About the LMX
We are the Liberation Methodist Connexion
History of the LMX
Since that launch, the LMX has put together several online events that have given many people a glimpse of a what a liberative spiritual experience could look like, combining the message that what we are all beloved children of God with tough conversations on how our churches enable racism, homophobia, misogyny, ableism, and other forms of oppression. We had a New Year’s Eve party to ring in 2021. We have had several poetry readings where friends of the LMX have offered their own words and other writings that they have found meaningful. We have had two roundtables; one a conversation on race and how we can work towards eliminating racism, the other a conversation around queering Easter and how the resurrection story speaks to resisting oppression. Internally, the LMX has been working on ways of becoming a nonprofit so that those hoping to affiliate may be able to use that nonprofit status as new communities form, or existing communities look to join us. Some LMX collaborators have independently begun looking to build local communities, using online means.
LMX Contributors
- Adam Marshall (he/him)
- Adrian Hill (he/him)
- Rev. Akilah Bixler (she/her)
- Rev. Alex da Silva Souto (They/Brown/Latinx)
- Rev. Dr. Althea Spencer-Miller (she/her)
- Rev. Amy DeLong (she/her)
- Rev. Andrea Brown (she/her)
- Rev. Ann Hunt (she/her)
- Dr. Bill Mefford (he/him)
- Brenda Smith White (she/her)
- Chaplain Brinna Kolitz, MDiv (she/her)
- Rev. Carlos Samuel Reyes Rodríguez (he/him)
- Colleen McRoberts (she/her)
- Rev. Dr. Darryl W. Stephens (he/him)
- Erika Panzarino (she/her)
- Elisa Gatz (she/her)
- Dr. Rev. H. Ward Greer (he/him)
- Ian Carlos Urriola, MDiv (he/him)
- Deaconess Irene DeMaris (she/her)
- Rev. Janet G. McKeithen (she/her)
- Rev. Jennifer Berry (she/her)
- Rev. Jon Pohl (he/him)
- Joy L. Butler (she/her)
- Rev. Kai Greer (pronoun: Kai)
- Katie Kuntz-Wineland, MDiv (she/her)
- Rev. Lois McCullen Parr (white she/her)
- Rev. M Barclay (they/themme)
- Margaret Downey (she/her)
- Marla Marcum, M.T.S. (she/her)
- Rev. Martha E. Vink (she/her)
- Dr. Mary Lou Taylor (she/her)
- Rev. Melissa Boyer (she/her)
- Rev. Nikki Edleman (she/her)
- Ravi Roelfs (he/him/his)
- Rev. Sean McRoberts (they/them)
- Rev. Sue Laurie (she/her)
- Rev. Terri Jane Stewart (they/them)
- Rev. Vicki Woods (she/her)
- Rev. Vivian Ruth Waltz (she/her)
- Rev. Wesley White (he/him)
- Rev. Wil Ranney (he/him)
*Plus many who didn’t feel safe enough to have their names listed here.*
The Founding LMX Working Groups
LMX Connexion
The Liberation Methodist Connexion (LMX) is built on what currently is, and on an expectation of what is yet to come. We are journeying toward a new way of being followers of Christ that refute the imbalance of powers, principalities, and privileges that has plagued Methodism: colonialism, white supremacy, economic injustices, patriarchy, sexism, clericalism, ableism, ageism, transphobia, and heteronormativity. We trust God’s presence and our collaborative labors will guide us toward a new, more liberative way of answering our calling and being in connexion together.
LMX Resources
As Liberationists we are called to live out fully-resourced lives, sharing and caring with extravagant generosity and reciprocity. Remembering that we are God’s stewards, the work of liberating holy resources includes a commitment to reparations and the healing of the earth. We vow to live abundantly. We dream of a new community, freed from hereditary limitations and historical precedent, where we hold all material things in common and embrace new ways to value the gifts of everyone.
LMX Pastoral Care
The mission of pastoral care in the LMX is to create sacred spaces for holding grief and sharing joy as relationships are nurtured, as deep listening opens the way for healing, and as laughter leads us to hope. Embodying a justice-centered, liberating future, pastoral care in the LMX holds a vision for shared community care through mutual love and truth-telling, for care with one another, where the spiritual gifts of those who offer care are affirmed and received.
LMX Collaborative Leadership
LMX strives to be a relevant, thriving, justice-oriented, affirming, liberationist connexion. We believe that practices creating this expression can best be found in leadership that is transformational, humble, and representative. We commit ourselves to continuously examine colonizing and institutionalizing tendencies. This will be multiplied in the ways that we address formal and informal theological education, credentialing, lay and clergy vocations, mutual support + accountability, and administration.
LMX Theology
LMX theology is not written in stone because our human understanding continues to evolve as we deepen our personal and collective understandings of God. We have been expanding our methodist theological heritage with various expressions of Liberation theologies, theories, and praxis. God remains infinitely gracious, creative, merciful, and engaged with creation, healing and redeeming the world.