General Conference 2008

Delegate Jorge Lockwood addresses Plenary on Ordination Petition

On Wednesday, April 30, the General Conference considered Petition 80019 on removing exclusionary language on ordination from ¶304.3 of the Book of Discipline. Jorge Lockward, a former RMN Board Memeber, addressed the General Conference in support of the Minority Report.

The Majority Report reads as follows and the committee recommendation was to reject the report.

Amend ¶304.3 of The Book of Discipline, as follows:
While persons set apart by the Church for ordained ministry are subject to all the frailties of the human condition and the pressures of society, they are required to maintain the highest standards of holy living in the world. The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.

The Minority Report reads as follows.

Amend ¶304.3 of The Book of Discipline as follows:
Replace the 2nd and 3rd sentences of ¶304.3 with the following:

The standard for candidates is to do good, to do no harm, and to continue to grow in love with God.
 
1.  Allen, Zachary
2.  Fisher, Deborah L
3.  Schuster, Charles
4.  Peck, Amory M
5.  Winkler, James F
6.  Hunn, Susan
7.  Oduor, Ralph R
8.  Johnson, Peggy A
9.  Anderson, Zachery L

Both the Majority and the Minority Reports failed and the exclusionary language in the Book of Discipline remains.

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Remove Exclusionary Language (80019-FO-¶304.3)
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RMN Stole Sighted in California Marriage Victory Celebration

Janet McKeithen a priest at a United Methodist Church attends a street celebration of Thursday's California Supreme Court ruling that gay couples in the nation's biggest state can marry — a monumental but perhaps short-lived victory for the gay rights movement Thursday, May 15, 2008 in West Hollywood, Calif. Same-sex couples could tie the knot in as little as a month. But the window could close soon after — religious and social conservatives are pressing to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that would undo the Supreme Court ruling and ban gay marriage (AP Photo/Hector Mata).

AP Gallery

Read more about the victory at the LA Times.

Tuscaloosa News: Conference rules can be a big hurdle

According to the Tuscaloosa News:

You have to feel some sympathy for Timothy Whitaker.

The bishop of the United Methodist Church's Florida Conference was handed — as he put it, in his understated way — 'a heavy-duty task' at the church's General Conference earlier this week in Fort Worth, Texas. He presided over the session that debated the most contentious issue facing the denomination: homosexuality.

In an interview a couple of days later, Whitaker explained how a slip on his part almost had serious repercussions, and he also had some thoughts about changing the way these giant meetings are conducted.

On April 30, the session began at 2 p.m. The committee recommendation to overturn the church's policy also carried a minority report, which means, according to Robert's Rules, both must be 'perfected' before either report can be debated. But the amendments offered from both sides only sowed confusion, not perfection. Besides the attempts to amend the reports, there were motions to refer, motions to suspend the rules, motions to limit debate. Whitaker later called it 'abuse' of the system.

People were respectful in their comments, but the hours dragged on without any resolution in sight. Whitaker said he was not particularly frustrated, but 'I just felt like it was wearing everybody down.'

Near the end of the afternoon, Whitaker made an incorrect ruling on a motion that appeared to favor the conservatives. The error was pointed out, and Whitaker endeavored to correct the mistake. But shortly afterward, delegates decided they had had enough. About 5 p.m., a motion to cut off debate passed, and the conference approved the minority report, which kept the church's policy at status quo.

Whitaker was asked to be part of a meeting with pro-gay groups, who felt they had not received a fair hearing and threatened to disrupt conference business.

'It was good that I did, because it gave them a chance to express their dissatisfaction with me,' he said.

There were two meetings, reassurances were made, and the pro-gay coalition was allowed to hold a demonstration the next day during a recess, after which they left peacefully.

Whitaker told me it's necessary 'to accept a certain level of contentiousness' at these conferences, but he said they can be 'greatly improved' by reforming the procedures. That would mean employing parliamentary procedure only in a limited fashion.

Whitaker envisions 'a prioritized agenda,' with open debate that would allow people to express their views without being bound by the strictures of Robert's Rules. In his view, that would lessen the chance that delegates would misuse procedure to make themselves heard. Votes could then be taken in more summary fashion.

