Oklahoma Methodist Ministers Advocate For Gay Clergy, Marriage As Dozens Depart Denomination

It could be a historic week for the United Methodist Church as clergy from across the country meet to discuss changing the rules against gay ordination and gay marriage within the church. The potential move to relax the rules has caused an exodus of churches in Oklahoma.

More than 25 percent of United Methodist Churches in the Oklahoma have left the conference.

“Our Father who art in Heaven, hallow be Thy name…” Rev. Trina Bose North led her congregation in prayer two Sundays ago, after a conversation over proposed changes to the Methodist guiding document, the Book of Discipline.

“I know what’s on the agenda,” she told the congregation. “We know the language in the discipline prohibiting gay marriage and gay ordination is on the docket.”

The Book of Discipline states, “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.” 

It also bars gay marriages from being conducted in Methodist Churches or by Methodist clergy.

“In my church, we believe that the Bible has evolved overtime and the way that the culture has interpreted scripture, it shifts, it changes it naturally does," Bose North said. "When we all read scripture, we’re all reading through the lens of who we are right now.”

An evolution Bose North is traveling to Charlotte to advocate in favor of at the General Conference, which is currently underway.

According to the United Methodist Oklahoma Conference, 132 Oklahoma Churches disaffiliated over the proposed change, leaving under a rule known at paragraph 2553, allowing them to part ways due to differences around the issue of human sexuality.

The conference says 304 United Methodist Churches remain in Oklahoma.

“Because of the disaffiliation, our denomination has changed in its make up because of the exiting churches, which were the most conservative churches,” Bose North said.

Other key votes this week included approving a regional leadership structure. The ordination and marriage votes are expected tomorrow.