Reports from RMC Delegation

Below are reports on the activities and actions of the General Conference meeting in Pittsburgh through May 7, from the members of the Rocky Mountain Conference delegation. Other types of reports are below.

• Dan O'Neill's Day 1 (April 26) Report
• Peggy Sewell's Day 2 (April 27) Report
• Youngsook Kang's Day 3 (April 28) Report
• Aaron Gray's Day 4 (April 29) Report
• Brad Laurvick's Day 5 (April 30) Report
• Olon Lindemood's Day 6-7 (May 1-2) Report
• Judy Hill's Day 8 (May 3) Report
• Liwliwa Robledo's Day 9 (May 4) Report
• Sarah Babb's Day 10 (May 5) Report
• Paul Kottke's Day 11 (May 6) Report
• Special Report Day 12 (May 7)
• Janet Forbe's (Final) Report Day 12 (May 7)

Selected Reports from United Methodist News Service

Collected stories from United Methodist News Service are here for your convenience. All the United Methodist News Service stories are archived from this UMC.org page A special UMNS Wrap-up report is near the top of this page. Other, unofficial stories about the Conference are listed below.

General Conference links (external):

• General Conference 2004 Web site
• United Methodist News Service
• General Board of Global Ministries GC2004 site
• General Board of Church and Society
• General Board of Discipleship
• General Board of Pension and Health Benefits GC2004 Information
• General Council on Finance and Administration

All of the following links can be reached from the main GC2004 Web site, but are provided here for your convenience:

• About General Conference
• How General Conference Works
• Major Issues Background Paper
• Schedule
• The Legislative Process
• Track Legislation
• Western Jurisdiction Delegates List
• Media Guide to GC2004 (PDF) (local copy)
• Guide for First-Time Delegates and Communicators (local copy)
• Watch GC2004 via the web (includes webcast schedule)

The streaming video and/or audio of some of the sessions were available from www.gc2004.org during the sessions.

Unofficial Sources

Since the UMC.org site was unresponsive during peak times at the start of General Conference, the following links to unofficial sources of information have been provided for your convenience. Remember that only the General Conference speaks for The United Methodist Church. Please note that each of these links has a particular point of view which you will discern from reading their sites. The church is made up of a complex group of individuals and communities, each with their own study of scripture, understanding of tradition, experience of life and of God, and disciplined reasoning out of faith.

Disagreement is inevitable in such a diverse family. However, please remember Paragraph 138 of the 2000 Book of Discipline which says, in part, "As a diverse people of God who bring special gifts and evidences of God's grace to the unity of the Church and to society, we are called to be faithful to the example of Jesus' ministry to all persons. Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance, and support that enables all persons to participate in the life of the Church, the community, and the world." We may not be of one mind as a denomination, but the mystery is that we are yet one in Christ's mission of love to the world.

Iliff Students (photos, videos, interpretation)

• Brad Kattelman
• Eric Swanson
  • General Conference 2004 - Files of all shapes and sizes from the students from Iliff at GC

Some Unofficial caucuses (photos, interpretation, announcements, in alphabetical order)

• Affirmation
• Confessing Movement
• Good News
• Methodist Federation for Social Action
• Reconciling Ministries Network

Some News Media Reports About GC2004

Other links will be added as they become known. Mail suggestions to ben at rmcumc dot com.

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette : Despite contentious debates, Methodists exit city still unified
• Denver Post (Eric Gorski) : Methodists ponder how to grow West
• Denver Post (Eric Gorski) : Methodists mirror U.S. on divisions over gay marriage, Iraq war

Conference News : 2004 General Conference

Oregon - Idaho General and Jurisdictional Conference Delegation Web Site

This website is provided to help United Methodists in the Oregon - Idaho Annual Conference stay it touch with the activities of the delegation elected to General and Jurisdictional conference. We hope to provide useful information and welcome your feedback.

