Home stretch my friends. Thank you for affording me the privilege of representing you and our church and Lord here in Fort Worth. I return with joy in my heart and abundant hope for the future. I offer, and I know other of my fellow delegates will as well, to visit with you upon return to share the fruits of this blessed connection.
Please pray for our safe travels.
Ray
Friday, May 2, 2008
good news
I am healing.
Yesterday there was good news from our sessions. Between Blenda and Ray taking a few sessions off I was on the floor for all three sessions, my brain started to turn to mush towards the end of the night.
We approved voting rights for local pastors. This is a group of people that have long been disenfranchised, as they have been in a twilight zone between lay and clergy status. These have been faithful persons doing the work of the church often for little pay and long hours. Their voice will be heard.
Constitutional amendments were approved to remove the racist language of "central conferences", and replace that with a more appropriate "regional conferences" language. These amendments also remove language from the uniting conference in 1968 (it's about time). There will be a study group to see how we can move towards a more inclusive worldwide church rather than a US centric church as we are now. This language is just a first step.
We were able to share two great meals yesterday. We had lunch with Central Pennsylvania, and had dinner with the four uniting NY conferences. It was great to meet new friends that we will be in ministry with in our hopeful new future.
We heard from William Gates Sr. (Bill's Father). We are having a Basketball auction and the latest highest bid that I heard was $80,000, by the West Ohio conference. One conference has brought many basketballs and has guaranteed a ball signed by all of the bishops to each conference donating $1,000. The Gates Foundation has promised that they will match the highest bid. All of these funds will go to purchase anti-malarial nets for the Nothing But Nets campaign.
Eric
Yesterday there was good news from our sessions. Between Blenda and Ray taking a few sessions off I was on the floor for all three sessions, my brain started to turn to mush towards the end of the night.
We approved voting rights for local pastors. This is a group of people that have long been disenfranchised, as they have been in a twilight zone between lay and clergy status. These have been faithful persons doing the work of the church often for little pay and long hours. Their voice will be heard.
Constitutional amendments were approved to remove the racist language of "central conferences", and replace that with a more appropriate "regional conferences" language. These amendments also remove language from the uniting conference in 1968 (it's about time). There will be a study group to see how we can move towards a more inclusive worldwide church rather than a US centric church as we are now. This language is just a first step.
We were able to share two great meals yesterday. We had lunch with Central Pennsylvania, and had dinner with the four uniting NY conferences. It was great to meet new friends that we will be in ministry with in our hopeful new future.
We heard from William Gates Sr. (Bill's Father). We are having a Basketball auction and the latest highest bid that I heard was $80,000, by the West Ohio conference. One conference has brought many basketballs and has guaranteed a ball signed by all of the bishops to each conference donating $1,000. The Gates Foundation has promised that they will match the highest bid. All of these funds will go to purchase anti-malarial nets for the Nothing But Nets campaign.
Eric
Thursday, May 1, 2008
hope
I am so very grateful to be here. Still, after 8 days of long hours and endless debates, inspiring worship and heartbreaking moments it still seems a remarkable thing to be a part of our United Methodist Church. In the weeks leading up to this General Conference, I tried to prepare myself for what I assumed would be a disappointment in our system as I would be exposed to the politics and strategizing that are inevitable here. Those things are all present but what I didn’t expect was this powerful, never ending feeling of hope - like a drumbeat that never, ever stops.
I felt it in the opening worship where I was acutely aware of that presence that is both in us and beyond us - leading us all to expect great things to happen in our connection and in our world.
I felt it in my committee work as I sat around the table with United Methodists from all around the world. Our views were vastly different on many issues and other times our vote was unanimous as we reasoned together. I felt a deep connection with this group as we suspended the rules for a while and took some time for deep discussion over issues that tend to divide. It was a holy moment for me.
I felt it even yesterday through a long and difficult discussion over the issue of homosexuality. Many on both sides of the issue felt the pain and disappointment of that vote and yet, the drumbeat of hope continued through their peaceful witness this morning as we received their pain and truly listened as the body of Christ. A sister delegate from Mississippi responded to my tears with a warm embrace and again I felt hope.
As I sit here and think about so many other things to write, I will simply conclude by saying thank you for allowing me to have this experience. I will carry this hope with me always.
-Beth
I felt it in the opening worship where I was acutely aware of that presence that is both in us and beyond us - leading us all to expect great things to happen in our connection and in our world.
I felt it in my committee work as I sat around the table with United Methodists from all around the world. Our views were vastly different on many issues and other times our vote was unanimous as we reasoned together. I felt a deep connection with this group as we suspended the rules for a while and took some time for deep discussion over issues that tend to divide. It was a holy moment for me.
I felt it even yesterday through a long and difficult discussion over the issue of homosexuality. Many on both sides of the issue felt the pain and disappointment of that vote and yet, the drumbeat of hope continued through their peaceful witness this morning as we received their pain and truly listened as the body of Christ. A sister delegate from Mississippi responded to my tears with a warm embrace and again I felt hope.
As I sit here and think about so many other things to write, I will simply conclude by saying thank you for allowing me to have this experience. I will carry this hope with me always.
-Beth
mixed emotions
Hi, it's Sarah.
Although many people (including myself) are continuing today with heavier hearts and slower steps than we had yesterday morning, I wanted to let you know that there are some pieces of good news coming from this General Conference.
Although many people (including myself) are continuing today with heavier hearts and slower steps than we had yesterday morning, I wanted to let you know that there are some pieces of good news coming from this General Conference.
- The GC voted to allocate funds for a research and learning center to express regret for the lives that were lost by an 1864 massacre of Native Americans led by a Methodist lay preacher. (article here)
- Young people are having many active leadership roles in this GC. (article here)
- The first female African president spoke to the GC--and she's an alumna of a United Methodist school in Liberia! (article here)
- Africa University continues to operate normally, even though the inflation rate of Zimbabwe is at 200,000%. Graduates of this university are providing leadership in their home countries in Africa and also in their churches. (article here)
- The UMC and the Lutheran church agreed to be in full communion with one another, recognizing each other's baptisms, eucharist, and full interchangeability of ordained pastors. (article here)
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