Reconciling Ministries Network
Encyclopedia
The Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) is an organization dedicated to the inclusion of people of all sexual orientation
s and gender identities
in both the policy and practices of United Methodist Church
. It is one of many Welcoming Congregation
organizations to emerge in American Christianity in the 1980s.
Since 2009, the mission of RMN has read, "The Reconciling Ministries Network mobilizes United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities to transform our church and world into the full expression of Christ's inclusive love."
men, and welcome them to full participation in the life of the church
both locally and beyond the local congregation. The group was named "Reconciling Congregations" in reference to discussion regarding the need for reconciliation between gay people and the church.
In 1984, the United Methodist Church
, at its General Conference, added to its Book of Discipline
the statement that "no self-avowed, practicing homosexual shall be ordained or appointed in the United Methodist Church." Affirmation members gathered outside the meeting hall, inviting churches to join the Reconciling Congregations. Soon after, the first two congregations declared themselves to be part of the movement: Washington Square United Methodist Church in New York City
, and Wesley United Methodist Church in Fresno, California
.
As the program grew, it broke away from Affirmation, becoming autonomous in 1989. The name changed to its current name in October 2000 as a recognition that the diverse ministries the program was serving went beyond congregations.
RMN members have challenged United Methodist policies on same-sex relationships. After pastor Jimmy Creech
officiated at a union ceremony for two lesbians, the church in 1996 adopted a policy forbidding any same-sex commitment ceremonies to be celebrated in United Methodist churches or by United Methodist pastors.
In 1999, ninety-five clergy officiated in a union service for Jeanne Barnett and Ellie Charlton. Later that year, Reverend Gregory Dell was tried and found guilty of violating Methodist policy in officiating at the marriage
of two men in his church.
In 2000, more than two hundred twenty-nine members of the Reconciling Ministries and Soulforce
were arrested at the United Methodist Church
's General Conference. Twenty-nine more were arrested when they entered the conference floor to protest against church policies regarding LGBT
people. At the 2004 General Conference, some conservative Methodists proposed that the denomination split over the question of inclusion of LGBT people, a proposal which did not meet with wide approval.
In 2006, the organization became active in a dispute over a pastor's right to refuse membership to a LGBT
churchgoer.
It currently includes 268 United Methodist congregations, 34 campus ministries
, 75 Reconciling Communities, and over 22,000 individuals.
and Wisconsin
conferences of the United Methodist Church
supported the Reconciling Ministries, but The United Methodist Reporter refused to accept advertising from the group, saying that it violated Methodist policies by "promoting the acceptance of homosexuality." The publication eventually accepted a classified ad from RMN in 1994.
There are five extension ministries. They are UMOC: United Methodist of Color for A Fully Inclusive Church, MoSAIC: Methodist Young People for an All Inclusive Church, Reconciling Clergy Network (along with the Retired Reconciling Clergy), TRANS, and the Parents Reconciling Network.
The 2005 convocation, "Hearts on Fire," was held at the United Methodist retreat at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
. It received much attention in the press, and was protested by members of the KKK
.
The 2007 convocation, "Faith, Hope, Love," was held in Nashville
, Tennessee
at Vanderbilt University
. This event was attended by almost 400 Methodists, including almost 50 young people.
The 2009 convocation, "Justice and Joy," was held in Estes Park, Colorado
over labor day weekend. Over 500 persons attended, with almost 100 young persons.
The 2011 convocation, "Sing A New Song," was held in Huron, Ohio
in conjunction with the Methodist Federation for Social Action
.http://www.sans2011.org
Reconciling Ministries Network publishes a quarterly newsletter, available both in print and online, called Katalyst. Additionally, there is a biweekly "Flashnet" e-newsletter, which is emailed to subscribers and also available on RMN's website.
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
s and gender identities
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
in both the policy and practices of United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. It is one of many Welcoming Congregation
LGBT-welcoming church programs
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender affirming religious groups are religious groups that welcome LGBT members and do not consider homosexuality to be a sin. They include entire religious denominations, as well as individual churches and synagogues...
organizations to emerge in American Christianity in the 1980s.
Since 2009, the mission of RMN has read, "The Reconciling Ministries Network mobilizes United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities to transform our church and world into the full expression of Christ's inclusive love."
History
The group was founded in 1983 as the Reconciling Congregation Program as part of Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian/Gay Concerns. It was created as a system for congregations to publicly support lesbians and gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
men, and welcome them to full participation in the life of the church
Church Body
A local church is a Christian religious organization that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by pastors or lay leaders, and, in nations where this is permissible, often seek seek non-profit corporate status...
both locally and beyond the local congregation. The group was named "Reconciling Congregations" in reference to discussion regarding the need for reconciliation between gay people and the church.
