wfn.org | Judicial Council's fall docket includes membership, restructure

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July 21, 1998  	Contact: Joretta Purdue*(202)546-8722*Washington
{429}

By United Methodist News Service

A request from the United Methodist Board of Discipleship concerning
membership legislation tops a 20-item docket on a wide range of topics
awaiting the denomination's Judicial Council at its fall session Oct.
28-31 in Hershey, Pa.

The board asked the council whether legislation adopted by the 1996
General Conference entitled "By Water and the Spirit" may become
effective after the announcement of the Council of Bishops that an
amendment of Article 4 of the church's constitution has been ratified.

In October 1997, the Minnesota Annual (regional) Conference had asked
the council 18 questions about the 1996 General Conference legislation
in this area. The council decided that  the amendments to existing
membership provisions violated Article 4 of the church's constitution.
The article and some other references had remained unchanged by the 1996
actions presenting a conflict in terms as well as substance regarding
membership.

Three of the docket items deal with restructuring by annual conferences.
The Holston Annual Conference has asked for a determination of the
constitutionality of its "Design for Ministry" plan. Bishops' decisions
of law about restructuring plans of the Louisiana and Norway annual
conferences also will be reviewed by the council, as are all the
bishops' decisions of law.

Three items relate to church policy on homosexuality. The council will
review the bishop's decision of law in the North Texas Annual Conference
on the meaning of the word "avowed" in the phrase "self-avowed
homosexual."  Both Oregon-Idaho and California-Nevada annual conferences
have asked for a decision on the constitutionality of the sentence from
the Discipline that says "Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions
shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in
our churches."

A bishop's decision regarding a resolution titled "A Call to Doctrinal
Integrity" adopted by the Northwest Texas Conference will be reviewed.

Sexual ethics or misconduct policies of several conferences will be
reviewed. Conferences submitting such policies for decisions are
Minnesota, Kansas East, East Ohio, North Alabama and North Georgia.
Both North Alabama and North Georgia have made changes in a policy
previously rejected by the Judicial Council.

East Ohio has also asked for a decision on the constitutionality of its
racial harassment policy.

The Minnesota Annual Conference asked whether three references in
Discipline, the church's book of regulations, violate the denomination's
constitution when they define judicial process as beginning only with
the referral of a complaint to the committee on investigation.

A bishop's decision on the legality of a special clergy session of the
Northern Illinois Annual Conference has been submitted for review.

^From the South Carolina Annual Conference has come a review of a
bishop's decision concerning matters related to an investigation of a
complaint against a clergy member.

The council will review a decision from the bishop of the Virginia
Annual Conference on the legality of adding to the qualifications for
lay members of General Conference found in the Discipline.

Two cases relate to a transition in orders of ministry following changes
made by the 1996 General Conference. The council will review a bishop's
decision in the Florida Annual Conference, regarding a requirement that
transitional clergy candidates have completed one-fourth of their
seminary training by Jan. 1, 1997. An appeal of a bishop's decision in
Northern Illinois Annual Conference relates to diaconal ministers
becoming permanent deacons.

# # #

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
Releases and photos also available at
Judicial Council's fall docket includes membership, restructure issues

July 21, 1998  	Contact: Joretta Purdue*(202)546-8722*Washington
{429}

By United Methodist News Service

A request from the United Methodist Board of Discipleship concerning
membership legislation tops a 20-item docket on a wide range of topics
awaiting the denomination's Judicial Council at its fall session Oct.
28-31 in Hershey, Pa.

The board asked the council whether legislation adopted by the 1996
General Conference entitled "By Water and the Spirit" may become
effective after the announcement of the Council of Bishops that an
amendment of Article 4 of the church's constitution has been ratified.

In October 1997, the Minnesota Annual (regional) Conference had asked
the council 18 questions about the 1996 General Conference legislation
in this area. The council decided that  the amendments to existing
membership provisions violated Article 4 of the church's constitution.
The article and some other references had remained unchanged by the 1996
actions presenting a conflict in terms as well as substance regarding
membership.

Three of the docket items deal with restructuring by annual conferences.
The Holston Annual Conference has asked for a determination of the
constitutionality of its "Design for Ministry" plan. Bishops' decisions
of law about restructuring plans of the Louisiana and Norway annual
conferences also will be reviewed by the council, as are all the
bishops' decisions of law.

Three items relate to church policy on homosexuality. The council will
review the bishop's decision of law in the North Texas Annual Conference
on the meaning of the word "avowed" in the phrase "self-avowed
homosexual."  Both Oregon-Idaho and California-Nevada annual conferences
have asked for a decision on the constitutionality of the sentence from
the Discipline that says "Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions
shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in
our churches."

A bishop's decision regarding a resolution titled "A Call to Doctrinal
Integrity" adopted by the Northwest Texas Conference will be reviewed.

Sexual ethics or misconduct policies of several conferences will be
reviewed. Conferences submitting such policies for decisions are
Minnesota, Kansas East, East Ohio, North Alabama and North Georgia.
Both North Alabama and North Georgia have made changes in a policy
previously rejected by the Judicial Council.

East Ohio has also asked for a decision on the constitutionality of its
racial harassment policy.

The Minnesota Annual Conference asked whether three references in
Discipline, the church's book of regulations, violate the denomination's
constitution when they define judicial process as beginning only with
the referral of a complaint to the committee on investigation.

A bishop's decision on the legality of a special clergy session of the
Northern Illinois Annual Conference has been submitted for review.

^From the South Carolina Annual Conference has come a review of a
bishop's decision concerning matters related to an investigation of a
complaint against a clergy member.

The council will review a decision from the bishop of the Virginia
Annual Conference on the legality of adding to the qualifications for
lay members of General Conference found in the Discipline.

Two cases relate to a transition in orders of ministry following changes
made by the 1996 General Conference. The council will review a bishop's
decision in the Florida Annual Conference, regarding a requirement that
transitional clergy candidates have completed one-fourth of their
seminary training by Jan. 1, 1997. An appeal of a bishop's decision in
Northern Illinois Annual Conference relates to diaconal ministers
becoming permanent deacons.

# # #

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
Releases and photos also available at
http://www.umc.org/umns/