The video triggers 6 observations I'd like to share:
(1) When you first press the video, you see nothing and hear the praise band warming up their instruments. But bear with it because it's amazing theater.
(2) When the picture finally appears, you hear a very skilled band and choir singing songs similar in beat to old-time evangelical camp meeting songs. The atmosphere is joyful and harmonious.
(3) Then comes the apocalypse! After some announcements, the district superintendent steps up and delivers the bad news about the reassignment of 2 of Glide's pastors--and all Hell breaks loose! I'm amazed that the superintendent would step into such a hornet's nest! And I'm amazed that a video of this fiasco would be made and circulated.
(4) The hostilities mirror the bitter divide in the U. S. United Methodist Church. There is no openness to compromise on the issue of gay marriage and gay ordination and the denomination will soon convene a conference that will produce an epic break-up.
(5) Despite the great divide, the evangelicals have the majority votes at the UMC churchwide conferences. That is because, while the often more liberal U. S. UM churches are slowly atrophying, there has been a great Methodist revival in 3rd world countries. So at a recent very liberal annual state conference, pro-gay legislation was passed. In reaction a visiting African UM bishop stood up and brazenly announced, "What you decide here is ultimately irrelevant. We have the delegates!"
(6) I worked hard to keep my UM church in the conservative camp and even got the church renamed from "X United Methodist Church" to "X Community Church." I'm content that it will be very hard for another bishop to impose a pro- gay marriage pastor on my former church, but I fear what the upcoming schism will do to that church. I'm retired now, so all I can do is pray for them.
