Dear Members and Friends,
We pray this letter finds you well. As you know, the response to General Conference in St. Louis, February 23-26, has presented many challenges for our denomination and for us here at Dunwoody United Methodist Church (DUMC). As a clergy team, our hearts go out to every single person in this congregation and beyond. We are praying for you and working diligently to make sure our church remains strong, while at the same time seeking to be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ and to reflect his love and grace.
We are blessed with a congregation that has always been diverse in thought and practice but united in love and mission. This unity in diversity is one of our great strengths as a church. We have grown and learned from each other. We have been engaged in incredible ministries and done remarkable things together. We have been made stronger by being in community with each other.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, once said, “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may.” Your clergy have tried to model this Wesleyan spirit of unity in diversity. We are different people and we think differently. Yet, we remain bound together in ministry with and to one another. We pray this same spirit will continue to find expression through DUMC.
As we move forward, we are planning a couple of steps we will take together. Beginning this month, clergy will be scheduling listening sessions for Sunday School classes and two evening sessions to facilitate discussion about the issues of sexuality addressed at General Conference. We are also working on scheduling guided studies on different ways Christians use and interpret Scripture and how that impacts our perspectives on certain theological topics; as well as an informational session on Church polity that includes insights on how decisions are made in the Church. By listening and learning together, we can better understand and grow in our love for each other and deepen our faith in God.
DUMC is a remarkable church. Our history is strong and our future is bright. With God’s presence and guidance, we believe that our spirit of unity in diversity will enable us to continue making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We pray you will join us.
Your Pastoral Team,
Rev. Dan Brown
Rev. Josh Amerson
Rev. Kathy Brockman
Rev. Jenna Kennedy
Rev. David Melton
Rev. Sonny Walden