Dakotas Methodist Conference adopts petition inclusive of GLBT membership

At its meeting in Sioux Falls the weekend of June 9, 2007, the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church adopted a petition endorsing GLBT membership in the Methodist Church. The petition was in response to a ruling by the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church that upheld a pastor's decision in Virginia who denial membership to a gay man because he was gay. This petition will be forwarded to the United Methodist World General Conference for their consideration in 2008.

The Dakotas Conference consists of Methodist denominations in North and South Dakota.
The petition was written by the youth of Dickinson UMC in Dickinson, ND and submitted to the Dakotas Youth Annual Conference that preceded the Dakotas Annual Conference. The youth introduced it on the floor of the annual conference and after 30 minutes of debate on the floor and 15 minutes of small group discussion and a secret ballot, the petition was passed by the conference. The petition states:

We, as representatives of the youth in the United Methodist Church of all sexual orientations believe in promoting equality for all people seeking membership in our denomination.
Whereas the United Methodist slogan of Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors does not advertise any exceptions when it comes to membership in the church. There is no fine print;
Whereas Jesus did not give any qualifications for being a part of his body -- only that we follow and believe;
Whereas a main reason for discrimination is the fear of change, something we cannot be afraid of;
Whereas the church must give the same consideration to all passages of Scripture: No passage deserves more or less scrutiny than any other;
Whereas we as a people, must not only interpret what God says in the Scriptures, but also what God says to us today;
Whereas the church exists to be a messenger of God's love. When the church denies that love to anyone by not allowing membership, they are effectively communicating that God is also denying them love.
Therefore, we propose an addition to the Book of Discipline stating that no person shall be withheld membership to the United Methodist Church on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Submitted by Tanielle Brost, Chance Cole, Connor Cole, Katharine Dalton, Emma McKirdy, Grace McKirdy, Ally Roemmich, and Jacob Tallmon, members of the Dickinson (ND) United Methodist Church youth group.