"After this, I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb."
— Revelation 7:9‐12
Clergy of the Great Plains Conference received instruction and encouragement from renowned anti-racism activist and author Tim Wise during the 2022 Orders & Fellowship. The day included testimonials from pastors of color about racism they have faced either in their appointments or in the communities they have served; a report from the new Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity Task Force; updates from the Mercy & Justice team; a question-and-answer session with Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr.; and the rollout of an issue guide commissioned by the Great Plains Conference for use in local congregations as they learn about and discuss potential ramifications of the planned session of General Conference and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals for ordination and other aspects of inclusion in the church.
The Rev. Dr. Leah Schade, author of "Preaching in the Purple Zone" and associate professor of preaching and worship at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky, introduces an issue guide commissioned by the Great Plains Conference to help congregations have constructive conversations about the upcoming General Conference and LGBTQIA+ inclusion for ordination and other aspects of the church. To request the downloadable guide, please contact Todd Seifert, conference communications director, at tseifert@greatplainsumc.org.
Rev. Dr. Schade has provided proposed sermon outlines to be used with the issue guide. These are not provided as requirements but rather to serve as resources for pastors interested in using the Sermon-Dialogue-Sermon method.
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