FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What is the future of The United Methodist Church in Arizona, Nevada, and the river cities of California? Will United Methodist Churches in those areas allow or reject same-sex weddings and ordination of people who identify as LGBTQIA+? What is happening in the community while their church leaders struggle with an uncertain future?

Tune in to a live stream panel discussion at 6:30 PM-8:00 PM on Thursday, October 17, 2019, at https://livestream.com/firstchurchmesa/LeadershipInstitute2019QandA to find out.

Clergy and church members have wrestled with these questions since the global gathering of The United Methodist Church on February 2019. After local news reported about the passing of the Traditional Plan, many people were deeply hurt, and some expressed a desire to leave the denomination.

Since then, several meetings have occurred to discern a way to continue ministry with The UMC or separated from The UMC. The Church of the Resurrection (COR) in Leawood, Kansas, led by Rev. Adam Hamilton, hosted its annual Leadership Training Institute in September. Talks about the future of The UMC dominated the gathering as the yearly event was uniquely designed this year as a catalyst to mobilize efforts towards an inclusive church.

Members of the DSC that attended the COR event are leading a panel discussion via live stream on Thursday, October 17, at 6:30 PM. They’ll share what happened at the COR event, clear up misperceptions about what led us to this point and highlight the next steps in the DSC Way Forward. UMC members are asked to engage in the discussion by watching the live stream and posting their questions and concerns in the live stream chat at https://livestream.com/firstchurchmesa/LeadershipInstitute2019QandA.

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God calls us to be a courageous church: loving like Jesus, acting for justice, united in hope.