Many of the respondents cite hope for change, a belief that change must come from within the UMC, and a desire to work for denominational change as the reasons for maintaining their loyalty to and/or membership in the UMC.
I am a lifelong Methodist, and [I believe] change in the attitudes of the Methodist Church about LGBT matters must come from within. It is crucial to the UMC that it change this aspect of its character because it is wrong and goes against the paramount teachings of the scriptures: love your neighbor as yourself, show compassion as you have been shown compassion, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and above all, do not pass judgment on others...
The possibility of helping the church to move forward into more acceptance of GLBT persons....
[It is] because I have a significant experience of many denominations and with members of them that I am even more committed to the UMC than I might otherwise be. And because of that commitment, I am motivated to help see it change on a whole variety of issues, including GLBT ones. Finally, perhaps the challenge itself -- of being part of a minority, of believing that justice is on my side, of getting energy from a good argument or a good fight, and my desire to win -- keep my blood flowing strongly and well. Perhaps it's a passion for justice that quickly rises to the surface --which is usually not a picnic!
The need to make a change in gay ordination and domestic partners union celebrations.
Holding onto hope that the church will change its doctrine, holding the church accountable. If all the [GLBT] folks and their supporters just go away, then not only will the "right" have "won," but we also aren't fulfilling our obligation to help shape the UM church after the gospel.
I want to see the Church become more inclusive of the GLBT population and I believe the church is slowly changing in that direction.
I will continue to remain the denomination and actively work at changing its stance on GLBT. The reconciling program helps me feel like there is a chance that this organization can be changed. . . . I am a very active member of my church and I will continue to speak loudly until my church speaks above me in support of these issues. Then and only then will I be able to sit back and relax.
Being stubborn and hope for change in the future
My love for the church and the people within. I believe that you stay put and work things through and help to bring about change. You don't [leave] churches every time something doesn't go your way. You hang with it. I do love the Church and pray that God will open the hearts and minds of all of us as strive to be all that God has called us to be.
I'm hoping to help enact change in some way, shape or form!
A feeling that change happens only if one stays and works from the inside. The major barrier to LGBT rights in this country is opposition from the mainline denominations. If they would fully endorse LGBT right, it would aid tremendously amending state and federal law to do so. The UMC is the mainline denomination I have a history with to do this.
I believe that my active involvement may slowly guide other church members to more intelligent understanding of homosexuals and our worth as people and as Christians. I feel the best way to bridge this gap is through personal relationships and working together for the more important mission of Christianity.
Inertia, lack of viable options, considerable investment of time and finances (I have been ordained by the UMC for 15 years and have been a member all of my life), a desire to see the church live out its commitment to an all-inclusive gospel.
. . . now more than ever before, [GLBT] members must claim their place within the United Methodist Church. We belong in this social justice-based church, and I want to stay within its structure to remind people who think differently from me that we all belong.
I love the UMC and [want] to show that I am ready to make her accountable and be true to the Gospel.
I feel that working from within has more power that being on the outside. I have been a member of Reconciling Ministries and a Reconciling Pastor.
... my commitment now is to see that [the UMC] changes -- i.e., that it truly become an open and inclusive church. I've loved the approach of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to doing theology: that we balance Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience. But I fear and am angry at the right-wing elements within our denomination that want to "reform" us into a doctrinal church.
While I recognize the immorality of homophobia and sexism in the Methodist Church, I feel that the church does a lot of good as well. I hope to help reform and improve the Church by moving it away from hatred and bigotry and towards truth, love, and a Christ-like approach.
I am comfortable being a member of the United Methodist Church. I've been a member of the UMC my whole life and feel very comfortable there. Although the conference has a negative stance towards gays, I want to work as a force of change within the church.
I dearly love the old United Methodist Church I joined 30 years ago. I stay because I see a few signs of perhaps it coming to life again... But it is most difficult to stay when I am continually told to leave.
Even though, in my 20s -- and as I discovered more about myself and my sexual orientation -- I kept my membership at the UM church [where] I grew up in a small town... I did not, however, feel welcome or particularly inspired to attend and tried to find churches of other denominations where I felt welcome. In the end, however, I realized that by walking away, I was doing exactly what the more conservative factions of the church wanted me to do. So I started attending a gay -friendly UMC... and had my membership transferred. I am proud to be United Methodist and want to stand up and be counted as one who is gay (lesbian) and faithful. It is my church, too.
I am... concerned about the Methodist Church and its ability to respond and comment about "world issues," and "gays in church" is just one of them. I do not believe I can affect a change by removing myself from church. That makes it easy on those that like it the way it is.
It would be more egosyntonic to be affiliated with an open and affirming denomination like the United Church of Christ, in which I grew up. However, the UMC needs my witness and I have a stake in what happens here.
I prefer to stay within the church and work for change. It still gives me more power than to force the issue and have to be terminated. I would, however, be happy for that to happen if it could bring about another small movement for change.
I have no intention of leaving the church. I am committed to working for change and full inclusion.
I have hope for the United Methodist Church. They have excluded many off and on throughout the history of the church [and] yet end up striving for inclusivity in the final analysis. I hope that this will also be the case for those with different sexuality. The UMC is my home church. I pray that I am never forced out of its doors. Especially for something so personal and such a small part of me as who I am attracted to... When it is in a mutually open, beneficial, adult, loving relationship where both parties are equally committed to each other ... Why is there such hatred for that kind of expression of love??? I wish that the UMC would take the lead against oppression and promote true inclusion and commitment in relationships of its members (straight, gay, or other).
"[F]aithful opposition." I'm working for change within the church -- a human organization loved by God.
I maintain hope that our church will change for inclusion. I also realize it will continue to be a long, slow, and often painful process. I am committed to ministry in the UMC and to advocacy for the inclusion of all of us in its body. If I must choose one, I will choose on behalf of advocating for justice and change.
The hope and the faith that the UMC as a whole will someday soon will accept and acknowledge its gay sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers.
I am frustrated by the continued prejudice against gay people and women in the United Methodist Church. I have begun donating money only to organizations within the church that I feel will help moral and progressive causes and my local congregation. I cannot support the incorrect and homophobic positions taken by General Conference but I want to work to change the denomination for the better. I feel like we've come a long way since the days when women and black could not be pastors, but we have a long way to go. We need to re-affirm our commitment to Jesus' message of love, inclusiveness, justice, and generosity.
If I left the church, how could I work to change it?
I stay because I believe the battle for complete acceptance -- to be won -- must be waged from both within and without the church. And I know I'm best as an "inside" fighter. One friend referred to me as a "blessed saboteur."
I wish I knew more what I could do to help change the UMC's policies. One day soon I want to come out to my family so that I can challenge the extended family of mine who are UMC clergy. Perhaps I can make a difference. I only pray that that may be the case.
I will still be United Methodist and Out of the Closet, and NOISY [emphasis original] about it even if they took the conservative path, unless there is a denominational split. I am not going to let those "good newsy" fundamentalists get their way without fighting the good fight.
It’s not perfect. I enjoy the church and what it offers. I'm one of those people who feels that its necessary for me to be there so that I can communicate with others so that they will start to rethink some of the bullshit that they've grown up with, concerning gays.
Hope for Change