RESOLUTION

Whereas, the specially called General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC), meeting in St. Louis, passed the Traditional Plan relative to the human sexuality issues facing the UMC, and

Whereas, the Traditional Plan prohibits pastors from performing same sex weddings and prohibits anyone who is part of the LBGTQ community from serving as a minister in the United Methodist Church, and

Whereas, the Traditional Plan also calls for violations of the “Traditional Plan” ban to be punished through the bringing of a complaint under paragraph 2553 of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, and

Whereas, a way forward for The United Methodist Church relative to the human sexuality issue remains uncertain and in flux, and

Whereas, charging pastors with violations of the “No Same Sex Weddings” ban would cause harm to the individual pastor and to The United Methodist Church, and the long standing “incompatibility” language of The Book of Discipline.

Whereas, under the Traditional Plan, members of the LGBTQ community are prevented from serving as clergy in the Holston Conference, resulting in the loss of effective ministers from ever serving in Holston Conference,

Whereas, the Holston Annual Conference recognizes the harm that has been done by the enactment of the Traditional Plan, and

Whereas, Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, President of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops, has suggested that there be a moratorium on church trials, and

Whereas, the entire Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church has announced that all of its conferences have placed a moratorium on church trials.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Holston Annual Conference enact a moratorium on church trials relative to complaints against pastors for violations of the Traditional Plan.

And, further, be it resolved that it is the will of the Holston Annual Conference that even if a complaint is brought against a pastor for violations of the Traditional Plan, the resident Bishop not act on that complaint.