wfn.org | Annual conferences focus on igniting their ministries

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

July 3, 2001  News media contact: Tim Tanton·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-21-28-30-71BP{305}

NOTE:  This story is based on reports filed by individuals in each annual
conference. It is intended to be illustrative of conference actions and
activities, not an exhaustive report.  Individual reports may be found at
http://umns.umc.org/acreports/index.html. Reports from central conferences
outside the United States, meeting throughout the year, will be posted on
the Web site as available. For related coverage, see UMNS stories #306 and
#307. Photos are available.

A UMNS News Feature
By Tim Tanton*

Gathering at their U.S. annual conference sessions, United Methodists seemed
more interested in ministering to a world in need and less on the church
politics that drew so much energy last year.

Last year's annual conference sessions fell between two heavily political
events - the 
General Conference, the top legislative assembly of the church, and the
jurisdictional conferences, where bishops are elected. This year's annual
conference sessions, the first of the 2001-2004 quadrennium, were not
overshadowed by those two events. In contrast, the conferences seemed to
focus more on worship, spirituality, discipleship and responding to issues
on which most members agree, such as children's concerns, violence, racism
and gambling.

Bishop Neil L. Irons of Central Pennsylvania made an eloquent appeal for the
church to be active in the world around it. "The church is a mission, not a
library," he said. "We need to get the truth out there, not wait for folks
to come and get it." 

"There are persons who are broken in your neighborhood," said Bishop Violet
Fisher of North Central New York. "Somebody's crying out there." She
challenged conference members to go into the world and share the Good News.

This year's 65 annual conference gatherings began with the Red Bird
Missionary Conference, May 18-19, and ended with the Virginia and Kentucky
conferences, June 21-24.

Many conferences had a celebratory tone as they welcomed new bishops into
leadership. United Methodists shuffled their bishops at last July's
jurisdictional conferences and a special called session of the Southeastern
Jurisdictional Conference in February. The denomination has 14 new U.S.
bishops since last summer, plus several more in the central conferences.

All of the conferences shared at least one common item of business this
year: voting on proposed amendments to the denomination's constitution
regarding language on baptism and membership, racial justice and
inclusiveness. The amendments seemed to pass by wide margins, but the United
Methodist Council of Bishops will announce the final votes this fall. In
Kentucky, United Methodists decided to involve their entire conference in a
yearlong study of the meaning of baptism and membership.

In another universal move, the conference bishops declared September "Open
House Month." United Methodists will throw open the doors of their churches,
in concert with the launch of the nationwide advertising campaign, Igniting
Ministry. The $19 million national TV ad effort will be accompanied by local
and regional marketing in print and broadcast media. For example, the North
Texas Conference is planning a $134,000 TV ad campaign in the Dallas-Fort
Worth area. Many conferences held workshops to help members prepare for the
influx of visitors, and North Indiana approved establishing a conference
coordinator for Igniting Ministry.

Racism

Keying off of the General Conference's repentance for racism last May,
several annual conferences held services of repentance, including Central
Texas, Little Rock, Missouri West, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina,
South Georgia and Western North Carolina. Others, including Desert
Southwest, New England, North Central New York and Southwest Texas, are
looking at holding such services next year.

To prepare for their service, North Central New York members participated in
a program called "Healing Brokenness: Methodism and Racism," led by a pastor
who taught African-American studies for many years. New England and
Peninsula-Delaware launched yearlong educational efforts on repentance,
while Mississippi called for programs to help members recognize racism.

In North Carolina, Bishop Cecil Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal
Zion Church was the conference speaker. The night before the conference
began, North Carolina members joined members of the African Methodist
Episcopal, AMEZ and Christian Methodist Episcopal churches for a
pan-Methodist celebration of shared heritage and unity.