Having covered the national assemblies of four major denominations, my observation is that without exception, the strict use of parliamentary procedure is a formula for paralysis. The rules are so arcane, the average person could not hope to master them, and as often as not, they are used as a weapon rather than followed as a means for orderly debate. Whitaker is right that there has to be a better way.

As the conference neared its end, Whitaker seemed satisfied. He described the 10-day meeting as 'constructive.' But, you could tell, he was relieved.

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Conference rules can be a big hurdle
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My first General Conference

by Julie Arms

Let's hope this doesn't explode with words spread far. far across the page.  This is written with a bias - my bias and those who I support and will continue to do so.

My first General Conference.  I didn’t know what to expect.  Prior to this, as a single parent, I’d only ever been able to follow along via the news and internet.  So, finally, it is my time to be there as a volunteer with the Common Witness coalition of RMN, MFSA, Affirmation, and Soulforce.

General Conference was an amazing experience. It was fabulous, wonderful, terrible, depressing, devastating, and hopeful to be there. It was also a real learning experience.

I’m not going to name names for the most part. Some of you will know who you and others are. But for me, General Conference was all about the people.  From our first volunteer orientation that Tuesday, to passing out the RMN newsletter every morning at 7:15, to trying to be around the Convention Center to speak to delegates during breaks, I got to see and meet and talk to a lot of people.

The people:  the ones I knew I would see and reconnect with, having met and known them from other times and places.

The people:  the ones I hoped and planned to meet, knowing each other only from 7V, Facebook, and even as far back as the old UMC BBS.

The people:  the new friends, instant connections. I love you and won't forget you.

The people:  that I worked with and for – thank you all.

The people:  my Annual Conference Lay Leader, hugging me on the street, as I passed along well wishes and prayers for her giving the Laity Address. And how that Address touched me!  The invitation – an invitation is how I came to my current church. Garnett Wilder and his “Trust God.“ and “Did you hear it?”  I was there the day he died after saying those last words from the pulpit – he would be so proud that his words were used in the Laity Address at General Conference!

The people:  the open minded of my delegates who spoke to me; the others who were receptive to an introduction and starting a conversation. The one who I knew where he stood, yet without fail, said hello to me every time we saw each other. The one who told me hearing peoples’ stories at a listening session had given her things to consider in ways she never had before. Another one who came to our Common Witness space with me for lunch. The 5 who voted “our way.” The 3 who stood during our witness on the plenary floor.

The people:  my closed minded delegates who turned away rather than look me in the eye; the ones who refused to shake hands; the ones who would not speak.

The people:  the random run-ins; meeting three people a 7V friend wanted me to meet; hearing a college classmate speak from the floor and later catching her in the hallway – we hadn’t seen each other since the early 80s (and I can happily say she was wearing a PRN stole!).

The people:  exchanging newsletters with “the other side” (it is good to be informed of what others say) and the Good News guy claiming he had too much in his hands when offered the RMN news; not being able to hold back the words “your hand won’t fall off if you take it” and having Jeff, the IRD guy, burst out in laughter.

The people:  the Bishop who yelled at me for being “misquoted” (not) in our newsletter; my own Bishop who would not speak to me in any of my three attempts to do so.

The people:  our young adults – what a stellar future we have in them!  They are our Future With Hope.

The people:  my former Bishop in Residence who joyfully engaged in conversation with people I introduced him to and who introduced me to those around him.  Who can be seen wiping tears away on the witness video.

The people:  the ones who voted to not become an inclusive church; leaving me feeling overly privileged and entitled to more than I deserve, because I am straight; leaving my brothers and sisters in Christ denied all they are entitled to because they are GLBTQ.  It is not right. I am not more deserving nor they less. How is it those voters do not hear God speaking, saying let the Holy Spirit work among us???

The people:  the witness. I still haven’t found the words to describe that experience, what it felt like on the floor, what I saw around me, what I felt afterwards.  Grief, pain and love.

