On Friday, the morning session began with a Service of Lament, Confession, and Hope led by members of the NCC Commission on the Status and Role of Women. Bishop Connie Mitchell Shelton introduced the service saying that the Church had a “long history of sweeping clergy sexual misconduct under the rug.”
In her apology, she named it a “breach of sacred trust with no excuses” and offered insights from her time as a District Superintendent in the Mississippi Conference regarding ways that pastors, church members, and Staff Parish Relations (SPRC) Committees can help hold clergy accountable.
This accountability, Shelton said, must extend beyond the avoidance of misconduct and include the importance of clergy spiritual practices, rest and sabbath, and supporting clergy to help keep them from feeling overwhelmed. Often, she noted, “when we get depleted, we forget who we are.”
The service included prayer, liturgy, quiet meditation, confession, scripture, and a call to accountability in the spirit of the United Methodist membership vows.