First United Methodist Church of Omaha is now a much weakened and decimated congregation. This kind of response to the performance of same-sex unions or to the approval of ordination of practicing homosexuals to the ministry of the Church will be triggered over and over again unless the bishops of our Church, collectively, give leadership in upholding the clear teaching of scripture, the doctrine and discipline of United Methodism, and 2000 years of Church tradition. It is time for clear and prophetic leadership upon the part of our bishops if they are to give leadership in preserving the unity of the Church. If the General Conference should ever approve of same-sex unions or the ordination of practicing homosexuals, disunity and chaos in the appointive system would be the result. Surely, as demonstrated in Omaha, a clear and overwhelming majority of United Methodist Churches would not accept as their pastors practicing homosexuals or pastors who would perform same-sex unions.
Ecumenism is one of the jewels of late twentieth century Christianity.
There have been real gains here. In our ecumenical endeavors, we have come to the point where the debate about justification by faith has been resolved. Luther was essentially right. All sides are pretty much agreed on this. And the other fruits of ecumenism are no less marvelous.