At this critical moment in United Methodist history, it is a moral imperative that United Methodist congregations take a stand. The New York Annual Conference has resoundingly reaffirmed its commitment to equality for all persons in the life, sacraments and leadership of the church.  Our Bishop, Thomas J. Bickerton, has challenged our congregations to “work for full inclusion, and make our words turn into actions that demonstrate our support.” We have further declared as an annual conference that we will not be bound by the regressive and punitive policies against LGBTQIA+ persons embodied in The Traditional Plan.

It is not enough that we privately decry these developments and the continuing attempt to suppress full equality in the church. As individuals and congregations we must take a public stand.  At the same time, we recognize that guiding congregations through the process of formulating a public message requires thoughtfulness and careful preparation. If you have not done so already, we challenge you to act now, and we are prepared to help you in this process.  We have experienced trainers who can take you step-by-step through an effective process of congregational discernment.

We will be conducting a number of training events, beginning with the two on-line events listed above. If you or members of your congregation would like to participate in one or both of these sessions, simply follow this link to provide us with your name, the name of your congregation, and your email contact information.  We will then send you a link that you may use to sign in to either of these events.

If you are interested in having this training, but are not available for the dates being offered now, please send us your contact information, and we will inform you of additional events that will be offered.

Now is the time!