Letter to Brookings First United Methodist Church Family
Regarding the recent special session of the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church
November 28, 2022
Dear members and friends of Brookings First United Methodist Church,
The Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church met last weekend (Saturday November 19). This was a gathering of 326 delegates representing 245 Methodist congregations, made up of 55,735 members. We met together to acknowledge 18 congregations who have asked to leave the United Methodist Church. These congregations are made up of 1,183 members who voted to leave the Dakotas Conference. This was a time of sadness, as many of these local churches and their members have been in our Conference for many years, and the historical links run deep.
These churches are leaving as a matter of conscience. They believe that the United Methodist Church no longer represents traditional Methodist values, because of the welcome we have extended to the LGBTQ+ community. This is clearly a minority view – as the majority of Methodist leadership seeks to uphold our values of an Open Table that welcomes all people. For many years we have observed the tagline “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors”, believing that we are a large tent able to accommodate a variety of points of view.
As your pastor, I want to assure you that Brookings First United Methodist Church is not leaving the Dakotas Conference of the UMC. We are a place of refuge for all people who desire to know the Lord Jesus Christ. My position is simple: if you have appreciated the welcome offered to you by our church, then you will extend the same welcome to others who hunger and thirst for the love of Jesus.
Please pray for the Spirit of God to hold us all in Grace.
Pastor Pete
Dear members and friends of Brookings First United Methodist Church,
The Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church met last weekend (Saturday November 19). This was a gathering of 326 delegates representing 245 Methodist congregations, made up of 55,735 members. We met together to acknowledge 18 congregations who have asked to leave the United Methodist Church. These congregations are made up of 1,183 members who voted to leave the Dakotas Conference. This was a time of sadness, as many of these local churches and their members have been in our Conference for many years, and the historical links run deep.
These churches are leaving as a matter of conscience. They believe that the United Methodist Church no longer represents traditional Methodist values, because of the welcome we have extended to the LGBTQ+ community. This is clearly a minority view – as the majority of Methodist leadership seeks to uphold our values of an Open Table that welcomes all people. For many years we have observed the tagline “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors”, believing that we are a large tent able to accommodate a variety of points of view.
As your pastor, I want to assure you that Brookings First United Methodist Church is not leaving the Dakotas Conference of the UMC. We are a place of refuge for all people who desire to know the Lord Jesus Christ. My position is simple: if you have appreciated the welcome offered to you by our church, then you will extend the same welcome to others who hunger and thirst for the love of Jesus.
Please pray for the Spirit of God to hold us all in Grace.
Pastor Pete