Ms. Anne Packard, Director Arthur J. Moore Methodist MuseumMs. Anne Packard, Director Arthur J....

Ms.AnnePackard,DirectorArthurJ.MooreMethodistMuseumP.O.Box20481100ArthurJ.MooreDriveSt.SimonsIsland,GA31522November30,2016DearMs.PackardandMembersoftheSoutheastJurisdictionCollegeofBishops:Every member of Love Prevails is a long-time, if not life-long, student of Methodist history, tradition, andtheology.Subsequently,weseektoinformourselvesofourdenomination’srootednessinthevariousplaceswevisit and tokeepourawareness sharp towardvarious formsofoppressionweencounter in the courseofouractivestruggleforLGBTQjusticewithinourdenominationOurrecentvisittoEpworth-By-The-SeaatSt.SimonsIsland,GeorgiafortheCouncilofBishopsmeetingaffordedmanyofusourfirstopportunitytovisitthesiteofCharlesandJohnWesley’sfirstlandingintheBritishcolonies.To assist our learning about the history ofMethodism in this geographic area, wewere glad to discover theArthurJ.MooreMethodistMuseumandLibraryonthesiteoftheretreatcenter.AmeaningfuloutcomeofthelastquadrenniumofLovePrevails’disruptionoftheCouncilofBishops’meetingshasbeen theopportunities tomeet indigenous leaders inourdenominationand tounderstand their strugglesbetter.WehavebeenabletobothlearnaboutandparticipateintheActsofRepentancetoIndigenousPeoplesthatwereahallmarkofourchurch’scollectivelifeoverthelastfouryears.SointravelingtoSt.SimonsIsland,wewereparticularlyinterestedinlearningthewaysinwhichtheMethodistmovement in the Southwas entangled in the violence andoppressionof genocide in the early decades of theWesleys’andtheMethodist’spresenceonthiscontinent.Wewerehorrified,then,whenuponentrancetotheMooreMuseum,weencounteredthefollowingdioramaandthissmallaccompanyingsign:Additionally,nexttothedioramaisthisdollandcorresponding“information”:Weacknowledgethatinadifferentsectionofthemuseum,therearetwosmallsigns in a reproduction of CharlesWesley’s camp, which mention the Gualepeople, the original indigenous inhabitants of St. Simons Island, and theirdecimationbySpanishandEnglishcolonizers.

However,regardlessoftheseotherminorreferences,thecentralplacementofadioramathatdepictsnativesinafictitious encounter with John Wesley is culturally offensive and highly inappropriate. The diorama leaves avisualimpression(especiallytochildrenwhomaynotlookfarabovetheireye-leveltoreadthesmalldisclaimer)thatWesleywasamuchneededandwarmlywelcomedwhitesaviorandthattheindigenouspeoplewereeagerrecipientsofhisbrandofreligion.Neithercouldbefartherfromthetruth.Additionally, the simplified description of Mary Musgrove as an “interpreter for the colonists” reduces hercomplexandcomplicatedlifestorytothesingularroleofassistinghercolonizers.Also,thereisnosuchthingasan “IndianPrincess”and to impose thismonarchical, colonial titleerases thepossibility forunderstanding theroleofthiswomanandherleadershipwithinherownindigenouscultureandcross-culturally.MembersofLovePrevailswerealsostunnedwhen theysatdowntowatchanine-minute informationalvideoaboutthehistoryofSt.SimonsIslandthroughthelensofMethodism.Inonesection,thefilmholdsonscreenanimage of a cannon while the narrator says, “The ruins [at Fort Frederica] show us how the founders of theMethodistChurchreachedouttoanewlandtoprovideforthespiritualneedsofthepeople.Throughthestillair,onecanalmosthearthesoundsofmusketshotsandthebellsandthebeatofthedrumapprisingthesettlersofthehourofprayer.”Thiswhitewashed glorificationof domination and violence, especiallywithin the justifying context ofmeetingspiritualneeds,iswhollyunacceptable.ThemuseumsharesthesitewiththeSouthGeorgiaConferenceoftheUnitedMethodistChurchandhousesthearchives of the entire Southeast Jurisdiction.During thepast four years ofActs ofRepentance throughout theentiredenomination,hasnotoneUnitedMethodistleadernoticedtheseinsultsorsoughttoaddressthem?Theseactsofomissionandcommissionrequirerepentanceandredress.Wecalluponthemuseum,Epworth-By-The-Sea, the College of Bishops of the Southeast Jurisdiction to remove the diorama, to stop playing theinformationalvideountilitisproperlyedited,andtodesignaplanbywhichthehistoryofindigenouspeoplesinrelationtoMethodismmightbetruthfullybroughttolight.In hismessage during the Act of Repentance at General Conference 2012, Dr. Tink Tinker saidwemust dealdirectlyandhonestlywithourhistoryofoppressionagainst indigenouspeople.Furthermore,repentance isanactionthatwemusttakeagainandagain.Onthissmallbutimportantmatter,weawaityourresponseandaction.Sincerely,TheMembersofLovePrevails,

LaciLeeAdams MaryAnneBalmer Rev.AmyDeLong Rev.WillGreenSueLaurie LauraRalston Rev.JonathanRodríguez-CintrónDr.MaryLouTaylor Rev.Dr.JulieTodd BrendaWhite Rev.WesleyWhite

Cc:Rev. Chebon Kernell, Executive Secretary of Native American and Indigenous Ministries Mr. Joel Willis, President & CEO, Epworth-By-The-Sea Rev. Alfred Day, General Secretary, General Commission on Archives & History Bishop Bruce Ough, President, Council of Bishops Bishop Lawson Bryan, South Georgia Area Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, Raleigh Area Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, Birmingham Area Bishop Mary Virgina Taylor, Holston Area Bishop James Swanson, Mississippi Area Bishop Bill McAlilly, Nashville Area Bishop Sharma Louis, Richmond Area

Bishop Paul Leeland, Charlotte Area Bishop Jonathan Holston, Columbia Area Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, North Georgia Area Bishop David Graves, Alabama-West Florida Area Bishop Leonard Fairley, Louisville Area Bishop Ken Carter, Florida Area