 

Thursday - Acting in Conscience (includes pictures)

April 27 - May 7, 2004, Pittsburgh, PA
 

United Methodist Assembly urged to forget 'I' and become 'we'
[ Download/View File ]

Two dozen nominated for United Methodist Judicial Council
[ Download/View File ]

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California-Nevada Conference, United Methodist Church

Bishop Shamana preaches at General Conference

Read Bishop Shamana's entire sermon

 Bishop Shamana advises Gen Conference delegates to prepare for a marathon

Bishop Shamana told the delegation, “You are going to be a target for the media, as will I – as will the delegation from Pacific Northwest, and their bishop.” California-Nevada would be a target, she believes, because of the Rev. Karen Oliveto’s marriage ceremonies of nine gay or lesbian couples in February, and Pacific Northwest and Bishop Elias Galvan because of the acquittal of the Rev. Karen Dammann in March on charges of having an open lesbian relationship, contrary to the Discipline’s mandate.

 

The questions will be along the lines of “What is your bishop doing?” Shamana said. “I will say things similar to my earlier response – ‘The Discipline provides for a variety of options. It is a confidential process, so I can’t go into detail.’ We will be pressed – ‘What are the processes?’ The media is doing its job when they do that. I am doing my job.”

 

Shamana urged the delegation to be supportive of Rev. Oliveto, pastor of Bethany UMC in San Francisco, and a General Conference delegate.

General Conference Connection Special Wednesday, May 5, 2004

During General Conference, Jurisdictional Delegate and Communications Commission member Bruce Pettit will file regular reports from Pittsburgh on the work of the California-Nevada delegation.

Gen Conf votes no to same sex marriages and no to pastors attending holy unions

.....There has reportedly been an overture from the evangelical community to the Reconciling Ministries Network to begin a process of "amicable separation." Western Jurisdiction delegates were nearly unanimous in stating they would reject those overtures.

Paul Extrum-Fernandez, head of the California-Nevada delegation, said: "I don't want to give up the West to the rest of the church." He suggested perhaps reading the statement passed by the Western Jurisdiction in 2000, "We Will Not Be Silent," before the whole general conference. The first-elected lay and clergy members from all Western Jurisdiction Annual Conferences were to meet at lunch today to decide what, if any action will go to the whole General Conference before it adjourns on Friday.

There was interest in pointing out to the General Conference the impact votes from the Central Conferences made on Tuesday’s decision. The Central Conferences are exempt from much of the Book of Discipline for unique cultural reasons and do not pay apportionments. Their voices were strident in discussions around homosexuality on Tuesday, and as one delegate stated, “they are making the margin of difference on UMC policy in the United States.”

The Rev. Odette Lockwood-Stewart, Cal-Nevada reserve delegate, told Western delegates: "When the legalization intensifies, they [evangelicals] know they are losing...We must resist their efforts to kick us out." ...Read More

General Conference Connection Special Tuesday, May 4, 2004

During General Conference, Jurisdictional Delegate and Communications Commission member Bruce Pettit will file regular reports from Pittsburgh on the work of the California-Nevada delegation

Compromise Statement that UMs are “not of one mind” loses on GC floor

Beth Capen, a major player in the Reconciling Movement of the UMC and a member of the New York Conference was elected to the Judicial Council. She received 472 out of 933 votes cast on the third ballot for one of the two lay positions open on the Council. Ms. Capen is an attorney with a long history of General Church involvement. She was a youth observer at General Conference in the late 70s. She was a delegate in 1980 and re-elected five times.

Jon Gray won a first-ballot election as a lay Judicial Council member. Mr. Gray is a judge in Kansas City and a member of the Missouri Conference. He was put on a slate spearheaded by Western Jurisdiction delegates on the recommendation of the Northern Illinois Conference delegates who describe him as a middle-of-the-road jurist known for his fairness.

