In this month of General Conference, we have a responsibility and opportunity to witness to the power of God’s unconditional and redeeming love — a love that we have no power to withhold from LGBTQ persons in The United Methodist Church. To that end, our witness must be authentic and Christ-like.
False Christian witness has no power to make disciples of Jesus when that witness shrilly disagrees over church property, money, and trials.
The United Methodist Church’s claim to witness to God’s inclusive grace is in jeopardy. But “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, NRSV).
This month, may we reacquaint followers of Jesus with a faithful witness that is centered and sustained in the love of God from which neither LGBTQ people, people of color, nor any other child of God is excluded from the fullness of God’s love. “You will be my witnesses,” Christ commands us, and so we must be in God’s Church.
This prayer is shared by permission of M Barclay, Co-Founder and Executive Director of enfleshed, a nonprofit creating and facilitating resources of spiritual nourishment for collective liberation. Visit enfleshed.com for additional resources.
Reaffirming our baptismal commitments to resisting evil, injustice and oppression is a powerful way to ground our call to resist harm sacramentally; we think it would be especially powerful at the start of the new year.
First UMC in Austin, TX uses this blessing during Sunday worship to as a way of praying for all couples. It's designed for use with same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples.
This liturgy was originally written for use at the 2019 National Capital Pride Coalition witness at the Washington, D.C. Pride Parade. Participants were queer-identified clergy from across the Baltimore-Washington Conference, alongside Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling.
New inclusive words for a traditional hymn. Hollywood UMC found these words and used them in worship, to great response.
These hymns may be used as appropriate in worship; some of the rounds could be sung at protests. Congregations are welcome to modify lyrics to enhance inclusion as desired.
This idea comes from Los Altos UMC in Long Beach, California, USA.
These liturgical greetings are to be used at the beginning of a worship service and can be led by a liturgist or a clergyperson. Each greeting contexts the service with inclusive words of hospitality.
Three similar worship services will be happening in Oklahoma the evening of January 5 as a way to bring our community together and make a statement that the harm inflicted by the Traditional Plan is not acceptable. Through this worship service we will lament, resist, act and hold tightly to hope.
This Blessing of Families liturgy, in which we, as individuals, couples, families of choice and families with children, are invited to come forward to be anointed. This ritual as a way to recognize the covenant relationships that existed, but had never had the opportunity of being blessed.
Foundry UMC in Washington, DC is collecting prayer flags, and will carry them to GC2020 so the prayers can adorn the Conference session. They invite you to participate, making your prayer flag creation a part of the worship life of your community.
This Blessing is a part of the library of free liturgical resources available on enfleshed.com.
Ruth Duck is a retired UCC pastor and liturgical theologian, whose work has expanded our descriptions of God with fresh, gender-inclusive language.
This Prayer is a part of the library of free liturgical resources available on enfleshed.com.
San Diego First UMC is a Reconciling Congregation in San Diego, California.
This series from Marcia McFee's Worship Design Studio includes video sequences for online worship and full scripts that work whether you are in-person or not. There is a fee, but hardship rebates are available.
Resist Harm is not an organization or a coalition. It has no employees, offices, or overhead. However, it does incur expenses for web infrastructure, promotion, printing, and organizing. We are a movement of volunteers and 100% funded by people and churches like you. Anything you give helps to make this movement more effective. To give, donate at Reconciling Ministries Network’s website and designate “Resist Harm.” 100% of your gift will pay for Resist Harm’s direct costs. RMN has graciously agreed to administer the funds donated for the Resistance movement for no charge.
Is your organization or group working to resist the Traditional Plan? We welcome engagement by all opposed to the Traditional Plan and who seek to resist evil and injustice in all forms. Please complete the following form, and we will add your organization to our growing list of partners.