Bishop Bruce Ough

32 Wesley Boulevard

Worthington, Ohio

 

Friday, March 26, 2004

 

Dear Bishop Ough,

It is with sad and deeply distressed hearts that we write to you today. We find it unconscionable that a group of United Methodists in the Pacific Northwest would put themselves above the law of the church, choosing instead to set it aside in disregard.

As you might guess, we are being contacted by hurting, confused, disgruntled and angry United Methodist pastors and laity from around West Ohio. We feel a responsibility to these persons and those they represent to respond to this crisis.

We want you to know of our prayers for you and concern for our Church.

In that spirit we request a response from you as our Episcopal leader as to how you specifically will seek to provide leadership to the Church that finds itself mired in this controversy? We would appreciate the release of a statement from you as our Episcopal leader.

We believe there need to be clear consequences to these actions taken independently by these representatives of United Methodism. No one has 100% agreement with the language and wording of The Discipline but that does not give anyone the right to disregard it while purporting to represent the Church. To do so will plunge the Church into total chaos if everyone does as he or she likes with disregard for The Book of Discipline.

We ask you to help put a stop to this kind of blatant and deliberate contempt for the order of the Church.

In Christ’s Service,

Jeffery A. Raker, EFWO President              Gregory W. Creech, West Ohio Confessing Coordinator

Kurtis S. King, EFWO Vice-President            James Stauffer, EFWO Treasurer

Mrs. Judy Stephens, EFWO Secretary