GC Newsletter: Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Membership Brochure: Please Read

Being handed out with this newsletter is a brochure "Concerning Church Membership and Authority of The Pastor," by Rev. Dr. Gayle Felton, the chief author of By Water and the Spirit and This Gift of Water. We urge you to take a few minutes to read it and reflect on it.

Membership Restrictions Serious Business

If the provisions in the Book of Discipline which allowed the unfortunate ruling by the Judicial Council in 1032 are not changed, or are made more explicit, the Common Witness coalition (MFSA, RMN, and Affirmation) are prepared to protest in a non-violent witness. SoulForce, an ecumenical group whose purpose "is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance," is providing non-violence training at 8 p.m. tonight at the Clocktower meeting room. Civil Rights legends James Lawson and Gil Caldwell pointed out how violence is at the root of all the "-isms," and in order to transform people, non-violent resistance, the way of King and Gandhi, is most effective.

Membership is important to GLBT persons, because it enables full inclusion in the life of the church, the Body of Christ, and provides opportunities for serious Christian service. Without full membership the One Family Tree is missing branches.

Commissioning and Briefings Changed

There will NOT be an 11am commissioning service/briefing at First Christian Church on Wednesday or Thursday. Everyone is invited to the plenary session of the General Conference. There WILL be briefing @ Clocktower following plenary decisions regarding Reconciling concerns.

Global Church Restructuring Moves Ahead

In a development that RMN watched with interest, the Conference continued to seriously consider the needs of a worldwide United Methodist Church. The final form of legislation has some promise to free parts of the church for more full and complete ministry. "It was a positive development," said Jennifer Soule, RMN General Counsel.

The General Conference approved a plan for a new task force of 20 members with six coming from the initial study group, to study financial issues as well as structure, and to bring a report before the 2012.