General Conference Afterthoughts
Archive: Yeas and Nays
General Conference is eleven days of highs and lows, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. It is the quadrennial showing of the good, the bad and the ugly within United Methodism. We arrive in unity with singing and communion and leave divided over politics and theology.
On the way to the final evening of adjournment, delegates and observers experienced many highs and lows, disappointments and encouraging moments:
- It was encouraging that delegates voted to fast 24 hours and contribute their meal money to post-riot Los Angeles relief efforts. A special offering garnered $24,000.
- It was disappointing, however, to discover from the Religious News Service that General Conference would cost $37,362 per hour or a total of $3.1 million for the 11-day event.
- It was encouraging that the delegates were not overcome with a spirit of pessimism about the future of United, Methodism, even though we have lost almost 250,000 members within the last four years. They voted in favor of ambitious and visionary plans of ministry to Hispanics, Native Americans, older adults and deaf and hearing-impaired persons.
- It was disappointing, however, to see that the General Conference refused to establish a separate Board of Evangelism to show our corporate interest in spreading the uniquely good news of Jesus Christ to everyone.
- It was encouraging that delegates rejected the General Council on Finance and Administration’s request for a 4.5-percent-per-year increase in the church budget.
- It was disappointing, however, to hear that the agreed upon increase in the budget will mean that apportionments from local churches, many of which are already financially strapped, will increase an average of 2.5 percent a year in 1993-96.
- It was encouraging that delegates voted to move the Board of Global Ministries out of New York City, even though it was delayed for an additional four years.
- It was disappointing, however, that the delegates did not vote to pare down the top-heavy church bureaucracy by reducing the number of voting members on general agencies to 72.
- It was encouraging to hear the high-caliber discussions going on at the lunch-time briefings sponsored by the Institute on Religion and Democracy over the usefulness of General Conference resolutions, the future of Islamic-Christian relations, and ministry opportunities in the former Soviet Union. The leadership of John Stumbo and Diane Knippers was first-rate.
- It was disappointing, however, to watch as members of “Affirmation,” the caucus of lesbian, gay and bisexual UMs, were allowed to disrupt the General Conference with their protest banner and foot-stomping. Furthermore, it was discouraging to see some delegates, including the head of our Board of Church and Society, stand in prolonged solidarity with the protesters.
- It was encouraging that delegates approved May as “Christian Family Month,” with emphasis on family worship in the home, on setting aside a day of prayer for the family, and on the family in local church worship and program planning.
- It was disappointing, however, to hear so little serious discussion from the General Conference floor about the breakup of the family in America.
- It was encouraging to see delegates intentionally amend the proposed Book of Worship so as to avoid any direct references to “Mother God,” even though God is referred to as “Mother” in three different places.
- It was disappointing, however, to hear two different bishops intentionally avoid the phrase “Father” when referring to God. One bishop ignored it in a printed liturgical program and the other bishop avoided saying “Father” during a Scripture reading during a morning devotional.
- It was encouraging to see over 200,000 signatures in support of the spirit and the call to action of the courageous Memphis Declaration.
- It was disappointing, however, to hear some delegates, in committee and from the floor, downplay the importance of such an outpouring of grassroots sentiment in such elitist and condescending tones.
- It was encouraging to go home and return to our local churches where the ministry of Jesus Christ is evident year round.
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