wfn.org | Effort begun to find common vision

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (39
notes).

Note 38 by UMNS on April 24, 1997 at 15:35 Eastern (5542 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally                        226(10-71B){38}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470            April 24, 1997

Plans set in motion to help church
agencies, groups find common vision

     BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (UMNS) -- How can the 14 general agencies of
the United Methodist Church, its bishops and annual conferences
move into the 21st Century with a common vision and purpose that
will revitalize the denomination?
     That emerged as the central question for members of the
denomination's General Council on Ministries at their semi-annual
meeting here April 18-22.
     Two teams of the council brought recommendations to the 76
members that events be held soon involving representatives of
general agencies and other groups in the church.
     Such a meeting they proposed, would "jump-start" what they
hope will be an ongoing process of collaboration.  One group
proposed that participants explore respective visions and emerging
common vision for mission and ministry beyond the 2000 General
Conference.  "It is our hope that persons from any agency will be
able to bear witness clearly and positively on behalf of the
whole," the group said.
     Another team proposed that such a meeting "celebrate our
common purpose for ministry and identify ways for mutual planning,
coordination, evaluation, program development, budgeting, etc."
     Council members worked within a new Interactive
Organizational Process and a consensus model as they struggled
with the need for greater collaboration across the denomination.
     Finally, it was agreed that no additional meeting would be
required.  Instead, the council will use its next meeting Oct. 24-
28 to work on the issues raised here.
     In the opening session of the council, Bishop Woodrow Hearn
of Houston, president, said God is calling the church on a journey
into a new future.
     American Methodism began in 1784 with a common vision,
according to Hearn: "to reform the continent and spread scriptural
holiness across the land."
     He challenged the council to create networks and procedures
where representatives of general agencies and others "can come
together and reach for the stars and try to envision God's
preferred future in this time."
     David Lundquist, staff executive for the Dayton, Ohio,-based
agency, called for "bringing persons to the table -- not a GCOM
table, which sets up a distinction between those present, but a
common table where all are equal and all are welcome." He
encouraged the council to "become that place within the church to
issue the invitation to join us at the table and journey together
in shaping God's intended future."
     In addition to GCOM members, the council asked that
invitations to the October meeting be extended to representatives
of the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits, the General
Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA), the Council of
Bishops, the Connectional Process Team and additional agency
members.  
     Several council members expressed concern that the primary
collaboration among agencies of the church has traditionally been
limited to consultations about budget allocations being proposed
for General Conference consideration and approval.
     Some council members expressed concern that general
secretaries have been pushed to the periphery of discussions in
the council and have not been provided an opportunity to be "equal
partners" in discussions about the mission and ministry of the
church.
     The Rev. Paul Dirdak of San Francisco pointed to the most
recent 1996 General Conference where he said connectionalism was
"under assault" from some areas of the church.  Calling
connectionalism a "precious good gift of God and an outward sign
of grace," he challenged agency leaders to begin work now so they
would "be able to speak on one another's behalf out of a mutuality
of purpose."
     Dirdak reminded members the council had only 31 months to
complete its work before the 2000 General Conference in Cleveland.

     In other business, the council:
     * formally installed the Rev. Joseph Harris as general
secretary of the new General Commission on United Methodist Men;
     * expressed appreciation to the Rev. Mearle Griffith who
served on the GCOM staff for 10 years before becoming pastor of
North Broadway United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ohio;
     * approved Oct. 26, 1997, as the date when the church will
officially launch anniversary celebrations for the 50th
anniversary of the Advance for Christ and His Church, a voluntary
giving program which has channeled more than $732 million to
mission projects around the world;
     * heard report of new projects approved for funding through
the Advance program, including the Bishop's Initiative on Children
and Poverty and work in Honduras, Burundi, Kenya, the Philippines,
and India;
     * participated in sessions on shared decision-making in an
interactive, learning organization, including decision making by
consensus, which it plans to model for other agencies and groups
throughout the denomination; and
     * allocated World Service Contingency funds of $20,000 to a
task force reviewing recent development in genetic engineering and
$55,000 to an "Emphasis of Concern for the Worker," authorized by
the 1996 General Conference.
                              #  #  #

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------