In 1984, the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, at its General Conference, added to its Book of Discipline
Book of Discipline (United Methodist)
The Book of Discipline constitutes the law and doctrine of the United Methodist Church. It follows similar works for its predecessor denominations....
the statement that "no self-avowed, practicing homosexual shall be ordained or appointed in the United Methodist Church." Affirmation members gathered outside the meeting hall, inviting churches to join the Reconciling Congregations. Soon after, the first two congregations declared themselves to be part of the movement: Washington Square United Methodist Church in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and Wesley United Methodist Church in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
.
As the program grew, it broke away from Affirmation, becoming autonomous in 1989. The name changed to its current name in October 2000 as a recognition that the diverse ministries the program was serving went beyond congregations.
RMN members have challenged United Methodist policies on same-sex relationships. After pastor Jimmy Creech
Jimmy Creech
Jimmy Creech is a lifelong pioneer in LGBT equality issues. Creech is a former United Methodist minister who was defrocked for marrying same-sex couples....
officiated at a union ceremony for two lesbians, the church in 1996 adopted a policy forbidding any same-sex commitment ceremonies to be celebrated in United Methodist churches or by United Methodist pastors.
In 1999, ninety-five clergy officiated in a union service for Jeanne Barnett and Ellie Charlton. Later that year, Reverend Gregory Dell was tried and found guilty of violating Methodist policy in officiating at the marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
of two men in his church.
In 2000, more than two hundred twenty-nine members of the Reconciling Ministries and Soulforce
Soulforce
Soulforce may refer to:* Soulforce is an American LGBT-issue-focused social justice and civil rights organization.* Soulforce Revolution is the 1989 release of the punk band 7 Seconds....
were arrested at the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
's General Conference. Twenty-nine more were arrested when they entered the conference floor to protest against church policies regarding LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
people. At the 2004 General Conference, some conservative Methodists proposed that the denomination split over the question of inclusion of LGBT people, a proposal which did not meet with wide approval.
In 2006, the organization became active in a dispute over a pastor's right to refuse membership to a LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
churchgoer.
It currently includes 268 United Methodist congregations, 34 campus ministries
College religious organizations
Religious groups are among the most common types of student organization, and evangelical Christian groups predominate. Whenever universities employ chaplains the chaplains are frequently responsible for authorizing and overseeing these groups.-Christian groups:...
, 75 Reconciling Communities, and over 22,000 individuals.
Reception
In 1986, the Northern IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
conferences of the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
supported the Reconciling Ministries, but The United Methodist Reporter refused to accept advertising from the group, saying that it violated Methodist policies by "promoting the acceptance of homosexuality." The publication eventually accepted a classified ad from RMN in 1994.
Structure
The network is composed of core and extension ministries. Core ministries include Reconciling United Methodists, Reconciling Congregations, Reconciling Campus Ministries, and Reconciling Communities.There are five extension ministries. They are UMOC: United Methodist of Color for A Fully Inclusive Church, MoSAIC: Methodist Young People for an All Inclusive Church, Reconciling Clergy Network (along with the Retired Reconciling Clergy), TRANS, and the Parents Reconciling Network.
Convocations
The first convocation of the organization was held in 1987 in Chicago, Illinois. Convocations have been held biannually since then.The 2005 convocation, "Hearts on Fire," was held at the United Methodist retreat at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It received much attention in the press, and was protested by members of the KKK
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
.
The 2007 convocation, "Faith, Hope, Love," was held in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
. This event was attended by almost 400 Methodists, including almost 50 young people.
The 2009 convocation, "Justice and Joy," was held in Estes Park, Colorado
Estes Park, Colorado
Estes Park is a town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. A popular summer resort and the location of the headquarters for Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park lies along the Big Thompson River. Estes Park had a population of 5,858 at the 2010 census...
over labor day weekend. Over 500 persons attended, with almost 100 young persons.
The 2011 convocation, "Sing A New Song," was held in Huron, Ohio
Huron, Ohio
Huron is a city in Erie County, Ohio, United States. The population was 7,958 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sandusky, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History and culture:...
in conjunction with the Methodist Federation for Social Action
Methodist Federation for Social Action
The Methodist Federation for Social Action is an independent network of United Methodist clergy and laity working for justice in the areas of peace, poverty, and people's rights since 1907.-A short history:...
.http://www.sans2011.org
Publications
In 1985, Reconciling Ministries Network began publishing the quarterly magazine Manna for the Journey. The magazine was renamed Open Hands in 1986. In 1988, it received the Award of Merit for publications with fewer than 10,000 subscribers from the Associated Church Press for its second issue, "Living and Loving with AIDS." In 1992, it again received the Award of Merit. The magazine ceased publication in 2002.Reconciling Ministries Network publishes a quarterly newsletter, available both in print and online, called Katalyst. Additionally, there is a biweekly "Flashnet" e-newsletter, which is emailed to subscribers and also available on RMN's website.