Federal Judge Julie Robinson of Kansas City, Kan., an African American, led
Kansas East members through dialogues on repentance and reconciliation. In
neighboring Kansas West, former Kansas City mayor Emmanuel Cleaver, also an
African American, spoke to conference members about racism and invited them
to be cleansed of their sins against other races.

A number of conferences emphasized efforts to dismantle racism from their
boards and congregations. Those included Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia
and North Texas. South Indiana passed a recommendation establishing an
oversight committee to ensure that racial healing is being pursued in the
conference. West Michigan decided to require all clergy members to
participate in racial diversity education and to urge all elected lay people
to do so also.

Racial injustices were top of mind in West Ohio, too, where members
apologized for past wrongs to Native Americans and decided to follow up with
a related liturgical observance next year.

Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference members approved a resolution calling
on all United Methodists to work for the rights of Native Americans. They
also called for the church to develop materials and resources to meet the
needs of Indian children in the conference as part of the Council of
Bishops' Initiative on Children and Poverty.

Violence

In one of the most dramatic moments during an annual conference, Bishop
Felton Edwin May of Baltimore-Washington announced the formation of a
"larger parish" consisting of all of the city's United Methodist churches,
and an emphasis on reclaiming the streets from drugs and violence.

"I am not starting a war against drug dealers, but I am calling us to love
the hell out of people," May told conference members. The conference also
passed a resolution creating nonviolence action teams in each local church
and district.

Central Pennsylvania adopted resolutions encouraging local congregations to
oppose bullying and to promote peace and nonviolence. Southwest Texas
adopted a resolution supporting an appeal by Nobel peace laureates to make
2001-2010 a decade of nonviolence for children.

Oregon-Idaho and Detroit were among the conferences acting in support of gun
controls.

Death penalty

The June 11 execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh put the death
penalty issue front and center at many annual conferences. Bishops reminded
their conferences that the United Methodist Church officially opposes
capital punishment, and they requested prayers for the people involved,
including McVeigh himself. "God's inclusiveness is extended even to him,"
Bishop Alfred Johnson told the Greater New Jersey members.

Several conferences passed resolutions opposing capital punishment, but not
without debate. In Florida, supporters of the resolution cited the
denomination's stand against executions and the biblical standard of not
repaying evil with evil, while death penalty proponents called capital
punishment a necessary evil. Other conferences opposing the death penalty or
calling for a moratorium included North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon-Idaho,
Peninsula-Delaware, Rio Grande, South Carolina, Virginia, Western
Pennsylvania and Wyoming.

Homosexuality

The perennial struggle at annual conferences over inclusiveness for
practicing homosexuals was not as salient this year. However, in the Pacific
Northwest Conference, three self-avowed homosexual pastors expressed a
desire to receive appointments to congregations. One of the three remains on
disability leave, and the other two were placed under the direction of the
Seattle District superintendent. The conference is requesting a declaratory
decision from the Judicial Council, the denomination's supreme court, over
two relevant passages in the church's Book of Discipline. One forbids the
ordination and appointment of self-avowed practicing homosexuals, while the
other requires that all clergy members in good standing receive
appointments. The council meets in October.

In California-Nevada, the conference adopted a resolution asking all of its
churches to reflect on and discuss the "We Will Not Be Silent" statement
adopted by the Western Jurisdiction last summer. The statement calls on the
denomination to remove its strictures against full inclusion of practicing
homosexuals in the life of the church. Rocky Mountain and Oregon-Idaho also
endorsed the statement. California-Pacific members requested further
conversation regarding the document, and asked the Western Jurisdiction
College of Bishops to address diversity in the church, possibly through a
special session of the jurisdictional conference. 

Desert Southwest members affirmed by a 191-137 vote the "We Will Not Be
Silent" resolution. The resolution prompted a question concerning church
law, and Bishop William Dew ruled that the resolution was not in violation
of the Book of Discipline. His decision will be forwarded to the Judicial
Council for a ruling - standard procedure for all bishops' rulings from
annual conference sessions.

