a privileged to sit with brothers and sisters in Christ – colleague bishops of the Church – as they humbly and respectfully sought the reconciling guidance of the Holy Spirit to mediate their differences and heal their relationships.   Their patience and confidence that God was present in their conversations is a witness to the Church of the reconciling power of God at work when two or three gather together and gives hope for the future of United Methodism.

View the full press release online at United Methodist Communications.

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