Bishop Kenneth H. Carter gives the sermon during opening worship for the 2019 United Methodist General Conference in St. Louis. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS.

Council of Bishops President Bishop Kenneth H. Carter today called on United Methodists to make every effort to maintain unity for the sake of God’s mission as the denomination’s top legislative body began its work in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Preaching in the opening worship of the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church, Bishop Carter said that the unity of the body of Christ should be the passionate concern. “Remember: you are the people of the cross and the flame.”

The Special Session, which ends February 26, was called to receive and act on a report from the Commission on a Way Forward on its work to examine paragraphs in The Book of Discipline concerning human sexuality and to explore options to strengthen church unity.

“If you watch and listen for the good in conservatives, centrists, and progressives, you will see the cross and the flame. You will see people carrying the cross,” said Bishop Carter, noting that “…we are people who have professed our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. And we will pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit, to make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world.”

Read the full sermon by Bishop Carter here. To watch the opening worship click here.