Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

59. Memorials to the Conference
Present: 133. Voting: 109 for, 1 against)
calls upon the Conference to ensure that
any proposals relating to the Fruitful Field
project are subject to the normal scrutiny
of Synods, Circuit Meetings, and Church
Councils prior to implementation, in order
to avoid any repetition of the inadequate
period for proper consultation in the
autumn of 2011.
Reply
The Conference adopts the same reply as
M26.
M28 Suspending Local Preaching studies
The Bangor and Holyhead (2/3) Circuit
Meeting (Present 21. Vote: unanimous)
asks the Conference to consider that a
Local Preacher on Trial who experiences
a period when they are unable to preach
or study due to domestic difficulties,
should, with the permission of the Local
Preachers’ Meeting, be able to suspend
their studies for a fixed period to give time
to resolve any difficulties.
The period of suspension should not count
towards the maximum time permitted on
trial. During this period, the Preacher on
Trial would not be allowed to take services.
Such periods of suspension would be
reported to the District Local Preachers’
Secretary in the annual report.
Reply
The Conference thanks the Bangor and
Holyhead Circuit Meeting for its memorial.
According to Standing Order 564B(3),
preachers on trial may apply to extend their
period on trial beyond five years through an
application to the District Policy Committee.
This mechanism ensures that those on
trial who are unable to preach or study for
a period of time due to their exceptional
circumstances may apply to extend their
training, if this becomes necessary. This
process ensures that the Local Preachers’
Meeting, the District Policy Committee
and (through the work of this committee)
the District Local Preachers’ Secretary
can continue to engage pastorally and
prayerfully with the person on trial and his
or her circumstances, without the loss of
these support structures that a period of
suspension may cause. Following a period
of suspension, and especially one spanning
a longer period of time, it may be difficult
for a person on trial to resume his or her
training from the same point – this may
result in someone who is called to local
preaching feeling unable to continue their
training, when continuous support and
reflection may have enabled them to do so.
The Conference therefore declines this
memorial.
M29 Blessing civil partnerships
Since the human sexuality debate at the
Derby Conference of 1993, Methodism
has sought to respond faithfully to ‘our
calling’ to become a truly inclusive church.
This journey has been a painful one for
many people with strong views on either
side of the debate about human sexuality
in general, and the blessing of the civil
partnerships of faithful gay and lesbian
couples in particular.
Conference Agenda 2012 789