This is NOT the Kingdom of God

For about the last forty-five minutes those who had been protesting all week, continued their shouts and chants. “Stop the Harm!” they said over and over, occasionally punctuating it with “bishop!” or “church!” Stop the harm, bishop! Stop the harm, church!

One or two kept trying to get more in the mezzanine to join the chorus and were disheartened that it did not happen. In fat, their numbers dwindled.

One delegate stood to raise a point of order, only to shout “THIS ENTIRE GENERAL CONFERENCE IS OUT OF…” but the bishop cut her mic.

Later, a dozen or so folk brought a cross down the middle aisle of the bar. It was getting near time to adjourn and worship, so it might have been part of the day. Turns out it was a group of protesters who went-up on stage to begin a sit-in. At first, the bishop said, “You do not have access to the stage,” but then said, “You go ahead and take a seat while we complete our work.”

As we debated one of the plan, a fellow said, “This is the Traditionalists’ exit plan. They want all the assets. Fine! I’ll give them the money if that is what they want! You can take our assets, but you cannot make me leave this church.”

 

The shouting continued to the point that I got confused as to what we voted with the last couple of votes.

 

As soon as the last vote was tallied, Donna Pritchard, a spokesperson for the Oregon-Idaho Conference, stood with delegates from her conference and said their conference was committed to staying fully-inclusive in the face of the decisions. The splitting, in other words, has begun.

And then, as we left, there were police EVERYWHERE! Cars, vans, busses (to take the protestors away?), officers. What a testament, that we need St. Louis’ finest to police us because we can’t seem to experience or express the Peace of Christ.

Lord, have mercy.

 

 

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.