Summer 2008, No. 3 - United Methodist Men

A Future with HopeGeneral Conference 2008FORT WORTH, Texas (UMNS)––The 2008 General Conferenceopened its April 23-May 2legislative session with aCommunion service. Thesacrament was celebrated at acenter table made of wood fromtrees destroyed at a UM retreat centerdamaged by Hurricane Katrina.Under the theme “A Future withHope – Making Disciples for Jesus Christfor the Transformation of the World,”the conference began on the 40 thanniversary to the very day and 40 milesfrom the place where the EvangelicalUnited Brethren Church united with theMethodist Church to form The UMC.While delegates heard stirringspeeches and sermons offered froma pulpit made of the same hurricanedamagedtrees, the Communion tablecontinued to serve as a reminder of bothphysical and spiritual storms and thecommon faith that links members of the11.5 million-member church.A worldwide churchWhile the legislative arm of the churchhas always included delegates from Africa,Asia and Europe, this gathering seemedless centered on issues confined to theUnited States than earlier quadrennialgatherings. That was partially due to thefact that 278 of the 992 delegates camefrom outside the U.S. – 100 more than thenumber that attended the 2004 session.It also was the result a proposals from asix-member task force studying the globalnature of the church.During the week, delegates approved23 constitutional amendments that wouldmake it possible to make the United StatesBy J. Richard Pecka central conference similar to conferencesin other countries. The amendments, whichmust be ratified by a two-thirds vote ofthe aggregate total of annual conferences,also would change the words “centralconference” to “regional conference.”A 20-member committee will bringrecommendations to the 2012 GeneralConference in Tampa, Fla.PresentationsA highlight of the gathering occurredwhen Liberian President Ellen JohnsonSirleaf, a UM, addressed the assembly. “Thisis a special honor for me,” she said. “I amthe first African leader and the first femalepresident to address the General Conferenceof The United Methodist Church.” She saidwhen she was first elected and traveledaround the country, children were frightenedby her presidential convoy and thought shewas coming to take something away fromEllen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia,addresses General Conference. Sirleaf is aUnited Methodist and the first female headof state in Africa. A UMNS photo by MikeDuBose.them. “Instead of the distress of yesterday,today their eyes light up and they smile,” shesaid. “Liberia is on the way back.”William H. Gates Sr., co-chair of the Billand Melinda Gates Foundation, expressedappreciation to the denomination for beinga partner in the Nothing But Nets campaignto eliminate malaria from the continentof Africa. More than $20 million has beenraised since the campaign began in 2006. Adonation of $10 covers the cost of deliveringone net and teaching a family how to protectitself from malaria-carrying mosquitoes.Bishop Sharon Brown Christopherdelivered a message on behalf of the Councilof Bishops. The message was filled withsongs, multimedia and multisensory imagesabout how people received and experiencedhope, gave hope and were transformed byencounters with Christ. She attributed someof the membership decline in U.S. churchesto “ruptures in our United Methodistrelationships. Left or right, conservativeor liberal, we treat our baptized brothersand sisters as if they are our enemies” andseek to destroy those who have a differentviewpoint or perspective, she said.The first-ever Young People’s Address toGeneral Conference was given by six youngpeople. The presentation included videos,photos, drumming and singing. “We haveshared stories of persecution, homelessness,and what it means to be a young personin a world desperately in need of Jesus,”said Matt Lockett of Seattle, one of thepresenters. “What you do with what youhave heard is really up to you.”Lyn Powell, lay leader of the NorthGeorgia Conference, delivered the LaityAddress. She challenged lay members ofthe denomination to assume responsibilityfor reaching the unchurched. She said it isunreasonable for clergy, with their myriadresponsibilities, to spend time engaging theunchurched. “But the laity are already there,”she said. “They encounter unchurchedpeople in all walks of daily life.”HomosexualityOn May 1, a day after the GeneralConference continued the Social Principlesstatement declaring homosexuality to be“incompatible with Christian teaching,”some 200 witnesses for inclusion wereallowed to silently walk through the aislesof the legislative gathering. Participantscovered the Communion table with a blackshroud to mourn conference actions thatdeny gays and lesbians the right to serve asclergy and legislation that holds the practiceof homosexuality to be “incompatible withChristian teaching.”Delegates pray prior to a vote on issues relatedto homosexuality. The assembly voted April 30to retain the church’s position that the practiceof homosexuality is “imcompatible with Christianteaching.” General Conference, which meets onceevery four years, is the only body that speaks forThe United Methodist Church. A UMNS photo byMaile Bradfield.During the witness, retired BishopMelvin Talbert recalled how the 1939Methodist Conference established a separatejurisdiction for African Americans. He calledthat historic action “sinful” and said actionby the assembly on homosexual issues wasalso a sin. He called for reconsideration ofearlier legislation.Bishop Gregory Palmer, president ofthe Council of Bishops, said he had a “deepsense of gratitude” for both how the witnesswas handled and how delegates and bishopsresponded.A legislative committee had approved astatement that withdrew the incompatibilityclause and noted that faithful people4 l Summer 2008 l UM MEN UM MEN l Summer 2008 l 5