Summer 2008, No. 3 - United Methodist Men

William H. Gates Sr. addresses delegates andvisitors to General Conference. Gates, thefather of Microsoft founder Bill Gates anda co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation, spoke on the need to eradicatemalaria worldwide. A UMNS photo by MikeDuBoseFewer bishopsDelegates approved a plan that willresult in one less bishop in four of the fiveU.S. jurisdictions, beginning in 2012. In anApril 29 legislative session, delegates agreedthat savings from those reductions will beused to fund new episcopal areas outside theUnited States. The action will not affect theSoutheastern Jurisdiction, as it already electsone less bishop than the present formulaallows.Discussions are currently under way inthe Northeastern Jurisdiction to combine theNorth Central New York, Troy, Western NewYork and Wyoming annual conferences, withthe Pennsylvania portion of Wyoming goingto the Central Pennsylvania Conference andVermont moving from Troy to New EnglandConference in 2008. Proposals call for thenew conference to be formed by 2010.The proposal will be reviewed bythe Northeastern Jurisdiction BoundariesCommittee prior to action by theNortheastern Jurisdiction. No additionalreductions in the number of bishops willbe required in the jurisdiction by the newformula.Constitutional amendmentsAll constitutional amendmentsapproved by a two-thirds vote of GeneralConference must be ratified by a two-thirdsaffirmative vote of the aggregate number ofvoting annual members.Delegates passed a constitutionalamendment that reduces from two to onethe number of years a person must be aprofessing member of a local church beforehe or she can be a member of an annualconference.Annual conferences will also be votingon proposals that provide for newly createdconferences to be represented at General,jurisdiction or regional conferences on a nonproportionalbasis. The issue arose after theCôte d’Ivoire Conference was assigned twodelegates for the 2008 General Conference.If annual conferences approve theconstitutional amendment, local pastors,associate members and provisional membersmay join ordained ministerial members in fullconnection in voting for delegates to Generaland jurisdictional conferences. To be eligibleto vote, local pastors must have completedthe Course of Study or master of divinitydegree and have served under appointmentfor served two consecutive years immediatelypreceding an election. Only ordainedmembers in full connection with an annualconference may serve as delegates.If annual conferences ratify theamendment, then local churches,jurisdictional and General Conference,“organizations, groups, committees,councils, boards and agencies” will have toadopt ethics and conflict-of-interest policies.These policies will apply to both membersand employees to help them “embody andlive out our Christian values.”If annual conferences ratify the action,the constitution will be amended to makeit clear all persons shall be eligible to attendworship services and, upon taking vows,become church members.Other itemsThe legislative body increased theretirement age of bishops from 66 to 68.The General Board of Church andSociety and the Women’s Division of theBoard of Global Ministries will continueas members in the Religious Coalition forReproductive Choice. General Conferenceaffirmed, 416-384, its 35-year relationshipwith the interfaith association.The assembly added a statement onabortion to the Social Principles that addslanguage offering “ministries to reduceunintended pregnancies” and to assist theministry of crisis pregnancy and supportcenters that help women “find feasiblealternatives to abortion.”Pastors or district superintendents maynow ask the bishop to give sacramentalauthority to a deacon if an elder is notpresent. That right is confined to the locationof a deacon’s primary appointment.The assembly affirmed the validityof scientific findings as ways to expandunderstanding of the natural world andincrease understanding of the mysteries ofGod’s creation and the Word.Stating that Israel continues to violateinternational law by building a wall onPalestinian land, the conference called uponIsraelis and Palestinians to uphold U.N.resolutions and International Court of Justicerulings.The conference asked the General Boardof Church and Society to identify and publishon their Web site educational resources onstem-cell research. The resolution encouragespastors to use the resources to becomeinformed about the use of embryonic stemcells for medical research and to offer theseresources for study in her or his local church.Delegates learned that church membersraised $3 million for the restoration ofchurches damaged by Hurricane Katrina.More than $60 million was given through theUM Committee on Relief for humanitarianaid in the Gulf Coast.The 40 th anniversary of the foundingof the denomination also marked the 40 thanniversary of the dissolution of the CentralUnited Methodist agency leaders celebratefollowing their April 24 address on the four newareas of focus for the denomination during the2008 United Methodist General Conferencein Fort Worth, Texas. Standing (from left)are the Rev. Jerome King Del Pino, Board ofHigher Education and Ministry; the Rev. KarenGreenwaldt, Board of Discipleship; Bishop FeltonMay, Board of Global Ministries; and the Rev.Larry Hollon, United Methodist Communications.A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.Jurisdiction, a racially based structure, andthe formation of the Commission on Religionand Race. The assembly also celebratedthe 60 th anniversary of the Advance andthe 100 th anniversary of the ministry toMethodist men, the Social Creed and theBoard of Pension and Health Benefits.The conference declined an opportunityto create a permanent site for JudicialCouncil, but delegates did agree to providean office for a part-time clerk who wouldwork no more than 20 hours a week. Theproposed cost of a permanent site wouldhave added $25,000 a year in annual costs.It is not clear what the cost of a clerk’soffice might be, but the cost is to be paidout of General Council on Finance andAdministration funds.The mission of the Church is tomake disciples of Jesus Christ for thetransformation of the world.” The phrase“for the transformation of the world” wasadded by the assembly.The United Methodist Church in Côted’Ivoire, the largest regional conference ofthe worldwide denomination with almost700,000 members, received its full rightsand responsibilities. As a result, United8 l Summer 2008 l UM MEN UM MEN l Summer 2008 l 9