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OUR METHODIST CONNECTION
From Bishop Burgos: A Call to Faithful Witness Amid Conflict
“…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making very effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…” — Ephesians 4:2–3
Dear Siblings in Christ,
In recent months, I have watched with deep concern as some of our congregations have faced significant moments of conflict and disruption during worship and other gatherings. The situations differ, but the pattern is familiar: disagreements that move from faithful conversation into public confrontation.
We have seen worship interrupted by challenges to pastoral leadership—including one moment when a congregant insisted Scripture does not support women in ministry, even as we celebrate seventy years of women’s ordination in The United Methodist Church.
We have also seen tensions in faith formation and leadership meetings escalate into repeated disruptions—moments where confrontations and accusations replaced dialogue and grace. These moments are painful, not only for those involved, but for entire congregations who come seeking worship, formation, community, and the presence of Christ.
Worship is sacred space. It is where we experience the living God in community, hear the Word proclaimed, receive the sacraments, and remember who we are as part of the body of Christ. No one should leave worship remembering an argument more vividly than the presence of Jesus Christ. No one should leave a Bible study feeling wounded by the very people they trust with their questions of faith. No one should leave a leadership meeting carrying hurt from words or actions that do not reflect who we are as followers of Christ and United Methodists.
Scripture reminds us that “a gentle answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1) and calls us to “pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding” (Romans 14:19). And Jesus gave us a clear, grace‑filled pathway for navigating conflict in Matthew 18: go first to one another privately, then—if needed—with trusted witnesses, and only, when necessary, involve the wider community through the proper channels. This is not a cookie-cutter formula; it is a posture that protects dignity, honors relationships, and keeps reconciliation at the center.
Healthy faith communities make room for difficult, honest questions, faithful discernment, and grace-filled accountability—but those conversations must be grounded in humility, respect, and a willingness to treat one another as beloved children of God. We cannot allow our churches to mirror the hostility and division that is taking over our society. The Church must offer a different witness.
Jesus calls us to love boldly, not only when it is easy, but especially when it is hard. Love does not avoid difficult conversations; love transforms how we have them. Love remembers the dignity of the person before us. Love looks for understanding before accusations. Love stays open to the possibility that the Holy Spirit is moving beyond our own certainty.
This letter is not a call to another debate. It is a call to discipleship—to the discipline of prayer, often forgotten or dismissed when conflict takes center stage, yet it is still the very practice that steadies us and reorients us toward Christ. It is a call to reflection. It is a call to live the way of Jesus amid conflict. If we respond to conflict the same way the world does, we reduce our witness to the world’s brokenness instead of the hope of God’s Reign.
So, before we speak, may we listen. Before we condemn, may we seek understanding. Before we assume we know the Spirit’s movement, may we ask where the Spirit is leading—and treat our siblings as we ourselves hope to be treated.
I invite every congregation in the Susquehanna and Upper New York Area to pray for peace, compassion, and reconciliation. Pray for pastors and lay leaders walking through challenging seasons. Clergy are human too, bearing unseen pressures and personal burdens that affect how they lead. Even amid disagreement or the weight of expectations no one can fully meet, they continue looking to serve Christ and the church with faithfulness and integrity.
Pray for those who feel unheard or uncertain. Pray for those carrying anger or fear. Pray that our churches may be places where Christ’s love is more visible than the divisions of our society.
To our pastors and lay leaders: thank you. Week after week, you proclaim the Gospel, care for your communities, and lead with courage and grace. And to all of us: let us be ambassadors of reconciliation and peace. In a world where anger is amplified and cruelty is rewarded, the Church is called to offer a different witness.
We do not rise by shouting louder, colluding against those we disagree with, or tearing one another down. We rise by loving boldly—the way of Jesus.
May we be a people who reflect the heart of Christ—joyful in service, courageous in leadership, and always loving boldly.
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