The people:  that blessing of a man from Missouri who greeted us, every time we saw him with, smiles and hugs.  The Bishops’ wives giving away their stoles and needing replacements. The people asking for pins.  The people asking for stoles. The smiles. The thank yous. The couple from Mississippi (Mississippi!!) who thanked us for our witness as we stood and sang the day of the votes.  The man who came and stood behind us and sang with us after the votes. The same man who went a step farther than just going to Sue & Julie’s wedding across the street but waited in the lobby and jumped into the wedding procession with us.

The people:  that joyous gathering of family and friends at Sue and Julie’s wedding, celebrating their love and commitment for 25 years and into the future.

The people:  those among us who’ve worked many more years than I have towards becoming an inclusive church; those whose first General Conference it was like me; those who will join us next time.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of our work this time and count on me for 2012.

Robert's Rules and holy conferencing

By Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church & Society

General Conference, top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church, is over — and not a moment too soon. Ten straight days is simply too long. We have to find a way to dramatically shorten the conference. Exhaustion began to set in after a few days, although I was pleased about the positive attitude most people maintained throughout.

General Conference is a constant round of meetings, plenaries, legislative sessions and events. For me, personally, in spite of the fatigue created by 18-20 hour days I found the conference to be spiritually enriching. This was not only due to the uplifting worship experiences, but because I had the opportunity to fellowship with old friends, make new friends and deepen a number of relationships.

Most of the petitions placed before the conference by the General Board of Church & Society were adopted. Our directors and staff worked hard for more than a year and a half to produce policy statements on crucial social concerns for the delegates to consider. I believe the high quality of the board’s work was recognized by the fact the overwhelming majority of the petitions were accepted.

The General Conference adopted a strong statement calling for immediate withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from the tragic war in Iraq. A rally and press conference in support of the rights of immigrants were held, and General Conference passed a very good statement on behalf of immigration reform. Many other important social concerns were addressed including a call for a moratorium on the death penalty in Texas.

The manipulation of delegates, in particular those from Africa, was quite brazen. A letter from the “Reform and Renewal” coalition was distributed at the beginning of General Conference informing them free cell phones would be given to them. The same letter included voting suggestions for Judicial Council candidates.

A U.S. pastor and former missionary personally witnessed a coalition representative instruct Central Conference delegates to vote against the “Worldwide Nature of the Church” report. The same representative then took credit he did not deserve for obtaining funding for theological education in Africa.

I watched a staff person of the “Reform and Renewal” coalition sending text messages to African delegates during a legislative committee session. The activity was so blatant marshals requested the cell phone be put away.

Let’s be clear: Not only did certain organizations and individuals manipulate many African delegates, but many of those delegates willingly permitted themselves to be manipulated. They accepted gifts apparently without considering the ethical consequences. This is improper.

Once again, a reasonable compromise regarding human sexuality worked out painstakingly in committee was ignored by a minority of that legislative committee. This minority took an alternative report to the full General Conference, which adopted it.

Ironically, the General Conference refuses to admit that differences exist in the church concerning homosexuality. The proponents of that minority report insist it is necessary that the church denounce gay, lesbian and transgendered people. Eventually, I believe a younger generation will emerge at General Conference and will change our denomination’s stance.

A lot of focus was on the need for holy conferencing. I think that did help. It’s hard to have holy conferencing, though, when using Robert’s Rules of Order. Parliamentary procedure does not lend itself well to honest, Christian conversation.

Every four years, representatives from across our denomination gather to chart a course for the church. This year’s General Conference theme was “A Future with Hope.” I believe in that future.

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Robert's Rules and holy conferencing
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Jesus Remember Me

On Wednesday, April 30 by a narrow margin, the General Conference rejected petition 80088 that stated, "The pastor(s) and the congregation are to faithfully receive all persons who are willing to affirm our vows of membership." Because the petition was rejected, Decision 1032 remains in force in The United Methodist Church. The Decision had affirmed a local pastor's right to deny a gay man membership in his congregation. Petition 80088 failed on the heels of the General Conference's retention of the clause, "Homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching."

