Oddly freakish behavior was limited to a couple of co-workers. Mind you it isn't that strange for my co-works to exhibit behavior that I find odd. But yet, I'm taken aback when it happens. Maybe they do it on purpose just to see how well I handle it. I'm sure they were surprised this week when I did not handle it well at all. We all have our limits.
That's me and a co-worker on Friday for Halloween. We came as "Comfortable". I must say I could get used to working in pajamas.
Another interesting happening was on Saturday morning. The UMC Connectional Table was having their conference on 'Human Sexuality and the Church" and it was being webcast. If you read a couple of posts prior to this one, you may have read or viewed the video that I recorded and submitted. Guess what?...they used it. Actually it was first. Now mind you, only 4 videos were submitted but still, I was pleased that they included it in their discussion. It got my Twitter feed buzzing and I spent the better part of the day in discussion via Twitter & email with people from all over the US and world, answering and asking questions. Most were just interested folks in the Twittersphere but a couple were from the UMNS and other UMC publications/news sources. All in all it was an illuminating day. But here's the good, the bad and the ugly.
Observations:
- The panel of Bishops somehow found ways of saying the same thing over and over without ever repeating the same phrases. They are a talented group of intellectuals and have a good command of language.
- Having a panel to discuss homosexuality and the Church with no LGBTQ representation is equivalent to a discussion of race with only white people present or women's issues by a panel of men.
- Bishop Talbert is a GEM.
- Waiting until 2016 for a decision is only going to exacerbate the problem. There is tension and it will only get worse given the amount of time that will pass before Conference.
- There are great division among us Methodists. Twitter was lit up with vitriol from the conservative side of the Church.
- Divisions in the Church were apparent before the event began as three members of the group Love Prevails were prevented from entering the room where the webcast was taking place.
- I didn't get an answer to my question as to why I should stay.
The fact that this conversation took place at all is miraculous. The fact that people from all over the world were able to participate via the internet made it even more intriguing. The fact that I took part both via the video and through Twitter is even more astounding to me.
One of the best recaps/analysis' of the panel was written by Cynthia B. Astle, "Hopeful Signs Emerge from Sexuality Panel" from United Methodist Insight. Read full here One of the more interesting items to come out of the panel is the realization that United Methodist Bishops have finally acknowledged that they disagree over the acceptability of homosexual practice as a legitimate expression of human sexuality.
I'm also considering attending the GCN (Gay Christian Network) Conference in Portland early next year. I was contacted about it because of the video and am waiting to get some more information/details before I make a decision. The person I spoke with, Rachel Evans, urged me to consider attending. So I will.
If you did not watch the webcast, it will be posted as a podcast soon and be able to be viewed at any time. Let me know if you are interested in listening/watching and I will let you know when it is available. The four videos that were shown are all available on Youtube and can be viewed on the Connectional Table website.
- Connectional Table Youtube Videos (scroll to the bottom of the page to view the videos)
I AM NOT AN ISSUE
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