Skip to main content

Question: Book of Resolutions

If you could revise the United Methodist Book of Resolutions, what would you change?

I'm not wondering so much about specific resolutions, but about structure, format, style, petition entry, etc.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Rants on its current size and weight?

Comments

David said…
Do away with it. Either enact legislation that changes what we do in the local church or don't. The fact is that the resolutions are often counter pointed by some agency or another during the course of their existence, in the BoR, let alone what each General Board does, and the Jurisdictions, Conferences and local churches.
I am really tired of all the layers of hierarchy these days...the big "B" word I can't remember how to spell (sorry)
Andy B. said…
There is something very connectional about it that appeals to me. Being Methodist is not just about what we do in the local church, it is about what we do and who we are and what we say as a connection. When I am asked, "What does the Methodist church say about (blank)?" I have a place to go for guidance.
Connected,
Andy B.
Anonymous said…
I'm with David. The BoR is a waste of a whole lot of trees.

Only a small handful of people care what the "official" position the UMC takes on issues. Resolutions are totally ineffective in a culture that looks down on institutions.

But my guess is we'll continue to see resolutions passed, regardless of how out of touch the church becomes. There are some in the church who think they have done God's work because they helped pass a resolution.

Oh sorry, now I remember what Jesus said, "I was hunger and you passed a resolution supporting food stamps. I was thirsty and you passed a resolution stating that all people are entitled to clean water. I was sick and you passed a resolution calling for reforms to Medicare. I was..." You get the idea.
The Ole '55 said…
I'm afraid I agree with the "do away with it" sentiment, for many reasons.
Michael said…
The first and last time I even looked at a BoR I was horrified that Christians could actually think in such ways, such as offering a resolution that a minor child has a "right" to an abortion and to be transported across state lines for such with or without her parents' knowledge or consent.

In some ways, I suppose being aware of what is offered is sort like keeping one's finger on the pulse of the church. Otherwise, if the BoR is nothing more than a book of weird ideas, I would just as soon do without it.
John said…
What steps could be taken to reduce the number of frivilous resolutions?
Christopher said…
What I see in the BoR is the church as a whole touching local and "fringe" (for lack of better word only) issues. For instance, the BoR has the only UM statements on Mountaintop Removal. As one who lives near mountains, this is importnat to me. I appreciate that the church took the time to affirm the West Virginia Annual Conference's statement. Being connectional means having both a central policy as well as local sensitivity. The BoR goes a long way in achieving that. The onus is on churches, pastors and congregants to read it.

Popular posts from this blog

Sermon for the First Sunday in Advent, "Hope: A Thrill of Hope," Mark 1:1-8

Sermon 11/26/17 Mark 1:1-8 Hope: A Thrill of Hope             Are you a pessimist or an optimist? Is the glass of life half empty, or half full? My mom and I have gone back and forth about this a bit over the years. She’s wildly optimistic about most things, and sometimes I would say her optimism, her hopefulness borders on the irrational. If the weather forecast says there’s a 70% chance of a snowstorm coming, my mom will focus very seriously on that 30% chance that it is going to be a nice day after all. I, meanwhile, will begin adjusting my travel plans and making a backup plan for the day. My mom says I’m a pessimist, but I would argue that I’m simply a realist , trying to prepare for the thing that is most likely to happen, whether I like that thing or not. My mom, however, says she doesn’t want to be disappointed twice, both by thinking something bad is going to happen, and then by having the bad thing actually happen. She’d rather be hopeful, and enjoy her state of

Sermon for First Sunday in Lent, Year B, "Jesus in the Wilderness," Mark 1:1-4, 9-15

Sermon 2/18/18 Mark 1:1-4, 9-15 Jesus in the Wilderness             You’ve heard me say before that the gospel of Mark is my favorite gospel. Part of the reason I love it is because of Mark’s brevity. I don’t love that he’s short on details, exactly. I love that he seems practically breathless in getting the good news of Jesus to us, and that he seems to believe that the news is so good it isn’t even going to take very many words to convince you of his message! His frantic style strikes me as showing both how important and how convincing he believes Jesus’s message to be.             But, then we arrive at a Sunday like today, and I find myself a little frustrated perhaps, or at least a little challenged by Mark. In the lectionary, the series of the first Sunday in the season of Lent always focuses on the temptation of Jesus – his time in the wilderness, where he confronts Satan, and commits to God’s path rather than the flashy alternative Satan presents. This is the fo

Sermon for Second Sunday in Advent, "Peace: All Is Calm, All Is Bright," Isaiah 11:1-10, Mark 13:24-37

Sermon 12/3/17 Mark 13:24-37, Isaiah 11:1-10 Peace: All Is Calm, All Is Bright             “Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round yon’ virgin mother and child. Holy infant, so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace.”             This week, I read news stories about North Korea testing a missile that perhaps could reach across the whole of the United States.             This week, I spoke with a colleague in ministry who had, like all churches in our conference, received from our church insurance company information about how to respond in an active shooter situation. She was trying to figure out how to respond to anxious parishioners and yet not get caught up in spending all of their ministry time on creating safety plans.             This week, we’ve continued to hear stories from people who have experienced sexual assault and harassment, as the actions, sometimes over decades, of men in positions of power have been