During Thursday morning worship, Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference preached the following sermon on the Christian mandate that all really means all. The sermon is also the theological backdrop of the Witness on the Plenary Floor that occurred several hours later.

Jesus Remember Me from Reconciling Ministries Network on Vimeo.

Sermon Transcript

On Friday, May 2, the General Conference voted by a two-thirds majority to amend the constitution of the church to read as follows:

"The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal which is one body in Christ. The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth and that we are in ministry to all. All persons shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, and upon Baptism, be admitted as baptized members. All persons upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith and relationship in Jesus Christ shall be eligible to become professing members in any local church in the connection."

This now must be ratified by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the aggregate number of voting annual members.

Bay Area Reporter: Methodists refuse to change anti-gay stance

According to the Bay Area Reporter:

The United Methodist Church decided to keep the anti-gay language in its church laws at its General Conference in Forth Worth, Texas last week.

The decision to reaffirm homophobic language also allows pastors to reject lesbian and gay people who seek membership in the church.

The General Conference, held every four years, is the sole venue for altering rules that guide the church. The conference voted to keep the current law against homosexuality as stated in the Book of Discipline, where laws guiding the Methodist Church are recorded.

"The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching," is the church law that the conference affirmed on April 30.

The amendment to affirm this language passed by only 84 votes. A total of 900 votes were cast.

"I am heartbroken ... by the spiritual violence done to lesbian and gay people by the United Methodist Church, the denomination in which I once pastored, my parents were married, my nieces and nephews baptized, and out of which my beloved grandmother was buried last June," said Harry Knox, director of the Human Rights Campaign's Religion Faith Program, in a press release last week.

Despite the church's anti-gay stance, the church laws, which explicitly support "laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman," does support rights usually granted under domestic partnership laws, including rights of inheritance and pensions for gays and lesbians.

"Certain basic human rights and civil liberties are due all persons. We are committed to supporting those rights and liberties for homosexual persons," the church law reads. It then goes on to endorse rights such as pensions claims and rights of inheritance.

In a separate vote, the General Conference refused to adopt anti-transgender language proposed in another suggested amendment.

The conference also voted to reject "all forms of violence or discrimination based on gender, gender identity, sexual practice or sexual orientation."

Two hundred Methodists, including three dozen ministers, attended a same-sex commitment ceremony in Forth Worth on May 2 to protest the church's failure to revise its position on gay and lesbian relationships, according to the Associated Press.

Despite the protests of individual church members and clergy, and the narrow margin by which the anti-gay language was affirmed, the Methodist Church should not be read as becoming more progressive, according to the Reverend Cecil Williams of Glide United Memorial Methodist Church in San Francisco.

"They are not interested in changing the church to meet the times," Williams said, adding that the church could have and should have changed its position on gay and lesbian relationships years ago.

"They don't relate to the margins of society," Williams said, including social segments as varied and broad as the homeless, the Third World, the poor, and political progressives as other groups marginalized by the church.

"They keep losing members on the national and international level," he added.

Williams was careful to distinguish Glide's view of the LGBT community from that of the larger Methodist Church. Glide has a large LGBT membership and offers programs for people living with HIV/AIDS and other issues.

"Glide has a strong commitment to unconditional love. We love people as they are and we encourage people to define themselves," Williams said.

"I believe very strongly in an inclusive, not an exclusive church," he added.

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Methodists refuse to change anti-gay stance
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Dallas Voice: LGBT Methodists reeling after General Conference votes

According to the Dallas Voice:

Gays and their allies struggle with decision on whether to stay and fight or leave UMC after church reaffirms anti-gay policies, ruling

Sandy Long is about as Methodist as they come.

Long’s father is a retired Methodist minister, and when she was just 6, her family served a two-year mission for the church.

Both sets of Long’s grandparents were Methodist. And her great-grandfather was a Methodist evangelist who led revivals on Sundays.

Long, a 44-year-old out lesbian, is a member of Northaven United Methodist Church in Dallas, a “reconciling” congregation that’s 30-40 percent gay and lesbian.

But Long said she’s decided to leave the denomination in the wake of last week’s General Conference in Fort Worth.

