2016 General Conference Petitions --- Your Support Is Needed!!!

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According to the 2012 Book of Discipline, "Any organization, clergy member, or lay member of The United Methodist Church may petition the General Conference….” (¶507). Belmont United Methodist Church (Nashville, TN) has submitted petitions related to the welcoming, ordination, and marriage of our LBGTQ brothers and sisters. These petitions were signed by over 1,400 churches, church groups, clergy, and laypersons.

We invite United Methodist churches and church groups as well as individual United Methodist clergy and laity to add their names in support of these petitions. This show of support will be critical as these petitions are presented to General Conference delegates. Every voice that speaks out for change is important.

There are eight different paragraphs in the Book of Discipline that define the current policies toward inclusion of LGBTQ persons in the full life of The United Methodist Church. A separate petition is required to address each one of these paragraphs. You or your group may decide to support all eight petitions or individual petitions. Please read and review each petition before signing.

I wish to support the following petitions to change the UMC's policy on inclusiveness: *

Please select all eight petitions or as many individual petitions as you wish. Personal information is required for General Conference petitions and will not be used for any other purpose.

All eight petitions. View all petitions: goo.gl/s7F1LQ

1 — Define Status in the Constitution (¶ 4. Article IV), Amends the Constitution Par.4 to state "The United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status — including but not limited to, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, ability, or disability — or economic condition." View petition: goo.gl/C4IPGr

2 — Revision of Definition of Marriage: Amends ¶161B to delete the reference to marriage as being exclusively between a man and a woman and to allow for the recognition of all monogamous marriages. View petition: goo.gl/3gPYE5

3 — Deletion of Incompatibility Phrase: Removes from ¶161F the sentence that states “The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching." View petition: goo.gl/9iG7Cj

4 — Deletion of Reference to “Heterosexual” Marriage: Amends ¶161F to delete reference to “heterosexual” marriage and to allow for the recognition of all monogamous marriages. View petition: goo.gl/aETPja

5 — Deletion of Prohibition on Ordaining Self-Avowed Practicing Homosexuals: Deletes ¶304.3 that prohibits the ordination of practicing homosexuals. View petition: goo.gl/jcFXZC

6 — Deletion of Celebration of Homosexual Unions as Unauthorized Conduct: Deletes ¶341.6 that prohibits the celebration of homosexual unions by United Methodist clergy and in United Methodist churches. View petition: goo.gl/CjGS9M

7 — Delete Prohibition on Funding Gay Caucuses or Groups: Amends ¶613.19 and ¶806.9 to delete language that prohibits general agencies and annual conferences from funding gay caucuses or groups. View petition: goo.gl/b5FrP2

8 — Delete from chargeable offenses "being a self-avowed practicing homosexual" and conducting same-sex wedding ceremonies. View petition: goo.gl/qaOmd9

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*You must be a lay or clergy member of The United Methodist Church.

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*Choose INTERNATIONAL for Outside the U.S. (last option).

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For US numbers, please use this format: xxx-xxx-xxxx. For international numbers, please use: +xx (xxx) xxx-xxxx. If you have problems, please email us at contactus@belmontumc.org.

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Representative of a United Methodist church or group

Individual clergy or lay person

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