Susan Henry-Crowe of the South Carolina delegation won the second clergy Judicial Council ballot. The Rev. Henry-Crowe is a minister at Emory University in Atlanta.  She has been hailed by reconcilers for moving student groups in all categories of  inclusiveness.” She won with 487 votes.

The election of the Rev. Dennis Blackwell to the fourth and last Judicial Council opening was seen as advantageous to the conservative movement. Rev. Blackwell of the Greater New Jersey Conference won with 472 votes on the third clergy ballot, the precise minimum number of votes needed.

“I was pleased with the outcome of the council vote, said the Rev. Loran Berck, chair of the Cal-Nevada Board of Ordained Ministry” I thought the delegates selected a balanced slate. Rev. Berk said he was slightly disappointed though in the lack of representation on the council by the Western Jurisdiction and attributed that to “what is happening in the Western Jurisdiction now.”

In addition, the progressive slate developed by the Western Jurisdiction here won the first Judicial Council reserve position for Solomon Christian, a dentist who migrated from India in 1976, a recipient of humanitarian service awards nationally and internationally. He outdistanced Good News candidate Edwin Gausi of Liberia who was elected second reserve by 60 votes.  Read More

General Conference Connection Special Monday, May 3, 2004

During General Conference, Jurisdictional Delegate and Communications Commission member Bruce Pettit will file regular reports from Pittsburgh on the work of the California-Nevada delegation.

Increased voting rights for pastors gain one win, and a loss

There were concerns raised by Western Jurisdiction delegates that due to complex voting procedures, some voted “yes” by mistake and were confused by a practice of referring to only petition numbers and not to their titles or subject matter. The following measures from the Committee on Church and Society were approved:

• In a section in the Discipline on the importance of families, this sentence was added: ”We affirm the importance of both fathers and mothers for all children.”

• To a section dealing with marriage, this sentence was added: “We support laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.” 

No attempt was made by progressive delegates to rescind and revote.  Read More

General Conference Connection Special Friday, April 30, 2004

During General Conference, Jurisdictional Delegate and Communications Commission member Bruce Pettit will file regular reports from Pittsburgh on the work of the California-Nevada delegation.

Bishop Reduction Measure Advances Narrowly in Committee

The Committee on Church and Society recommended an amended petition stating that many faithful Christians are of different opinions on the compatibility of homosexuality with Christian teachings. The 50-43, vote surprised both sides.

Opponents immediately moved reconsideration, but the committee adjourned for the night. Richard Bentley, an observer from the California-Pacific Annual Conference reported at the Western Jurisdiction briefing Friday morning that he has been asked to step in as parliamentarian as the debate continues, and he accepted.

General Conference Connection Special Thursday, April 29, 2004

During General Conference, Jurisdictional Delegate and Communications Commission member Bruce Pettit will file regular reports from Pittsburgh on the work of the California-Nevada delegation.

Subcommittees indicate some moderation, but how true is the read?

PITTSBURGH – Western Jurisdiction delegates meeting Thursday morning for their regular briefing continued to try and read the voting make-up of General Conference.  Based on Wednesdays’ subcommittee meetings, indications continued that even though conservatives still hold the upper hand in numbers, many delegates seem willing to lean more moderate than four years ago. A cautionary note: many subcommittees self-select according to interest, and the position of delegates considered in the middle on many issues have yet to be heard from.

An amendment that local churches should encourage Boy Scouts troops meeting in their churches to be inclusive lost by a single vote in a youth ministries subcommittee of the Committee on Discipleship. According to Brad Laurvick of the Rocky Mountain Conference, the losing amendment was proposed to petition that only groups that are inclusive should meet in their churches.

The Committee on Judicial Administration is engaged in a heated debate about the right of the church to appeal decisions they lose in trial courts, according to the Rev. Renae Extrum-Fernandez of the California-Nevada Annual Conference. She believes that a proposal will prevail, stating that questions of law may be appealed by a trial judge to the Judicial Council prior to a trial. Had such a provision been in place for the Karen Dammann trial in the Pacific Northwest Conference, it may have had a profound impact in the direction of that trial.

