wfn.org | Electronic media to open up jurisdictional conference

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

June 19, 2000        News media contact: Joretta Purdue ·(202)
546-8722·Washington     10-71B{283}

NOTE:  This report may be used with UMNS story #282, regarding the
Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference.

By United Methodist News Service

The Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church will provide
extensive coverage of its conference July 12-15 via the Internet.

For the first time, Internet coverage will enable people to see and hear
parts of the jurisdictional ceremonies and processes through live
audio/video, similar to what was available during the denomination's General
Conference in May.

Other Internet options will include selected news stories from the
jurisdiction's Daily Christian Advocate, vote counts, news bulletins, and
photos and biographical material about the candidates for bishop. 

This coverage will allow the Internet viewer to experience Southeastern
Jurisdictional Conference in a new way through live video broadcasting,
in-depth information and up-to-the-minute coverage. 

The Southeastern Jurisdiction is the most populous of the five areas into
which the U.S. denominational units are divided. With more than 2.8 million
members, the Southeastern exceeds the next largest jurisdiction, South
Central, by a million members. All five jurisdictions meet on the same days
in the second week of July.

The denomination numbers 8.4 million members in United States and also has
about 1.2 million members in Africa, Europe and the Philippines.

Live audio/video broadcast through the Internet at www.sej2000.org will
offer a mix of worship services, electoral and legislative processes and
other Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference highlights. For those who want
to see a broadcast of an event that was shown earlier, on-demand files will
provide that opportunity at the same time that live events are being shown. 

Ballot results will be posted as the jurisdiction goes about electing three
new bishops. Results of the many other elections, such as those naming the
jurisdiction's members of the churchwide boards and agencies, will be shown
also.

Other electronic options also will be available to help people keep up with
the news and events of the week. People who have e-mail but do not have
access to the Internet can enroll in the jurisdiction mail service for a
posting of election outcomes and other bulletins.

The information currently available on the jurisdiction's Internet site
includes a conference schedule and links to the Web pages of the 12
episcopal candidates who have been endorsed by their annual conference
delegation. The material will be augmented by other relevant items, such as
valid petitions. 

Currently, several hours of videotaped highlights from the 1996 Southeastern
Jurisdictional Conference are available on demand at the conference Web
site. 

Providing such a window into the activities of a jurisdictional conference
is a way to demystify the workings of the conference for thousands of people
beyond the limited number who will attend the event, according to the Rev.
G. Jerome Smith, jurisdiction director of communications, who heads the team
handling the innovative use of electronic technology surrounding the event.

The video broadcasting of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference will
involve the emerging Methodist Streaming Network. The members of the network
share Internet bandwidth. As organizations join the streaming network, the
number of live video streams increases to accommodate more online viewers.

This new electronic broadcasting fellowship consists of United Methodist
Communications, the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries,
Southeastern Jurisdictional Administrative Council and the denomination's
Wisconsin Annual Conference. 

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United Methodist News Service
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