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GC2004 Updates
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GC2004 Updates

NIC VOICE General Conference Update # 20
NIC VOICE is a network of laity in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.
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New items are indicated as follows:  NEW!!!! 
 
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NEW!!!! Today's Press Articles on GC2004 (5/5/2004 AM - See NIC VOICE General Conference Update # 16 & 19 for earlier headlines)
 
NEW!!!!  LESBIAN Remains a Methodist Cleric, for Now
New York Times - New York,NY,USA
... The council's rulings came on the same day that delegates to the church's
General Conference here repeatedly rebuffed efforts to change its laws
barring openly ...
NEW!!!!  <http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/05/national/05CHUR.html>
 
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NEW!!!! Daily Reports from General Conference
Pastor Mark E. Williams
(Note - these reports are numbered beginning with last Monday as Day 1)
NEW!!!! RECOMMENDED READING
 
NEW!!!!   Day 9 - Tuesday, May 4 (Currently on Home Page, newest report concerning yesterday's GC2004 activities)
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NEW!!!! Good News Updates:  Focus Home Page
 

NEW!!!! RECOMMENDED READING:

Focus 8 5/5 - This newest update contains articles on the following:  http://www.umdecision2004.org/focus_news/focus_8.htm

  • Equal Opportunity for Women
  • What Does the Judicial Council Decision Mean
  • Actions on Homosexuality Yesterday
  • Appreciation to Chair
  • Congrats to the Council
 

Soulforce UMC Denomination Page:  http://www.soulforce.org/denomination/umc/index.shtml

SoulForce's response to Focus Update 3 - 04-29-2004 
 Soulforce Responds to Misinformation in Good News Newsletter
 
NEW!!!!  Also note SoulForce Schedule for Planned Activites at GC2004:  http://www.soulforce.org/denomination/umc/gc2004/schedule.shtml


Focus 4 4/30 - Faith Under Fire - Focus Update 4:  04-30-2004

Focus 5 5/1 - An Initiative for Unborn Children

Focus 6 5/3 - The Consensus of the Faithful

Focus 7 5/4 - Legislation Worth Following

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NEW!!!! Methodists Federation for Social Action (MFSA) Reports

The Daily SQBs Of General Conference 2004 (in downloadable .pdf format)
 
Articles include:
    • Bishop Kelly to Speak at Lunch
    • Legislation Update
    • Reclaiming our Church
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NEW!!!!  Reconciling Ministries Network GC2004 Articles and Reports
 
 
 
 
 
 
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NEW!!!!  Affirmation Daily Newsletter, Drops of Water:
 
Affirmation General Conference 2004:  http://www.umaffirm.org/gc2004/
 
Affirmation Pictures at GC:  http://umaffirm.org/gc2004/photos.html
Pictures include Affirmation members at GC, MoSAIC Rally (see related UMNS report posted by CorNet:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/message/2483), Love Makes a Family display; Shower of Stoles Display
 
 
 
Articles include:
    • Reflections on Session Actions
    • Prayer Witness Continues
    • It's All About Choices
    • Seeing is Believing

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Reporter Interactive:

 
 
Previous Reports:
Editorial Analysis Breaking our unity in Christ:  http://www.reporterinteractive.org/news/042804/GC04_g.htm
UMC 'high court' says anti-gay stance is church law, but some dissent:  http://www.reporterinteractive.org/news/042804/GC04_e.htm
Treasurer: Church finances sobering, but hope remains:  http://www.reporterinteractive.org/news/042804/GC04_f.htm
Bishops call for global conferencing on doctrine, diversity:  http://www.reporterinteractive.org/news/042804/GC04_d.htm
Conference opens with call for praise, prayer, work:  http://www.reporterinteractive.org/news/042804/GC04_c.htm
Effort fails to have bishops preside in committees:  http://www.reporterinteractive.org/news/042804/GC04_a.htm
Bishops express hope for 'holy conferencing: http://www.reporterinteractive.org/news/042804/pastoral.htm
Most in polls would toughen ban on gays, lesbians in church:  http://www.reporterinteractive.org/news/042804/polls.htm

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 Institute for Religion & Democracy, UM Action Reports

UM Action : 2004 General Conference

The 2004 General Conference of the United Methodist Church is taking place on April 27 through May 7 in Pittsburgh, PA.  UMAction director Mark Tooley is in Pittsburgh, and will be issuing regular reports on the issues and controversies.  Check this page for the most current articles and press releases on the conference.

