We've spent time around the methoblogosphere in the last couple of weeks talking about General Conference. I think many of us agree that even though we don't agree on issues around human sexuality, that we'll be sorry to see a once-in-four-years gathering of the UMC focus so much time and energy exclusively on those issues.
I received my Advance Daily Christian Advocates in the mail last week - there are hundreds and hundreds of petitions. Though certainly many surround these controversial issues, the bulk of them address the whole wide scope of church life - finances, global ministries, poverty, fighting AIDs, discipleship, ministries with young people, the candidacy process and elders orders, the episcopacy, etc.
So, what is important? What are the issues you most want to see us address at General Conference?
I'm particularly interested in:
1) The "global nature of the church" and proposals that decentralize the role of the United States in the denomination
2) Legislation concerning young people and the role of young people in the church
3) Legislation relating to the different orders of ministry and the appointment/itineracy system.
Of course, I'm also critically interested in talking about the role of the church in society, and why our denomination fails to be making disciples (in many different senses of the word), but that's hard to address in legislation, isn't it? Perhaps that's a key problem right there! As we shorten the length of General Conference by two days, I wish we could lengthen it by a week(!), so that we could not only do the legislative work that must be done, but also spend more time in conversation, more time in reflection, more time in discernment. The frenzied proposed schedule really worries me, and I fear for the integrity of our process together...
What's important to you at this General Conference?
I received my Advance Daily Christian Advocates in the mail last week - there are hundreds and hundreds of petitions. Though certainly many surround these controversial issues, the bulk of them address the whole wide scope of church life - finances, global ministries, poverty, fighting AIDs, discipleship, ministries with young people, the candidacy process and elders orders, the episcopacy, etc.
So, what is important? What are the issues you most want to see us address at General Conference?
I'm particularly interested in:
1) The "global nature of the church" and proposals that decentralize the role of the United States in the denomination
2) Legislation concerning young people and the role of young people in the church
3) Legislation relating to the different orders of ministry and the appointment/itineracy system.
Of course, I'm also critically interested in talking about the role of the church in society, and why our denomination fails to be making disciples (in many different senses of the word), but that's hard to address in legislation, isn't it? Perhaps that's a key problem right there! As we shorten the length of General Conference by two days, I wish we could lengthen it by a week(!), so that we could not only do the legislative work that must be done, but also spend more time in conversation, more time in reflection, more time in discernment. The frenzied proposed schedule really worries me, and I fear for the integrity of our process together...
What's important to you at this General Conference?
Comments
What sort of legislative changes would you support for the third?
There is some legislation that is coming from the United Methodist Campus Ministry Associaton. (http://www.umcma.org) that I believe is important.
I will be at General Conference, lobbying for young adults and college students.
Eric, I may be wrong, but I believe the Order of Deacon was created to recognize the life ministry of those not called to pulpit sacrament ministry but to minister to the body in other ways - music, counseling, christian ed. etc. Offering Deacons the opportunity to be licensed as local pastors would, in effect, create a non-itinerating elder. I do not think the system wants this at this time. Itineracy is going to be examined, and needs to be, but I don't think we are ready to step away from it completely.
Good thoughs here! Bill
I would say one discussion area that I see currently in the Methodist Church is in the area of Young Adult ministry. Today while I was looking for curriculum for a College-Aged class I teach on Sunday I couldn't find anything. Nothing. Our website has very little in the way of resources for a group of Christians age 18-30. More emphasis might be welcomed in this area.
I do not suggest that Deacons should become non-itinerant elders. I just would like to see their extension ministry include extending the sacraments when necessary and appropriate. If sacraments are central to the life of the church and our identity as Christians, I would like to see clergy in all ministries be able to extend them--I am especially thinking of retreats, hospital chaplains etc. The defining difference between Deacons and Elders the would be Order. We could even specifically link the office of order to a call to itinerancy.
Stephen, I think you are right about the study, but I don't remember and specific proposals being made, I seem to think they were asking for another four years of study--though I may be wrong. I second the young adult problem. I am a 28 year old pastor, and I can't remember the last time I truly had a relationship with someone my age in any church--It has been at least since college.
I think that would be a topic worthy of discussion. How do we tap into the religious commitment of those who don't fit our definition of commitment? By the same token, how do we more effectively tap into the religious commitment of those who are already in our pews?
I've heard various people talk about the importance of youth ministry and campus ministry and how the Church must really emphasize these areas. I completely agree. But what I don't understand is how this can be a General Conference issue. What sort of legislation could GC pass that would have an impact on these ministries?
Funding for ministries with young people (and campus ministries) is also really important at GC. At every level of the church, in my experience, people try to cut the budget by cutting money from these areas. It's a regular fight to keep the money in these areas.