Pilgrimage Ponderings
GC Update-Sunday evening
During a legislative committee discussion I wrote down these words:
Discernment comes in community.
I am discovering how General Conference really can be a community of discernment. I imagine every delegate has come here with a list of things they hope will happen. But when we engage one another, even those with whom we disagree, sometimes we can get to a place that none of us ever would have imagined on our own, but that actually reflects better the will of God for our life together.
That's likely the extent of my profound thinking for the week as I am already exhausted. But here's what I've been hearing about various issues:
There are some changes being proposed for Deacons and Local Pastors by the Higher Ed committee.
The proposal on being a worldwide church has passed the committee but with significant amendments.
Financial administration will be recommending some changes in the allocation of MEF funds to allow them to be accessible by central conferences.
Today we rejected a petition about the making of an immigration video because such videos already exist.
We voted today to continue the funding for Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century and to fund the African American Methodist Heritage Center which was approved in 2004 but with no money attached.
The committees with huge amounts of legislation to deal with (like Faith and Order, Church and Society, and Financial Administration) are anxious about the lack of time given for legislative committees.
Discipleship, Faith and Order, Central Conferences, Local Church,and General Administration finished dealing with their petitions yesterday.
If you are just tuning in to General Conference, you're right on time. We started voting in plenary session today and will be doing so for most of the rest of the week. So check out the website for General Conference by going to www.umc.org for updates on the big issues.
Joseph: Did you get a free cell phone from the Confessing Movement? (04/27/08)
Jim H: Don't get tired now. We need clear thinking folks like you to be alert! Thanks for the reflections. (04/27/08)
gavin: i am surprised that there church & society and the others not done business don't seem to have overtime plans as some of that should have been foreseen. 2 or 3 days just couldn't be enough (04/27/08)