  Homosexuality Scholar Speaks at UM Action Lunch (4-May)

UM Action Hosts Event on Persecuted Christians (3-May)
 
Liberal UM Caucus Celebrates "Gay" Cause Again (3-May)
 
Press Release: United Methodists Become First Mainline Church Against Same-Sex Marriage (3-May)
 

 

 

Two Retired Bishops Address Liberal Caucus about Dammann Trial (30-Apr)
 Methodist Bishops Charge U.S. State Department with Racism (30-Apr)
 

 

Church Council Chief Speaks to Church and Society Breakfast (29-Apr)
United Methodists Debate Homosexuality Among Other Issues (28-Apr)
Church and Society Chief Lashes Out (28-Apr)
Former Clinton Spokesman Speaks at General Conference Luncheon (28-Apr)
 
 
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Pacific Northwest Reconciling Ministries Network:
 
 
  • Day 2 at General Conference  Winifred Keefer
  • Day 3 at General Conference  Winifred Keefer
     
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    Called Out Information Service sponsored by Affirmation - includes updates on GC2004:
     
    "Called Out" is an information service about LGBT religious concerns sponsored by Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, and Transgendered Concerns. Affirmation is not an official body of the UMC. This is a public, read-only mailing list. Anyone may join, no matter what their opinions. The sponsors of this list support full inclusion and justice for LGBT people in society and The United Methodist Church. Content and viewpoints of materials and links will vary with the source.
     
    Click here for UMNS news summaries and other reports posted by Called Out:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/messages/
     
    Prayer Witness and Procession to David Lawrence Convention Center:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/message/2488
    Affirmation Hot Water Topic: Gender & Identity:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/message/2489
    General Conference Fails to Acknowledge Truth That UMC Is Not of One Mind:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/message/2492
    Group Holds Silent Demonstration for Inclusion of Homosexuals:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/message/2493
    Op-ed by Laura Montgomery Rutt on General Conference, May 4:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/message/2496
     
     
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    2004 General Conference Archive:   http://gatewayumc.org/gc04.htm (updated) - includes audio, video and transcripts!
     
    Petitions Status and Legislative Tracking:
  •  
     
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    Commentary by Rev. James Gibson, III
    There is but one truth which binds the Church together. That truth has a name. That name is Jesus. Accept no imitations.
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    GC2004 Updates by Faithful Christian Laity: 
     
  • This unofficial BB is www.ucmpage.org.  Also, see news thread at:  http://www.ucmpage.org/news_page.html#News
     
  • This unofficial BB is being used by Faithful Christian Laity (evangelical group in PNWAC) to provide updates. 
    Cathy Biehler is volunteering with Good News and is attending the entire conference.
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    Confessing Movement General Conference 2004 Reports:  http://www.confessingumc.org/
    May 2, 2004
    URGENT     need for Prayer!
    Please focus from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Monday, May 3, 2004, for the election of Judicial Council members.  The Judicial Council is the Supreme Court of the Church.

    May 1, 2004
     The Judicial Council Speaks(click here)
     Judicial Council Decision No. 984(click here)

    April 30, 2004 
     Legislative Committee Updates(click here)
    The Confessing Movement at General Conference(click here)
    "The motion for a Declaratory Decision from the Judicial Council yesterday reflects the effort by United Methodists to try to understand just how the Karen Dammann trial court's contradictory verdict could have happened. It simply made no sense. And it left many questioning whether commonly-understood passages in the Book of Discipline actually mean what we thought they did."

    Wednesday, April 28

    Our Differences Matter (click here)

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    How to listen/watch GC2004 session
     
    Bandwidth has been added to the UMC; if you continue to have difficulties accessing video/audio feeds at the UMC site, try these alternative links:
     

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