During the New England Conference's ordination service, about 60 clergy
members removed their stoles and placed them along the communion table. Each
stole represented someone who was denied clergy status in the denomination
or has left the ministry because of his or her sexual orientation. On the
conference's final night, two pastors from opposite sides of the issue
expressed their feelings about the demonstration.

North Carolina members approved a resolution calling for evangelizing gay
and lesbian people. Virginia endorsed the "Christian Declaration on
Marriage," which holds that marriage is a covenant that should be shared
between a man and a woman.

Alabama-West Florida approved a petition calling on United Methodist-related
Emory University in Atlanta to uphold the denomination's policies opposing
same-sex unions.

West Michigan members adopted a resolution encouraging conference churches
to use a document called "The Church Studies Homosexuality" to get a better
understanding of the views held by United Methodists. New York members
adopted a resolution affirming that all people, regardless of sexual
orientation or other status, are welcome in the local church.

Gambling

A host of annual conferences took action opposing gambling. They included
Florida, Holston, Memphis, North Carolina, North Georgia, North Indiana,
South Carolina, South Indiana, Tennessee, West Ohio, Western Pennsylvania
and Wyoming.

South Carolina members approved creating a permanent Task Force Against
Legalized Gambling and declared a statewide day of penance for evils related
to the vice. 
Memphis and Tennessee members designated "Gambling Awareness Sunday"
observances in October and September, respectively.

South Indiana members renewed their commitment to work for eliminating
legalized gambling in Indiana. They approved $14,500 for a gambling recovery
ministry and another $14,500 for lobbying against the spread of gambling in
their state.

Annual conferences typically address a wide range of issues. A sample of the
other concerns:
·	Abortion: North Georgia and Missouri West adopted resolutions asking
the Board of Church and Society and the Women's Division of the Board of
Global Ministries to withdraw from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive
Choice because the group doesn't share the denomination's opposition to
late-term abortions. A similar resolution in Virginia failed.
·	Sanctions: Oregon-Idaho called for lifting the U.S. embargo against
Cuba; Detroit urged the lifting of sanctions against Iraq.
·	Faith-based initiatives: New York members called on President Bush
and their members of Congress to ensure that charitable-choice legislation
contains safeguards to prevent goverment funds from being used for
proselytizing and discrimination in hiring, and to ensure that faith-based
efforts won't become a substitute for government programs in social service
areas.
·	Farmers: Several conferences expressed support for the nation's
struggling farmers.
·	Korea: California-Pacific, which has 30 Korean churches, adopted a
resolution asking the Bush administration to resume peace talks with North
Korea.
·	National Missile Defense System: Wisconsin opposed the proposed
weapons plan.
·	Religious persecution: Virginia, Detroit and other conferences
expressed support for people around the world who are persecuted for their
religious beliefs.
 
Discipleship

Kansas West members approved holding a special session this fall to explore
disciple making. North Alabama members participated in workshops called
"Doorways to Discipleship," through which some traveled to a Third
World-style camp, some toured the Civil Rights Museum and Sixteenth Street
Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., and some received information about the
Igniting Ministry campaign.

Wisconsin set a goal of recruiting 5,000 "New Faith Builders" to support
congregation development. West Ohio heard a call from Bishop Bruce Ough for
a 2 percent "new start" rate annually, which would mean 25 new ministries a
year.

Besides drawing more people to Christ, United Methodists also acknowledged
the need to develop more pastors. In a report to Yellowstone members, the
Rev. Timothy Hathaway, outgoing dean of the bishop's cabinet, hit on what he
sees as a clergy shortage. "We are not raising up pastors and leaders from
within our own ranks."

Several conferences recognized the need to increase ministries to the
fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population: Hispanics. Tennessee members
brought more than $16,000 in seed grant money for emerging Hispanic
ministries within their conference. South Indiana estabished a conference
Hispanic ministries committee, and North Indiana members learned of the
creation of a position for a coordinator of Hispanic ministries.

