top of page

Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth
at Mountain Sky Annual Conference

400x400_squ_UMARC_Bridgeforth.png

The first openly gay African American episcopal leader in United Methodism -- Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth of Seattle, Washington, spoke on June 24 at UMARC's special dinner at the Mountain Sky Annual Conference on Intersecting Identities Are Tools of Liberation.

Bishop Bridgeforth is author of Alabama Grandson: A Black, Gay Minister's Passage Out of Hiding.

Video of his presentation will be coming soon!

Alabama Grandon.jpg

Remembering Our United Methodist Heritage in the Mountain Sky:

Bishop Melvin W. Wheatley

In 1979, forty-four years ago, in Colorado Springs then Rocky Mountain host Bishop Melvin W. Wheatley, courageously stood alone and defied the entire United Methodist Council of Bishops. He declared he would not endorse their condemnation of homosexuality. With courage and eloquence, in a kind of United Methodist “Stonewall” moment, he began to break the barriers that prohibited LGBTQ+ persons full participation in the life of the church. 

400x400_squ_UMARC_KOliveto_2.png

Watch Bishop Oliveto's Address
from the Webinar: A Potentially Momentous 2024 United Methodist General Conference

Webinar_20230518_full_10.png

A Potentially Momentous 2024 United Methodist General Conference

What a great webinar!

Graphic.png

Remaining & Thriving United Methodists
Webinar

An excellent and encouraging message from six thriving United Methodist Churches around the country.

Our Speakers

Rev. Mark Feldmeir

St. Andrew UMC, Denver CO

Rev. Lynda Ferguson

First UMC, Asheboro, NC

Rev. Robb Hutchinson

Lighthouse Church, Western NC AC

Rev. Dr. Valerie Jackson

Park Hill UMC, Denver CO

Rev. Dr. Todd Jordan

Strawbridge UMC, Houston TX

Rev. Dr. Jerry Neff

Church of the Pines, Jasper TX

United Methodists from around the world participated in the Sixth Annual Inclusiveness Zoom Webinar on November 11, 2022. Rev. Matt Miofsky, St. Louis, Missouri, keynoted the event along along with three of the church’s best-known episcopal leaders: Bishop Thomas Bickerton, New York, President of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, Bishop Julius Trimble, Indianapolis, of the Indiana Area, and Bishop Karen Oliveto, Denver, of the Mountain Sky, Conference.

Three newly elected bishops also joined the conversation: Bishops Carlo A. Rapanut, Dottie Escobedo Frank, and Cedrick Bridgeforth.

Webinar Explores "New Beginning" of United Methodism

OtherSpeakers.png

Watch the Video of the webinar in its entirety, or just the sections you wish. 

UMARC Sponsored World AIDS Day Event

UMARC was an enthusiastic sponsor for the World AIDS Day Candlelight Walk and Service of Healing and Hope held at Park Hill United Methodist Church in Denver, CO. Reverend Doctor Valerie L. Jackson hosted the event, and Reverend Benjamin Reynolds was the keynote speaker.

Fracturing Webinar UMARC.png
A Table For All.png

UMARC endorses a dynamic programmatic and fund-raising program that  focuses on ensuring future inclusivity in our beloved United Methodism Mountain Sky Conference.  Check out A Table For All and urge a November 13 observance (or another date of your choosing) in your church.  Click on image for details and registration. 

 CELEBRATING PRIDE, WEBINAR RECORDINGS AVAILABLE,
LISTEN TO PODCASTS

UMARC Joins Three Bishops in Denver Pride Parade

Episcopal Bishop Kym Lucas, Lutheran (ELCA) Bishop Jim Gonia, and United Methodist Bishop Karen Oliveto led an ecumenical delegation, including UMARC, in the Denver Pride Parade on Sunday, June 26. This was the first time all three denominations joined together in the Pride Parade.  

Gladly Choosing to Be United Methodist Webinar.png

Did you miss our most recent webinar?  

Listen to our esteemed panel of speakers sharing their affirmations of United Methodism and why joining the break-away denomination is contrary to basic Wesleyan beliefs. 

image0 (2).jpeg

Join the conversation.

A weekly podcast featuring conversations between Rev. Molly Vetter and denominational leaders about the challenges ahead as we live toward a United Methodist Church that is fully inclusive of our LGBTQ+ siblings. Subscribe, listen, and share!

Look Before You Leap Webinar.png
Question Webinar Methodism.png

Webinar on "Clobber" Passages
in the Bible

Cream and Olive Green Bible Study Church

In Case You Missed It! 

Free Webinar: Baseball, Racism and Religion 

PHUMC Baseball Webinar.png
Retired Clergy Urged to Perform Same - Sex Weddings

"Let's Talk:  LGBTQ+ Weddings" webinar from July 15th, 2020

Laity and clergy participated in an online forum to explore how pastors and local church members might prepare for same-gender weddings in their sanctuary.  Questions of liturgy, pre-marital counseling, use of language, communication, etc., were discussed.  This webinar was sponsored by the United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy & Friends and the Mountain Sky Queer Clergy Caucus. 

Speakers for this Webinar included two leading Mountain Sky Area United Methodist clergy, Rev. Sharon Langfeldt and Rev. Angie Kotzmoyer.  Our speakers were also joined by Rev. Dr. Donald E Messer, Moderator, and a panel of key leaders.

Corageous Connections Image.png
Quilt Image (2).png

UMARC members are joining retired clergy across the denomination in offering their services to perform same-sex weddings.  Click HERE to add your name to the growing movement to reduce harm and move the church to inclusiveness. 

