Daily Wrap-up for Wednesday, April 28:
Delegates hear restructuring report, Laity Address
By Linda Bloom
PITTSBURGH (UMNS) -- How United Methodists relate to one another, both
structurally and spiritually, was a topic of discussion during the April
28 session of the denomination's top legislative body.
Delegates to General Conference received a report from the church-wide
Council on Ministries called "Living into the Future," which proposes
merging the work of program and finance agencies into a "Connectional
Table." In that structure, leaders from around the church would
coordinate the work of most of the denomination's agencies and would
oversee ministries budgeted at more than $500 million per quadrennium.
United Methodists in all regions of the world, including Africa, Asia,
Europe and North America, would be represented at the table, along with
the Council of Bishops and agency officials.
Under the proposed plan, the General Council on Ministries and General
Council on Finance and Administration would fold into the Connectional
Table by Jan. 1, 2007. Ten other agencies would retain their own board
of directors but be accountable and represented at the table.
"The plan is about bringing mission and money to the same table," said
Darlene Amon, a delegate from the Virginia Annual Conference and one of
the voices in the video describing the benefits of "Living into the
Future."
Bishop Joseph Yeakel described the proposal in terms of "connecting the
connection." A rejection of the plan by General Conference would amount
to the church choosing to "retain a disconnected structure," he said.
Delegates will vote on the document during the week of May 3.
Laity Address
In the General Conference Laity Address, Gloria Holt told delegates
that until each individual church member is willing to let go of "me,
myself and I" and make a concerted effort to become "we, ourselves and
us," the denomination will continue to be involved in "power struggles,
selfish decision-making and un-Christian action toward each other."
Most troubling is the "apparent unwillingness" of laity and clergy to
be equal partners in ministry, according to Holt, president of the
United Methodist Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders.
"If clergy are singing their own song while the laity are dancing to
their own beat, how in the world are we going to get in sync with one
another?" she asked. "Unless we do, the church will not be creating the
music for which God gave us the notes."
She also urged the international assembly to move away from doing
things in the same old way and to realize that the absence of youth and
young adults in local congregations could be due to an unwillingness to
change in ways that would welcome that age group.
(Note: the complete address is posted on this Web site.)
Considering the budget
In the morning worship service, Bishop Bruce Blake of Oklahoma noted
the legislative concerns over budget issues.
"Our attitude is one of giving until it hurts, rather than heals.
Everything is focused on our limited resources when, in fact, if United
Methodists would give until it heals we would have so much money to
facilitate God's mission in the world that conferencing would be a
celebration of sharing rather than our experience of divvying up a
shrinking pie."
He suggested that United Methodists have lost the connection between
grace and giving, and he challenged the delegates to live a gospel of
giving until it heals.
Linda Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news
writer.
Upcoming events
Thursday, April 29, Nominations of University Senate and
Judicial Council are on the schedule. They will be elected on Monday
morning.
Friday, April 30 at 9 a.m., a Service of Appreciation for
African Americans who stayed in the church during the segregationist era
will be held. Bishop Woodie White of Indiana will participate in this
service. |