In a subcommittee of the Faith and Order Committee, proponents of greater conformity in doctrinal standards appear to have the edge, but according to Cal-Nevada delegate Susan Hunn, not to the extent expected. Faith and Order is also debating what posture it might take regarding Bishop Joseph Sprague, who has written extensively against literal interpretation of scripture.  Read More

A Cal-Nevada View of General Conference Wednesday, April 28, 2004

During General Conference, Jurisdictional Delegate and Communications Commission member Bruce Pettit will file regular reports from Pittsburgh on the work of the California-Nevada delegation.

Bishop Chairing Loses, but Western Delegates Satisfied with Committee Elections

By Bruce Pettit. California-Nevada Connection News Service

...Weatherspoon, however, cautioned that any of these signs may result in overall more moderate legislation. He was appointed to the Church and Society subcommittee dealing with homosexuality on which many Southerners are seated.

A major test of the Western Jurisdiction’s success at better networking at this General Conference may come Friday with Judicial Council elections. The West will be putting out recommendations on the four slots to be filled (plus one reserve).

In a handout, Good News urged that the Rev. Karen Dammann’s acquittal in March of serving a church as an open lesbian be somehow reversed. It said: “The Judicial Council could revisit the matter in light of the fact that it said it was ‘retaining jurisdiction’ when the case was remanded back to the Pacific Northwest Conference. Second, the Council of Bishops could ask the Judicial Council for a Declaratory Decision. Or third, the General Conference delegates, themselves, could ask for a Declaratory Decision.”

At a luncheon Tuesday sponsored by Renew, the women’s ministry of Good News, Janice Shaw Crouse of the Good News Board of Directors denounced the 15 petitions to General Conference presented by the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries. She said the Women’s Division has “dropped the ball” of previous United Methodist women’s commitment to mission work.  Crouse claimed that language in the Women’s Division petitions speaking to “women’s rights are human rights” is code for abortion, lesbianism, and feminist language in theology. Crouse said one such petition “shamelessly uses the problem of teen suicide to promote homosexuality.” She characterized other petitions as anti-capitalistic, socialist, Marxist, and anti-American... Read More

Desert Southwest Annual Conference

GC2004 Reporting

Desert Southwest Annual Conference Delegates will post daily reflections on the events and actions of General Conference.

Excerpt from May 4, 2004

Later in the morning this body passed an intolerant statement that I would pray that anyone--regardless of their stance on homosexuality--would find disheartening.  Proposed language stated, "The UMC does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching.  We recognized that Christians disagree on the compatibility of homosexual practice with Christian teaching and affirms that God's grace is available for all."     

I thought this statement was one that acknowledged differing viewpoints of the constituents of the denomination.  Though perhaps not ideal in the eyes of some, it would communicate to all people that the UMC was a place of refuge to turn to for pastoral care and guidance.  It would communicate to the world our willingness to acknowledge our church as one of diverse opinions with a core of Christ centered embracing.  It would communicate that we stand with integrity behind the canon of "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors."  An amendment was brought to the floor to delete "We recognize that Christians disagree...Christian teaching and..."  This passed and will now be reflected in the Book of Discipline.

I feel fear when we advocate for silenced opinions that differ from our own.  I feel fear when we cannot be tolerant of the simple acknowledgement that those in our churches have the rights to harbor opposing viewpoints.  I have fear when we as a church cannot even stand in concert with the constitutional right of free speech. Do not wonder why the UMC, along with other mainline denominations, experiences continual decline.  Do not wonder at the ever-increasing tide of "new age" spirituality.  Our intolerance is issuing on open invitation of exit. Read More

Photos from GC '04 

Thursday demonstration

United Methodist

Lititz, PA

Reference:

Soulforce at the UMC GC May 5-8, 2004

Soulforce United Methodist Denominational Page