During General Conference, the UMC lawmaking session held once every four years, delegates voted to strengthen anti-gay language in the UMC’s governing document, the Book of Discipline. They also voted not to overturn a decision by the church’s Judicial Council granting pastors the authority to deny people membership based on their sexual orientation.

Both votes went against majority reports from legislative committees at the conference, and it marked a major setback for LGBT Methodists and their supporters.

After years of fighting, Long said she’s finally given up hope that the only church she’s ever known can change.

“Leaving the Methodist church is a hard thing for me; it’s like leaving the family, leaving a family that doesn’t really want you,” Long said. “I need to do this for my own spiritual health. Even though I go to a reconciling church with the most wonderful people, it is a part of the bigger church — the one that doesn’t want me.”

Northhaven UMC is a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network, a national Methodist group that seeks full inclusion for LGBT people.

And a reconciling committee from the 600-member North Dallas congregation spent a whole year lobbying delegates to the General Conference from North Texas.

“We’re very disappointed,” said Kaye Gooch, a Northaven member who chaired the committee. “There was no expectation of giant advances, but there weren’t even incremental advances.”

Gooch said she’s among those who haven’t made up their minds whether to stay in the Methodist church.

Although the General Conference votes won’t change anything at Northaven, an oasis for gay and lesbian Methodists, a portion of members’ financial contributions go to the denomination.

“I think lots of people are really having to regroup and rethink,” Gooch said.

Eric Folkerth, the straight pastor at Northaven, said the congregation held a healing service Sunday, May 4, two days after the General Conference ended.

Folkerth said it was the first of what likely will be many events designed to process the results of the conference and figure out what to do next.

“I think people need time to sort through where they are,” Folkerth said. “It’s going to be a tough time. It’s absolutely going to be a tough time, and I think we’ll have people individually making all kinds of decisions.”

Folkerth said the General Conference was not without positives: a less conservative Judicial Council was elected; actions against a transgender clergyperson were dropped; and family is now defined as “two parents” and not just a “mother and father.”

Delegates also approved a strongly worded statement condemning homophobia and a constitutional amendment that, if ratified by regional conferences over the next year, would essentially overturn decision 1032, which gave pastors the authority to deny membership to openly gay people.

Above all, though, Folkerth said it became clear during this year’s General Conference that a solid majority of U.S. delegates in the church support removing a 36-year-old clause in the Book of Law stating that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching.”

The clause has been used as the theological justification for the church’s anti-gay policies, including bans on gay clergy and same-sex marriage.

“It’s hard to claim a victory when the scoreboard says otherwise, but we are hearing from person after person in the American church that they were with us on this and they were ready for change,” Folkerth said.

The problem, Folkerth said, is the growing influence of international delegates, especially those from Africa, who are extremely conservative. During the General Conference, a committee was appointed to study the idea of restructuring the denomination to give the U.S. church more autonomy.

The committee will report back to the 2012 General Conference.

“It’s similar to what the Episcopal Church is struggling with,” Folkerth said. “They have the same exact issues in terms of the struggle between a worldwide church and a culturally appropriate church in every cultural situation. … If we cannot restructure, it’s all over. We’re at a turning point, and I hope it’s not too late.”

In the meantime, Folkerth said it’s likely that Northaven will participate in acts of nonviolent protest and resistance against the church’s anti-gay policies, although it’s unclear what form they will take.

Representatives from the Reconciling Ministries Network and Soulforce, a national LGBT civil rights group, staged demonstrations on each of the last two days of the General Conference, including a same-sex commitment ceremony.

Steven Webster, a longtime Methodist from Wisconsin who helped lead Soulforce’s efforts at the conference, said he believes some congregations will follow the lead of Foundry UMC in Washington, D.C., which has been skirting the Book of Discipline by recognizing same-sex unions.

Webster, who helped start UMC’s first gay group, Affirmation, in 1975, said he doesn’t plan to leave the church, although he called that a “valid” option.

“What’s not valid from the Soulforce point of view is to remain in the church and be silent,” Webster said.

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LGBT Methodists reeling after General Conference
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