UMC Clergy/Laity Begin to Publically Call for Bishops' Resignations
From: Austinhero@aol.com Dear Bishop, Did you make a pledge when you were swarn in as a bishop in the United Methodist Church to uphold the Book of Discipline 100%? Did you disagree with it when you swore to uphold it? Isn't this a conflict of interest? Why would you want to be a bishop in a church whos Book of Discipline you disagree with and are swarn to uphold. Did you take the oath of office of the bishop intending to keep the oath or break it. Did you intend to follow the Book of Discipline which you swore to uphold or did you intend to follow your own agenda? I guess it is possible to be a UMC bishop and disagree with the Book of Discipline (you are proof of that). However, you cannot be a UMC bishop and not uphold the Book of Discipline. The UMC bishop is the person given the responsibility of upholding the book of discipline. You need to decide whether you are committed to the UMC and the Book of Discipline (it's a package deal, you can't have one without the other) or to some other agenda. Either steadfastly uphold the book of discipline you swore to uphold or do the right thing and resign. If you were committed to the Book of Discipline at the time you took the oath but have since changed your mind then you are no longer fit to be a UMC bishop. As a matter of personal, doctrinal, and spiritual integrity you must resign. Gary Austin From: margaret/jenny mazing@wb.web-access.net The letter by Dan Tilly calling for the resignation of any bishop or UMC clergy to resign if they feel called to advocate for gay and lesbian Christians sounds to me as though he expects every clergy to lock-step to the UMC Discipline. Such an expectation is not the purpose or intention of the Discipline. Margaret Ann Nunley From: James Gibson[SMTP:osjude@ibm.net] Mr. Sloca is right about there being a process for charging bishops. Unfortunately, such a process has already been tried against Bishop Sprague. Rev. Dan Lauffer filed charges against Sprague, but the matter was never brought to trial. Bishop Sprague remains a bishop and Rev. Lauffer is on the way out as a UM pastor. The problem is not only apostate bishops, but a corrupt system which punishes faithful pastors and rewards disobedience, apostasy and incompetence. James Gibson From: Sloca's csloca@lisco.com
Charges should be pressed against this bishop and all other bishops who pay lip service to the Discipline and Scripture and then, by their comments and actions, undermine the truth of both. There is a procedure for charging bishops. These charges must go to the presiding bishop of the Jurisdiction wherein the bishop holds residence. Just as pastors may be charged for abuse of power, so too may bishops. Charles Sloca, First United Methodist Church, Fairfield, Iowa 52556. |
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