Are big changes on LGBTQ+ inclusion in the United Methodist Church on the horizon?

An Oklahoma pastor is traveling to the United Methodist Church's General Conference with one big goal in mind: to see the ban on same-sex marriage and gay ordination lifted.

"It will be a big change and I'm very excited — I'm expecting it," the Rev. Trina Bose-North said. "I'm flying out there ready to see this historic change and to celebrate it."

Her optimism comes after years of debate has resulted in upheaval in the church and led to a big split in the international denomination. Bose-North, senior minister of Crown Heights United Methodist Church, said the United Methodist Church's lawmaking assembly is likely on the cusp of overturning the ban at the historic gathering that began on Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bose-North is among a group of Oklahoma pastors whose congregations are part of the Reconciling Ministries Network that has been advocating for LGBTQ+ full inclusion in the United Methodist Church.

She said the bottom line is that the denomination has changed due to a quarter of U.S. churches severing ties with the United Methodist Church through disaffiliation.

"With 25% of the most conservative United Methodist churches leaving the denomination, that will be reflected in the delegates at conference and this denomination is struggling to live with rules on the books that bishops, conferences and clergy do not want to follow," Bose-North said.

"So, I do think the system is broken. It needs to be looked at. This is our opportunity to look at it and make the changes that are needed to move us forward."

More: Oklahomans hope to address LGBTQ+ inclusion at first United Methodist gathering in eight years

Other Oklahoma ministers leading Reconciling Ministries congregations also expressed their hopes about what could happen at the long-awaited General Conference gathering. The once-every-four-years meeting was postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting that began on Tuesday will continue through May 3, with expectations that key debates and votes will likely be held sometime early next week.

The Rev. Patrick McPherson became senior pastor of Norman's St. Stephen's United Methodist Church in June. He said the south metro area congregation was one of the first Reconciling Ministries Network churches in the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference and "they've been dreaming of this day of inclusion within our denomination for a long time."

"They've been talking about it since the mid-1990s, if not before that, so we're proceeding with guarded optimism," he said.

The Rev. Kathy Brown, senior pastor of St. Paul's United Methodist, said she and her Tulsa congregation are also optimistic about what General Conference holds in store for the United Methodist Church.

Brown said she remains hopeful even though she'd felt the same way five years ago when she hoped that assembly delegates would not approve what was called the "traditional plan" — but, "the rug was pulled out from under us" when delegates did adopt the measure. Under the traditional plan, not only was the ban on same-sex marriage and gay ordination upheld, but stricter punishments were adopted for violators of the prohibition.

"It was awful — the most gut-wrenching moment of my life," she said.

"But I have to admit, I'm hopeful ... I'm hoping that our delegates can work together and come up with ways that will help us become the church that I truly believe God is calling us to be, which is one that welcomes all, affirms all and includes all in the ministry."

Striking 'archaic' language

The Reconciling Ministries Network began in 1984 "as a faith-based response to institutionalized homophobia braided into the fabric of The United Methodist Church," according to the movement's website. Currently, the network includes more than 1,400 ministries and more than 45,000 people on four continents.

While several United Methodist houses of worship across the state have ministry groups within the church who are part of the Reconciling network, five Oklahoma congregations have voted over the years to become active churches in the pro-LGBTQ+ inclusion coalition. Aside from Crown Heights, St. Stephen's and St. Paul's-Tulsa, they include Quail Springs United Methodist and Calera United Methodist in Calera.

The Rev. Valerie Steele, senior pastor of Quail Springs United Methodist, was elected to represent the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference at General Conference, but she said she had to cancel her plans to attend the gathering in light of family circumstances.

More: Oklahoma City area church joins Reconciling network

Steele said she will be watching to see if delegates will change what she considers "archaic" language regarding the LGTBQ+ community in the denomination's Book of Discipline, a policy book. Specifically, she said, a Book of Discipline reference to an openly gay person as a "self avowed practicing homosexual." The minister said this description is harmful to the the LGBTQ+ community members, along with the policy book's statement that homosexuality is incompatible with Scripture.

Steele said she would like to see such language stripped from the policy book, and if it is not taken out then affirming language could be added so that clergy and churches may decide for themselves about officiating or hosting a same-sex wedding and allowing openly gay people to fill leadership positions in the church.

McPherson said the potential outcomes from General Conference are promising for the denomination.

He said even in the midst of some apprehension and reevaluation about how to do United Methodist ministry in light of disaffilations and financial challenges, "it is an exciting time in the church."

"Rebirth is not a bad thing," he said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: United Methodist Church conference may discuss LGBTQ inclusion