July 17, 2013
The Reverend Bishop Mark J. Webb
United Methodist Churches
324 University Ave.
3rd Floor
Syracuse, NY 13210-1811
RE:
Support of Pastor Stephen Heiss
Dear Bishop Webb;
My husband and myself are members of Tabernacle United
Methodist Church in Binghamton, NY, where as you know, Steve Heiss leads
us. As so many of our nation’s families
do, for many years we let our hectic lives take us away from sharing in Tab’s
Sunday worship. After our boys went to
college and moved from our home and into their own, we were ready to resume sharing
in Tab’s services, but did not know how to go about it. It can be awkward for an introvert like me to
“reappear” after an extended absence. Then the Tab newsletter came informing the
entire congregation of the upcoming vote to become a reconciling
congregation. Our firm believes that ALL
individuals are God’s children and are welcome to share in fellowship with God,
BROUGHT US BACK TO TAB.
The United Methodist Church is slow to change, always has
been. Remember when slavery was not a
sin, but an “economic reality” in the Church’s belief? The UMC was wrong then, and it is wrong
now. Gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals, and transgenders
are God’s children, just as much as any heterosexual is. They deserve the same rights as the rest of
us, and that includes marriage. Marriage
is a commitment between two people and God, and if God has a problem with a gay
or lesbian couple, that is between God and them. Jesus died for our sins. Believer’s sins are forgiven, forgiven by
God. It is not our place to judge. Jesus took that burden away from us when he
died on the cross. If God can forgive a repented
mass murderer, I have no doubt loving homosexual couples would be forgiven, if
homosexuality is a sin, which I believe it is NOT.
In short, the Bible, written by numerous people after the
fact, is both conflicting and comforting.
No one knows definitely what God’s view on homosexuality is. We can only speculate. But we do know that Jesus taught us to love,
not to judge, and to welcome all those who want God in their lives.
Steve Heiss should not be punished for performing same
sex marriages. I suspect that decades
from now, Steve will be remembered as a crusader in the UMC. “Open minds. Open hearts. Open doors.” Is that not what the Upper New York District
of the United Methodist Church newsletter proclaims?
In God’s Love for All!
Kellie K. Boyer
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