Activists meet to push change in Methodists' gay policy

CLEVELAND (RNS) Hundreds of United Methodists are meeting in Huron,
Ohio, this week in an uphill bid to make their 12 million-member
denomination more gay-friendly.

Activists are gearing up for next year's General Conference meeting
in Tampa, Fla., where they plan to fight once again to change the
church's official position that homosexual activity is a sin.

Unlike other mainline Protestant denominations in the United States
that have moved to allow openly gay clergy and bless same-sex unions,
United Methodists prohibit sexually active gay clergy and blessing
same-sex unions.

"The practice of homosexuality is incompatible to Christian
teaching," reads a section in the Methodists' Book of Discipline.

But the nearly 700 people expected to attend the four-day conference
at Sawmill Creek Resort that opened Thursday (Aug. 25) are hoping the
2012 General Conference will be different than recent assemblies, where
they saw repeated defeats.

"We might not get everything we want, but we'll get some of it,"
said the Rev. Troy Plummer of Chicago, an organizer of the Huron
conference. 

"I think something dramatic will happen in Tampa. The vote will be
close, by just a handful of votes this time. We're about to make it
happen."

Previous conference votes showed the movement prevailing in the
United States but failing in Europe and Africa, said Plummer, noting
that delegates from fast-growing overseas conferences tend to be more
conservative.

"We have the votes in the U.S.," he said. "Now we're working to get
the votes worldwide."

The Ohio meeting comes at the same time as some 2,000 evangelical
Presbyterians gather in Minneapolis for a two-session on their future
within the Presbyterian Church (USA), which now allows both gay clergy
and same-sex unions.

United Methodists number about 8 million in the United States. The
other 4 million are mostly in Europe, Africa and the Philippines.
The Rev. Ken Chalker, pastor of University Circle United Methodist
Church in Cleveland, said a vote by Ohio Methodists to allow openly gay
clergy would lose by a substantial margin.

"I don't know what tea leaves he's reading," said Chalker, referring
to Plummer. "The rules on ordaining gays or blessing same-sex couples
are not going to change in Tampa. It would be wonderful if there were
changes. I certainly would support them."

But the Rev. Chet Harris, pastor of the Dueber United Methodist
Church in Canton, would not. He believes homosexuality is a sin, on the
same level as adultery and sex outside of marriage.

Harris said the push within the church for approval of same-sex
relationships could be gaining ground and should be taken seriously.
"The movement is strong," he said. "These people are sharp. They
wouldn't be doing this unless they thought they could pull off a coup."

Harris predicted that if the gay-friendly movement prevails, there
would be a mass exodus of United Methodists, including himself.

"I will not serve in a church that will ordain homosexuals," he
said. "I will not serve in a church that affirms their lifestyle. If
this thing goes the distance -- and I think it has the potential -- it
will splinter us like bamboo."