general conference

Lay of the Land: Getting to know gay people makes big difference

April 12, 2013 Posted by Special Contributor 15 Comments

By Richard Hearne, UMR Columnist… In the roughly 30 years I have been involved in local church, annual conference, jurisdiction and General Conference activities, I have been in many contentious [...]

Consider consequences of UMC breakup

April 4, 2013 Posted by Special Contributor 10 Comments

By Ted A. Campbell, Special Contributor… The possibility of dividing the United Methodist Church as a way out of persistent conflicts over homosexuality has been raised enough times in recent years to warrant serious reflection on what it would entail. The fact that Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Lutherans have all seen either formal divisions or significant withdrawals of congregations from their denominations over these issues does not bode well for the UMC. But as tempting as the idea might be as a way out of our conflicts, we would have to [...]

Judicial Council needs a change of worldview

November 27, 2012 Posted by Special Contributor 5 Comments

By Joe Whittemore, Special Contributor… A few hours before the adjournment of the 2012 General Conference, the highly controversial Decision No. 1210 issued by the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church addressed and overturned restructure Plan UMC, which had been approved by a 59.62 percent vote of the General Conference. This hasty council decision seemed more interested in protecting segments of the institution than finding ways to support the work of the legislative body of the United Methodist Church. On Oct. 28, the Judicial Council issued Decision No. 1226 [...]

Western Jurisdiction won’t walk away from UMC

November 21, 2012 Posted by Special Contributor 14 Comments

By Patricia Farris, Special Contributor… Is the glass half full or half empty? It’s a trick question, of course, because the answer is always “Yes.” But in a win-lose paradigm, only one side can be right. And so, there are those, including my friend and colleague, Claremont School of Theology Professor Jack Jackson, who see the glass following General Conference 2012, as half, or less, empty. (See Dr. Jackson’s essay, “Breaking up is hard, but right thing for UMC,” Reporter Oct. 19.) Echoing the proposed “amicable separation” solution of 2008, [...]

UMC reformers feeling thwarted by Judicial Council

November 5, 2012 Posted by Sam Hodges, Managing Editor 3 Comments

Judicial Council (PHOTO BY KATHLEEN BARRY/UMNS)

The frustration level for reformers of the struggling United Methodist Church appeared to reach a new high as the denomination’s Judicial Council struck down the last major reform standing after [...]

Judicial Council upholds guaranteed appointment for clergy, overturning GC 2012 action

October 29, 2012 Posted by Special Contributor 7 Comments

By Neill Caldwell for United Methodist News Service… ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. (UMNS) — The top court of The United Methodist Church has upheld church rules that ensure security of appointment for elders and associate clergy members, striking down legislation passed by the denomination’s lawmaking assembly last spring. The church’s General Conference, meeting in Tampa, Fla., had approved on May 1 a much-debated piece of legislation that would have deleted language in the church’s Book of Discipline ensuring security of appointment. The legislation also would have added steps for discontinuing elders [...]

Bishop Wenner defends her signing of letter to Congress regarding Israel

October 25, 2012 Posted by Sam Hodges, Managing Editor 46 Comments

Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, president of the UMC’s Council of Bishops, has released a statement defending her decision to join more than a dozen other Christian leaders in sending a letter [...]

After spring storm in Tampa, it’s time to assess, reform GC

October 8, 2012 Posted by Special Contributor 1 Comment

By C. Chappell Temple, Special Contributor… With Hurricane Isaac now having passed, it appears that the Republicans weathered potential storms in Tampa better than the United Methodists did when we [...]

Q&A: It takes discipline to edit Discipline

July 6, 2012 Posted by Barbara Dunlap-Berg, UMNS 1 Comment

Marvin Cropsey leafs through 2008 Book of Discipline with many notes for changes. UMNS PHOTO BY MIKE DUBOSE

It’s said that the two items no one wants to see being made are laws and sausages. Perhaps the United Methodist Book of Discipline should be added to that list. It takes almost six months—and a process defined by the rules of the General Conference—before the denomination knows exactly what happened after its big legislative assembly. The Discipline outlines denominational law, doctrine, administration, organizational work and procedures. The Book of Resolutions contains pronouncements on social issues. Every four years, delegates to General Conference vote on changes to both books. Marvin [...]

Searching for hope amid our dark night of the soul

June 14, 2012 Posted by Special Contributor 2 Comments

By Steve West, Special Contributor… Some United Methodist leaders have been gloomy in recent weeks. They feel that General Conference, the massive every-four-year gathering of denominational leaders, failed to produce change. There was, in the works, a dramatic overhaul of the agency structure, aimed at downsizing and simplifying. Many feel the present system of agencies is too expensive and top heavy for a declining membership, and less and less relevant to the mission of local churches and average members. I agree. But in a late ruling by the Judicial Council, [...]

Filed Under: Commentaries, Guest Commentaries Tagged With: dark night of soul, general conference, rev. steve west, umc