Covenant of Prayer...

White’s Chapel is a church of the “messy middle.” (For a theological framework for “messy middle” Christianity, read Romans 14.) As such, our congregation is composed of people with different theological, political, and philosophical understandings... 

In our context, we have chosen to be compatibilists: people who seek to live, work, and share faith with others with differing understandings than ours. As such, we seek to honor those who disagree with us. Moreover, we believe that issues of our Social Principles should be decided at the General Conference and Annual Conference levels. In our life together at White’s Chapel, we seek to not have divisive votes on Social Principles that can cause pain for those whose positions do not prevail. 

We are a congregation that practices a traditional view of marriage. However, we acknowledge that members of our congregation have a variety of perspectives on same- sex marriage and ordination standards. We reject the practice of compartmentalizing people into categories according to their actual or perceived perspectives.

We also recognize that we are living in a transitional season in the life of the Methodist movement. Countless factors that will determine the future of the Church are currently taking shape; as such, their “final forms” are not clearly in sight. Here are some of the unknowns we face:

• Actions of 2024 General Conference
• Shape, polity, and actual practice of the Global Methodist Church that launched on
  May 1 (GMC “Convening Conference” to be scheduled in about 18 months)
• Actual shape/outcome of Christmas Covenant proposal (Could the United States have 3 regional conferences, rather than one? This would allow for progressive, center left, and center right Conferences to better align congregations with each other.) The Christmas Covenant will be presented/debated/amended/voted on at General Conference in the spring of 2024.
• Future of the Central Texas Annual Conference (after exit of Global Methodist churches) – will the CTC still exist, or will remaining churches be incorporated into other existing Conferences (North Texas, Texas, Northwest Texas)?
• Could Texas be divided into theological Conferences (see Christmas Covenant above) rather than geographical?
• Central Texas Cabinet is working on proposal to be presented in October 2022
• Possibility of becoming a “federated church” that belongs to both United Methodist and the Global Methodist Churches
• Possibility of becoming an independent Methodist church (What would the shape, polity, and practice of such an independent church look like? What does the process entail to create an independent, voluntary association of likeminded local churches?)

As leaders of White’s Chapel, we should carefully and intentionally explore all options and seek the best course for the future of our church. Likewise, ample care, thought, and time should be given for a focused season of education and preparation for our congregation – sharing information that will reinforce the direction that church leadership has prayerfully determined. During the season of unknowns that will exist for the next few years, we seek to continue the powerful ministry of White’s Chapel that we have known for the past 151 years. We know that gossip and inuendo can flourish in an environment of unknowns and uncertainties. We know that ideas expressed in debate can be shared as fact, and that misrepresentations can and do occur.

We covenant that this season of transition will not affect the vital ministries of White’s Chapel. We exist to make more deeply committed followers of the way of Jesus Christ. We do that through being a people who:

• Practice extensive missions that serve the world in the name of Jesus
• Participate in powerful worship that heralds the Good News
• Express a generous orthodoxy, affirming the tenets of the Apostle’s Creed
• Are committed to teaching the Holy Scripture
• Carry on Jesus’ healing ministry. We want to walk with all people through the struggles of life – being conduits of healing and hope
• Practice radical hospitality. We love and welcome all of God’s children and seek to include all in the Body of Christ
• Reach future generations (focusing on ministry to children, youth, and young adults)
• Are not just hearers of the word, but doers of the word. We want to be living examples of Jesus injunction in John 15:12, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
  

As we move into the future, we want to be a part of a new expression of Methodism. We want to leave behind the rancor and division of the past fifty years, and move into a new season of ministry. We recognize that in this season of uncertainty, our human efforts and understandings are imperfect and dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us. The most important thing we can do in this hour is to pray for wisdom and direction. We know that Jesus is with us and is praying for us even now. Jesus prays that we may be one and that we bear much fruit. This covenant is our expression of what it means to be a church where many people, with many perspectives, sit at the table together and seek to live as followers of Jesus!

Going Forward:

Pray • Discern • Listen • Learn • Do Not “Borrow Anxiety” 
​