 

UMARC Chair, Dr. Donald E. Messer, is a member of the national Resist Harm committee encouraging prophetic witness and pastoral service, in contrast to the traditionalist polity.  Retired pastors risk complaints and trials, but severe penalties can be administered to active faithful pastors living in areas where bishops are intent on enforcing the Discipline no matter how punitive and exclusive.  

This Three-Part Webinar Series is Available to View

in Part Below. What an amazing time of education and connection. 

A special thanks to our speakers, sponsors and participants!

RESPONDING TO AN ATTACK ON A VISION OF AN INCLUSIVE

UNITED METHODISM

 

 

 

Threatened by the vision of an inclusive United Methodism as presented by various speakers, including Bishops Karen Oliveto, Harald Rückert, and Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, the conservative Institute for Religion and Democracy published an attack on Bishop Oliveto and the Inclusiveness V Webinar sponsored by the United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy & Friends in late November 2021. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 

Karen-Oliveto-Bishop.jpeg
Martz-43.jpeg

And while we are tempted to ignore such mean-spiritedness and misinterpretation, we yet know it is important to respond lest others be misled.

 

The Vice Chair of UMARC, Rev. Dr. Harvey Martz, distinguished former senior pastor of St. Andrew UMC in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, speaks for all of us on the Steering Committee, when he writes in “Gone MIA from the IRD - Jesus:"

 

“So, it seems, when we want to demonize persons who are not 'like us,' I believe that Lord Jesus the Prophet will draw us up short and cause us to look inside.

 

 

 

Luckily, in Mr. Bastian’s essay, he does manage to quote our 'Lesbian Bishop' and give a new direction for all of us: 'We are called to a response as followers of Jesus.’

In most of his vitriolic essay, Mr. Bastian gets it wrong. And Bishop Karen Oliveto gets it right.”

 

YES, Bishop Oliveto does get it right - a loving Jesus that includes everyone, not just the heterosexual community.

 

Warm Regards,

 

Donald E. Messer

Chair, UMARC & Friends

Rev. Dr. Harvey Martz

Bishop Karen Oliveto

LIVING LEGEND: REV. JULIAN RUSH HONORED


A living legend since the 1980’s, Rev. Julian Rush has been elevated to Honorary Member of UMARC’s Steering Committee. As a pioneering openly gay pastor (now retired) in the Mountain Sky Conference, he gave distinguished leadership in the church and as founder of the Colorado AIDS Project.

 

See his biography “Julian Rush—Facing the Music; A Gay Methodist Minister’s Story” .
 

julian rush and Izzy (3).jpeg

FORMER AIR FORCE CHAPLAIN REV. JOHN L. THOMPSON APPOINTED


Rev. John L. Thompson, former Chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, as well as a United Methodist District Superintendent and retired senior pastor of Park Hill UMC, Denver, has been newly appointed to the UMARC Steering Committee. He held the rank of full Colonel and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.

image0 (1).jpeg

United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy & Friends

Inclusiveness V Webinar, November 20, 2021

 

 

 

 

“Experiencing An Inclusive United Methodist Church:

Celebrating First Five Years of Bishop Karen Oliveto’s Episcopacy”

 

                                            

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bishop Cynthia.jpg
Bishop Harold.jpg
Karen-Oliveto-Bishop.jpeg
Bishop Cynthia 2.jpg
Rev. Cimpaye.jpg
Mark Holland .jpg

   Rev. Dr. Israel Alvaran            Rev. Cimpaye Valentine            Rev. Dr. Mark Holland 

Pat Luna.jpg
Jay Williams.jpg
Delegate Kent Ingram

      Pat Luna                              Jay Williams                      Kent Ingram

Bishop Harald Rückert         Germany                                                

      Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi

          Western Pennsylvania   

      Bishop Karen Oliveto             Mountain Sky                      

Books and Guests for Inclusiveness V.png
white fragility.jfif

     Rev. Dr. Kay Palmer Marsh   Rev. Dr. Don Messer       Keegan Osinski     Rev. Dr. Harvey Martz

osinskk.jpg
Don Professional Photo 2019 (3).jpg
harvey%20martz%202018_edited.jpg
Kay Palmer Marsh (1).jpeg

UMARC joined Bishop Karen Oliveto Jan. 13, 2022, in celebrating the retirement of Nancy Cox, long time Executive Assistant to the Mountain Sky bishop. 

 

An expression of gratitude for excellent service and a cash gift from members was provided by Dr. Don Messer, UMARC chair.

To contribute to a retirement gift for Nancy, write a check to the Mountain Sky Conference earmarked "UMARC/Nancy" & send to treasurer John Blinn, 11 Monroe #102, Denver, CO  80206. Thank you!

IMG_1891.jpg

 BIshop Oliveto with Nancy Cox

UMARC Celebrated  Five years of Bishop Karen Oliveto’s Episcopacy
 

At a COVID post-vaccination picnic, members of the United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy and Friends celebrated five years of dynamic spiritual leadership by Bishop Karen Oliveto.   Tributes from retirees saluted her and her wife Robin Ridenour for their courage, compassion, care, leadership, vision, and living out a theology of love.   UMARC Chair, Rev. Dr. Donald E. Messer, thanked “the Holy Spirit for her unanimous election and the impact she has made for inclusion in both the church and world.”

IMG_9783.jpg
IMG_9796.jpg
IMG_4151.jpg
Where Love THRIVES image 2021 _1_.jpeg
Resist Harm Image.png

UMARC Partners with Resist Harm
**Click on the image to learn more.

Until legislation is passed removing the harmful restrictions currently embodied in the UM Discipline, active efforts must continue to resist, reduce, and mitigate the harm imposed by the Traditionalist agenda. 

bottom of page