Mark Tooley, mtooley@ird-renew.org
Institute on Religion and Democracy
202-969-8430
June 21, 2005
Some United Methodists are distressed that the official conference center of the United Methodist Church's relatively conservative Southeast Jurisdiction will be hosting a 4-day pro-homosexuality rally in September.
Called "Hearts on Fire," the convocation is organized by Reconciling Congregations, the main pro-homosexuality lobby group attempting to overturn the United Methodist Church's teachings on marriage and sexual ethics.
According to the Reconciling website's description of "Hearts on Fire, "it will convene "United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities that are called in faith to celebrate, ignite and empower the inclusive church of Jesus Christ!"
Reconciling hopes to attract 400 United Methodists to the convocation, located in western North Carolina. Speakers will include 7 bishops:
Susan Morrison, Melvin Talbert, Joseph Sprague, Sally Dyck, John Schol, Minerva Carcano and Bishop Richard Wilke.
Other speakers will include openly lesbian United Methodist minister Beth Stroud, same-sex union convenor Karen Oliveto, and Erin Swenson, a male Presbyterian minister who had a sex-change operation and now professes to be female.
Reconciling has declared that "Hearts on Fire" will include a "rainbow community of faithful lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and heterosexual disciples committed to justice!"
Joetta Rinehart, a spokesperson for the Lake Junaluska Retreat Center, said the center occasional rents to secular organizations but has refused the center to groups deemed to be at odds with the United Methodist "mission."
According to Lake Junaluska guidelines, "Groups using our facilities should have a mission compatible with Lake Junaluska Assembly and The United Methodist Church, its Discipline and Social Principles."
In response to a request for comment, Rinehart said, "We believe we are within the Disciplinary guidelines as referenced in Para.161g, 162h and s and 806.9 and 304.3. We believe our vision and mission encourage us to join the total church in opening our hearts, our minds, and our doors."
The Book of Discipline references cited by Rinehart affirm God's love for homosexuals but call its practice "incompatible with Christian teaching." Human rights for homosexuals are supported, but the church denies ordination to practicing homosexuals, refuses funding for pro-homosexuality advocacy, and will not allow same-sex unions.
Reconciling Ministries, the host of "Hearts of Fire," decidedly believes homosexual practice is compatible with Christian teaching and supports the ordination of active homosexuals and church "weddings" for same-sex couples.
According to the church's Social Principles, "sexual relations are only clearly affirmed in the marriage bond," a stance with which Reconciling is decidedly in disagreement.
Beyond advocacy of homosexuality, "Hearts on Fire" will "explore the development of transgender and gender queer spirituality," among other exotic forms of sexual expression, according to its brochure.
The musical entertainment for "Hearts on Fire" will be Jason Warner and deMarco DeCiccio, two male Christian singers who fell in love with each other and formed the group "Jason and deMarco."
Rinehart pointed out that Lake Junaluska is renting the facility to Reconciling, not subsidizing "Hearts on Fire." She said The General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) had been consulted, and GCFA agreed that the disciplinary prohibition against funding of pro-homosexuality advocacy is not being violated.
But Rinehart did not explain how Lake Junaluska's policy of renting only to groups whose mission is compatible with the United Methodist Discipline could be reconciled with renting to "Hearts on Fire."
According to Rinehart, "Our working policy of renting space to groups whose mission is compatible with ours is interpreted more as organizations or groups that are not in opposition to our mission of making Disciples for Jesus Christ."
"Providing hospitality to one of United Methodism's affiliated caucuses neither indicates approval or disapproval," Rinehart said. "Our hope is that persons who use Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center leave as more committed followers of Jesus Christ."
Lake Junaluska's executive director is Jimmy Carr, who made the decision to rent the facility to "Hearts on Fire," despite its theme of opposing United Methodist teachings on marriage and sexual ethics. The Southeast Jurisdiction's Connectional Table, chaired by Bishop Charlene Kammerer of Virginia, governs the Lake Junaluska facility.
Action: Share your comments about Lake Junaluska's decision to rent to "Hearts on Fire" with Lake Junaluska Executive Director Jimmy Carr. Be polite and respectful. E-mail: jlcarr@sejumc.org.