Statement of Inclusion (Reconciling)
Statement of Inclusion
YOU *ARE* LOVED!
YOU *CAN* LOVE!
YOU ARE *LOVEABLE*!
Port Edwards UMC strives to be a fully inclusive (pro-LGBTQIA+) community of faith.
We strive not only to include,
but to affirm
God’s diversity
of gender identities and sexual orientations.
A HOME FOR ALL GOD'S PEOPLE
A SAFE & BRAVE SPACE
[the following statement was adopted by unanimous vote
of both PEUMC’s Vision Team (1/17/22) and Church Council (1/23/22)]
We, the People of Port Edwards United Methodist Church, believe . . .
- . . . we are all created in the image of God (Imago Dei) our Creator, and all people are of sacred worth.
- . . . that the Spirit of the living God is encountered in the reading and studying of both testaments in the Holy Bible. We honor, and benefit greatly from, the academic study of Scripture and find it essential to the task of discerning eternal truth apart from cultural or contextual bias.
- . . . that the Holy Bible’s overarching message is to witness God’s ever-expanding love, and wherever there is found any prejudice, discrimination, or animosity in the biblical Story, we believe the Story always ends with the Spirit moving God’s people toward openness, inclusion, acceptance, and affirmation.
- . . . in the Wesleyan Way of Salvation: that salvation is sought in our daily faith journey as we engage in both acts of piety (devotion & worship) and acts of mercy (compassion & justice) on a regular basis. We are all somewhere on this lifelong journey of salvation, even as we all fall short of the glory of God.
- . . . in the diversity of the whole human family with all of its cultures, nationalities, languages, and sexual identities. We are made better when we celebrate this diversity. This reflects God’s agape (unconditional) love toward us.
- . . . that God calls and gifts LGBTQIA+ persons for ministry just as God does other people, and we are committed to the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons in the church today.
- . . . that church should be a safe and brave home for all of God’s people: a place where all are welcomed, accepted, included, and affirmed. No one shall be denied inclusion in our community of faith, including membership and positions of leadership, on the basis of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, physical ability, or socioeconomic status. We continue to understand church membership as a profession of the basic Christian faith as articulated in our tradition.
- . . . in the transformative power of relationships bound in mutual respect and openness to the diversity present. We understand that we grow spiritually when challenged by different opinions held with love.
- . . . our efforts to becoming fully inclusive of all people are fundamental to our divine mission of being, and making, disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of our community and the world.
We recognize that we can only ever be reconciling, not reconciled,
and with great humility, deny any notion that we have achieved
the status of FULL-inclusivity. It is forever a state of becoming.
While we celebrate the God-given diversity of humanity,
and value people along the spiritual, political, and social spectrums,
in order to provide a safe and brave space,
particularly for those who have been historically voiceless and invisible, we ask for unity amongst our members and guests in this endeavor.
This is the first and most foundational step of being fully-inclusive.
Marriage Equality Policy
adopted by unanimous vote of the PEUMC Church Council (5/2023)
We, the leadership of Port Edwards United Methodist Church,
declare that no one will be denied a marriage request
based on sexual identity or gender expression.
Our pastor may perform same-sex marriages
and bless same-sex unions on church property.
This action is in accordance with the spirit of the following statements
in our United Methodist Church’s Book of Discipline, 2016:
• “Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance, and support that enables all
persons to participate in the life of the Church, the community, and the world;
therefore, inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination” (¶140).
• “We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the
image of God” (¶161f).
• “All persons, regardless of age, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation,
are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured” (¶161f).
• “We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay
members and friends” (¶161f).
This policy is our expression of the biblical obedience to the radical hospitality of
Jesus Christ, whose teachings focus on unconditional love, compassion, and justice.
*** Our pastor reserves the right to require marriage counseling sessions for all couples
and may reconsider any request after careful discernment with the couple.
SIGNED: CHURCH COUNCIL AND PASTOR CALEB (5/21/2023)
