By The Rev. Josh Doughty

These past three days have been incredibly difficult to be a United Methodist. As some of you are aware, there was a special called General Conference session that met Feb. 24-26 to address the topic of homosexuality in the United Methodist Church.

The plan that the voting body of General Conference narrowly approved was called The Traditional Plan. This is a plan that, simply put, seeks to enforce the current denominational stance on homosexuality as found in our Book of Discipline, and hold accountable those who break the covenant. This decision hurts, pains and saddens many people, myself included.

I am hurt right now that we have come to this point as a denomination. I am pained right now that this decision hurts the many brothers and sisters in Christ we have in the LBGTQAI community. I am saddened that our witness to the those outside of the church has become one of hostility as opposed to grace. To many it feels like Good Friday has come early.

But as Easter people, we can take heart as the good news for us is that we believe that three days later, Christ overcame that Good Friday moment when, as the hymn says, “he rose victorious to the strife for those He came to save.”

It is clear we, as a denomination, are amid a season of strife right now. However, I want you to know that Jesus will prevail and rise victorious. I truly believe that. As Christians, we believe in a God that showed us that love is stronger than death and that after death comes resurrection. We believe that God is present in brokenness and is able to pick those pieces up and make something beautiful and provide hope when everything seems hopeless. That is the faithful God we believe in and the awesome God we serve.

There are two things that I want to be clear on regarding the decision of the General Conference. First, the decision of the delegates at General Conference does not reflect the feelings of the entire (12 million worldwide) United Methodist Church. The second thing I want everyone to be aware of is that nothing, not one thing, has changed as far as who we are to love.

Nothing has changed as far as who we will welcome into our congregation. Nothing has changed as far as who we are to minister to. We are called to reach out in mercy to those who feel marginalized and the left out. We are called to extend grace to those with whom we disagree. We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are called to see all people as people created in God’s image and as people of sacred worth.

No matter what. John 13:34-35, says, “A new command I give you, says Jesus, to love each other just as I have loved you. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

When it’s all said and done friends, we are called to simply love, and in the end love and grace and mercy will always prevail. Always.

— The Rev. Josh Doughty is the lead pastor at Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Marshall.