It's Annual Conference Season Again!
Of the 62 Annual Conferences in the USA 17 have already met or are currently meeting. On the UMC site only 5 have their reports posted so far, but there is usually a week or two lag time on the report summaries making it to the official site.
Decision 1032 seems to behaving a definite effect on what is happening at the various Annual Conferences being held. Three of the five that have published reports have passed resolutions that are related to inclusion of GLBT persons in the church. I expect that we will see many more.
Here are snippits from the umc.org reports
Detroit Conference
The conference affirmed the United Methodist Council of Bishops’ pastoral letter “unanimously declaring the church’s historic stance that membership in a congregation is open to all persons. We further support their specific statement that ‘homosexuality is not a barrier’ for such membership.”
Baltimore Washington
Adopted, by a vote of 392-352, a resolution that seeks to develop a culture in the conference that "expects and encourages" congregations to understand that membership in the church is open to anyone.
Troy
Six petitions to General Conference calling for changes in the Book of Discipline's paragraphs on human sexuality were tabled, and another five petitions, all dealing with inclusiveness issues, gay marriage, human sexuality and broader equal rights, were approved.
Not yet posted on the UMC site is a resolution from the Minnesota Annual Conference that will finish today.
NEWS reports are now popping up on the web about the Minnesota AC's resolution which has gone a step further than the others.
The vote was 496-223 in favor of the petition calling for equal access to the Methodist church "regardless of sexual orientation."
The resolution "to remove prohibition of United Methodist clergy from celebrating homosexual unions" passed on a 394-320 vote.
It looks to me like we are heading into what will be a lively and interesting Annual Conference season. Lets also pray that the Holy Spirit and not our personal wants and wishes prevail at each Annual Conference.
Of the 62 Annual Conferences in the USA 17 have already met or are currently meeting. On the UMC site only 5 have their reports posted so far, but there is usually a week or two lag time on the report summaries making it to the official site.
Decision 1032 seems to behaving a definite effect on what is happening at the various Annual Conferences being held. Three of the five that have published reports have passed resolutions that are related to inclusion of GLBT persons in the church. I expect that we will see many more.
Here are snippits from the umc.org reports
Detroit Conference
The conference affirmed the United Methodist Council of Bishops’ pastoral letter “unanimously declaring the church’s historic stance that membership in a congregation is open to all persons. We further support their specific statement that ‘homosexuality is not a barrier’ for such membership.”
Baltimore Washington
Adopted, by a vote of 392-352, a resolution that seeks to develop a culture in the conference that "expects and encourages" congregations to understand that membership in the church is open to anyone.
Troy
Six petitions to General Conference calling for changes in the Book of Discipline's paragraphs on human sexuality were tabled, and another five petitions, all dealing with inclusiveness issues, gay marriage, human sexuality and broader equal rights, were approved.
Not yet posted on the UMC site is a resolution from the Minnesota Annual Conference that will finish today.
NEWS reports are now popping up on the web about the Minnesota AC's resolution which has gone a step further than the others.
The vote was 496-223 in favor of the petition calling for equal access to the Methodist church "regardless of sexual orientation."
The resolution "to remove prohibition of United Methodist clergy from celebrating homosexual unions" passed on a 394-320 vote.
It looks to me like we are heading into what will be a lively and interesting Annual Conference season. Lets also pray that the Holy Spirit and not our personal wants and wishes prevail at each Annual Conference.
posted by Conrad at 9:58 AM
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