Special Church Meeting

Sunday 27th February 22

To all members and adherents of Sandhurst & Yateley Methodist Church:

Dear Church Family,

You will recall, I am sure, the announcement of the 2021 Methodist Conference held in June, that the UK Methodist Church is to permit same-sex marriages to be conducted in its churches. That resolution was carried by 254 to 46 votes. It was the culmination of a pilgrimage of faith and prayer which began in 1990 and has included such significant milestones as the 1993 resolutions on human sexuality.

It is also a journey in which the whole of the Methodist Church has been invited to participate, most recently through the God in Love Unites Us series of study and discussions which took place in every circuit across the UK, including at this church.

Although the overarching Methodist Church decision was made at Conference, it was nevertheless left up to each individual church to decide whether or not it wished its premises to be registered for same-sex marriages. Whilst the final decision could only be made by the Church Trustees (i.e. the Church Council), it was felt by our church that it would be good to include the wider church in the decision-making process.

To that end, a special General Church Meeting was held here yesterday afternoon. Following Connexional guidance, time was spent in prayer, discernment and discussion. The influence of Scripture, Church tradition, reason and ours and others’ experience of God was brought to bear in coming to a decision. The ‘indicative vote’ by the General Church Meeting was strongly in favour of registering our premises for same-sex marriage. That vote was ratified in the final vote by Church Council.

 This decision will be warmly received by many among you, but others may struggle with it. I ask that we hold one another in love and prayer even whilst living with contradictory convictions, as indeed we have done in the past, for example over such issues as divorce and remarriage.

If anyone wishes to speak to me or one of the stewards as a result of today’s announcement, you are most welcome to do so.

With peace and every blessing,

Sharon Gardner  (Revd.)

o.b.o. Sandhurst & Yateley Methodist Church Council