Love Prevails received the following invitation and anticipate articulating a response to the request soon. Stay tuned.
Invitation for Input to Commission on a Way Forward
To: Amy DeLong, Love Prevails
Date: May 1, 2017
Dear Ms. Delong,
As you know, the Commission on a Way Forward was established after the 2016 General Conference to find a way forward for the United Methodist Church. Our way forward must move us beyond the continuing impasse over the nature, conditions, and extent of the inclusion of LGBTQ people within the Church. We want to emphasize that we are not dealing with an abstract problem, but with people who are loved by God and are members of our Church.
The Commission values your voice and would like to receive your input prior to writing and submitting our final report to the Council of Bishops. Because there are so many groups desiring to participate in this discussion, we have developed two ways between which you may choose one.
1. Submit a three-minute video and send it to us. A video shot on a cell phone is perfectly acceptable.
2. Or submit a two-page written document.
In your video or document, please respond to the following: Describe your constituency’s preferred future for our denomination regarding the nature, conditions and extent of the inclusion of LGBTQ people within the Church.
We understand that there may be others in your group who would like to provide input. While we appreciate the desire, we ask that you make only one submission. If you would like to work collaboratively with your leadership team or board, we think that is wonderful and invite you to do so within the bounds of one of the two options.
Please submit your response to us no later than June 10, 2017.
Thank you so much for your willingness to engage in this work and conversation with us. We are so grateful for your participation and pray that out of our continuing work and dialogue we will, truly, discern God’s preferred future for the United Methodist Church.
In Christ,
The Commission on a Way Forward
Love Prevails 
Anything less than full inclusion of all people regardless of sexual orientation in all aspects of the church would end my wife and my relationship with the United Methodist Church.
Curious. It seems they are lumping folks into “groups” and requesting only one submission per “group.” Well, I have a group in my local church that would like to submit a video to the Commission. I’m sure that collectively, we might know of a couple thousand “groups” that could provide a voice for inclusion. What do you think, Love Prevails, of encouraging each local church “group” to submit our own video?
I have confidence that you and “your group” (said with a smile) will find the appropriate and well-chosen words (dare I say inspired words) to express in a 2 page paper or 3 minute video that your lgbtqi constituency will settle for nothing less than full inclusion in the life and ministry of the UM Church and that until that day arrives we will persist in challenging all the invisibilities and closed doors encountered by members of the LYNC coalition.