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By Erik Alsgaard
UMCONNECTION STAFF

The 2005 Annual Conference, believing that disciples of Jesus Christ can face challenging issues with discussion in open and honest ways, authorized a team to create an opportunity for dialogue on issues related to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.

To that end, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Dialogue Team has carefully gone about its work, meeting five times since last May on issues related to homosexuality.

The petition creating the team, presented by Foundry UMC in Washington, called for a group of people to be appointed by Bishop John R. Schol, a series of dialogues, and for the team to bring a report back to this year?s annual conference.

What they?re finding, though, is that people?s hearts are being changed instead.

'I do think people are transformed' about the issue, said the Rev. Karin Walker, pastor of St. Paul UMC in Kensington and convener of the group. She said that while they?re not being transformed by changing where they come from, 'they?re transformed by ... the encountering of Christ in each other.'

The group, chosen by the bishop from a pool of applicants who responded to a conferencewide invitation to join the team, is composed of nine people: three clergy, including Walker, and six laity. Within the group, three people were selected because they agreed with The United Methodist Church?s current stance on homosexuality; three were selected because they disagreed; and two were selected because they identified themselves as being in the middle. Walker, as the convener, does not actively participate in the dialogue.

The church?s stance on homosexuality has been the center of controversy for decades. Self-avowed, practicing homosexuals are barred from serving as ordained clergy in the church; homosexual unions are prohibited; sexual relations are only affirmed in marriage; and the church considers homosexuality to be incompatible with Christian teaching.

The church says at the same time, though, that 'homosexuals are persons of sacred worth' and that 'God?s grace is available to all.' The church also implores 'families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends.' (?161G, 2004 Book of Discipline)

The team of nine people works together by using what Walker called 'the circle method.' Sitting in a circle, a talking piece is passed from person to person. Only when a person is holding the talking piece may they speak.

In addition, the group spends considerable time on forming and being community. Each three-hour meeting starts with a dinner.

'We determined that we needed to get to know one another and create a sense of commitment, connection and focus on the tasks before us, and develop a trust and rapport with one another,' she said. 'It?s neat to watch how that has happened.'

The Rev. Chris Owens, another member of the Dialogue Team, agrees.

'It has been a beautiful thing,' said Owens, pastor of Bethel UMC in Upper Marlboro. 'Not that there hasn?t been some tense moments; there has. (But) we?ve formed deeper relationships with each other and that has been incredible. Only Jesus can do that.'

LGBT team member Delores Martin from Silver Spring, says that education, both for the team and local church, is important.

'We are educating ourselves,' she said.

'Once we get through this process, we?re going to be very well equipped to pass it along to someone else. I think that that is the piece that is missing, and it would help some people who do not understand other people.'

Throughout the whole process, the team knows that it is creating a model for local churches to use with the issue of homosexuality.

'I think if we have some really powerful questions that local churches might sit down and engage one another about ... they would witness transformation,' Walker said.

Both Walker and Owens have witnessed this transformation first-hand.

'This is where the Discipleship Adventure connects,' said Walker, 'because we are this group of strangers and the common ground is Jesus Christ. We may be different in the way we have our beliefs, our Christian values, but we see Christian community being formed. I?ve met eight delightful Christians that I care for.'

For Owens, who came to this experience 'with a firm stance' on the issue, the learning for him has been transformational.

'It?s easy for me to see people who differ about this as a walking set of issues,' he said. 'This experience, though, has enabled me to see that there?s a whole person behind the issue. Even if we don?t agree, we can respect each other with integrity and understand each other.'

Said Martin, whose stance on this issue differs from Owens: 'It?s been a good experience; it?s been a very different experience for me. I think it?s going to be good for the entire Baltimore-Washington Conference. I think it?s a model that could be taken beyond our conference.'