My Annual Conference (the regional governing structure of United Methodism) is the Holston Conference, a region governed by one bishop and twelve district superintendents, covering eastern Tennessee and southwest Virginia.  Our conference sessions are relatively free from deep conflict: yes, we have our differences, and we have our healthy debates.  But on even the most divisive issues we seem to be able to discuss them and then keep on working together on ministries that truly make a difference.

I mentioned that until recently I had two careers: first, I am a United Methodist pastor.  Second, I am a documentary filmmaker.  I have recently taken a break from the pastorate to pursue making films and using them to bring about much-needed dialogue.  Without question my first love is Christ and the Church.  My filmmaking has made me aware of issues and realities I don't think I would have known about otherwise: cloning and stem cell research (Human Cloning: Bane or Blessing? 2002), issues regarding the experience of American Muslims (Islam in America After September 11th), and other important topics.

"Theologians Under Hitler" opened my eyes to tactics employed in the 1930s to bring the church into an alliance with the Nazis in Germany.  It was not too difficult to see parallels between then and now.  But even so, in Holston Conference we live in a region not often affected by the tactics seen in other fellowships.  Political attacks used by, or against, church bodies and structures happens over there, not here.   Not until about two weeks ago.

Each year we debate various resolutions on the floor of Annual Conference.  These debates are always about the same things: homosexuality, ecumenism, the General Boards and Agencies, appeals for advocacy for various ethnic groups, and so on.  This year we saw a several resolutions that were sent by the same Sunday School class: a class in a large-membership church in Cleveland, Tennessee, home of the headquarters of the Church of God.  They were remarkably well written, not the usual stuff we see.  I didn't agree with them, but admired the work that went into them.  "This Sunday School class must rock!" I thought.  But then the debate on the floor of our Annual Conference revealed something I wasn't prepared for.  A little research on the internet confirmed it.

An astute Sunday school class did not write the well-crafted resolutions I had admired.  The Institute on Religion and Democracy wrote them.  If you'd like, you can download one of them here, and fill in the blanks for your own Annual Conference.  Perhaps the IRD will even supply you with the paper to print it on:

http://www.ird-renew.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=fvKVLfMVIsG& amp;b=436199&ct=2025815

There it was: evidence that my beloved church is being tampered with by sinister forces that have no interest in our region, by an organization bent on involving my spiritual brothers and sisters in a fight for the future of a church that feeds, clothes, serves, and loves millions of people around the world.  

This is sickening.  And I want people to know about it.  If Holston's no longer safe, no place is.

Steven D. Martin
www.vitalvisuals.com