South Georgia will check with the Board of Global Ministries about getting
an Hispanic missionary to the conference. Southwest Texas committed to
developing a response to the National Plan for Hispanic Ministries.
Louisiana is continuing its support of such ministries.

As part of its goal to establish 20 new congregations in the next eight
years, Central Texas wants at least one Hispanic missionary in each
district. The conference also affirmed two new missionaries under the
denomination's National Plan for Hispanic Ministries.

Money matters

Many conferences celebrated their success in paying apportionments to
support conference and churchwide programs and needs. Desert Southwest
celebrated its "Bold in Christ" campaign, which raised more than $10 million
in cash and pledges to establish new churches, revitalize current churches,
and improve camp facilities and outdoor retreat ministries.

Wisconsin members voted to recommend that conference staff developing a
giving campaign called "Taxes for Christ," in which church members would be
encouraged to give a portion of their tax refunds. The money would be split
between the local churches and the conference. Louisiana members applauded a
proposal that church members tithe any tax rebate they receive.

Kansas West members asked their board of equitable compensation to address
salary inequity between the genders. The conference also started a fund for
victim-survivors of sexual abuse within the church.

Conference structure

A team studying union of the Little Rock and North Arkansas conferences
reported on listening sessions that have been held in 12 districts. A
proposed merger document is expected for the 2002 Little Rock Conference.
That will be followed by more listening sessions and consideration by the
2000 area delegation to General and jurisdictional conferences. A special
joint session of Little Rock and North Arkansas is planned for late 2002.

California-Pacific adopted a new organizational plan based on team
leadership. Western Pennsylvania decided to realign the conference structure
into teams focusing on nurture, outreach, spiritual leadership, witness and
supportive ministries, all of which will work with the conference council.

Teamwork also is emphasized in a new organizational model for the Dakotas,
where the conference will go from five districts and five full-time district
superintendents to 18 smaller districts, led by pastors serving as part-time
district superintendents. The clergy in each district will work together as
a team and determine the programs and training events needed in their area.

In Alabama-West Florida, delegates participated in a special visioning
session, assessing the areas of conference ministry that are "living, dying
or just existing." Western New York affirmed the work of a task force that
produced a new vision and mission statement for the conference, a call to
change, and recommendations on four critical areas: connection, leadership,
unity in diversity and evangelism. Holston is sending a design plan to
Judicial Council this fall.

Greater New Jersey created a commission on inclusive ministries.

Several conferences heard reports or took action regarding their office
centers. The Illinois Great Rivers Conference is working on a $7.7 million
center that will provide a central place for training and other activities.
North Carolina members authorized trustees to move ahead with relocation
planning, but a conference vote is required before action can be taken.
Virginia has secured a site for its new headquarters, which will be built
next year. New York is rehabilitating a building for its conference center,
which will be ready this fall. Texas members learned that they had passed
their $5 million goal of raising funds for improvements to their center.

Membership and attendance

An unofficial tally of membership figures in the United States indicates
that the denomination has again lost membership, continuing a trend that has
been under way since before the 1968 formation of the United Methodist
Church. Just how much the total number of members dropped in 2000 will not
be known until statistical reports are tabulated and announced this fall by
the churchwide Council on Finance and Administration. 

Of the 61 U.S. conferences reporting their membership figures to United
Methodist News Service, 16 had increases: Alabama-West Florida (306), Alaska
Missionary (149), Central Texas (2,625), Louisiana (345), Mississippi (19),
North Carolina (1,884), North Georgia (6,523), North Texas (1,818), Red Bird
Missionary (34), Rio Grande (66), South Carolina (526), South Georgia (72),
Southwest Texas (1,122), Tennessee (783), Texas (3,226), Western North
Carolina (1,440).  Twenty-five reported increases in average weekly worship
attendance.
# # #
*Tanton is news editor for United Methodist News Service.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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