Meeting on February 20, the Commission on the General Conference made a decision to further postpone the 2020 General Conference until August 29 – September 6, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minn. as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the safety of mass gatherings and travel. The Commission concluded that mandate was not achievable by means of either an in-person meeting in 2021 or a virtual meeting.
In response to the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference, the Council of Bishops (COB) is calling a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened online on May 8, 2021.
According to a press release, “The purpose of the 2021 Special Session of the General Conference will be limited to gaining a quorum in order to suspend the rules for the sole purpose of allowing the use of paper ballots to act upon 12 pieces of legislation that would enable the church to effectively continue its work until the postponed 2020 General Conference is held in 2022.”
The Protocol of Reconciliation and Separation is not one of the 12 items listed by the bishops.
Further analysis and perspective will be forthcoming from Good News and other renewal groups in the coming days.
The press release from the Council of Bishops can be read HERE.
The announcement from the Commission on the General Conference can be read HERE.
My friends, regardless of our feelings on this decision, let us give thanks for the members of the Commission on the General Conference and their service.
If we leave now, we do not get our buildings!
I feel like we won at general conference in 2019; however, we have lost ever since and until August 2022!
As a reminder to all — the legislation (TRADITIONAL PLAN) passed at the 2019 Special General Conference is the law and as much a part of the Book of Discipline as the protocols being rigidly followed with all of this. Therefore, will departures be allowed before August, 2022 with the equal level of seriousness and support as has been applied with enforcement of the Traditional Plan?
I seem to recall some statements that seem so appropriate:
A. “Do not lay up treasures on earth,,,instead lay up treasures in heaven”
B.. “Where your treasure is; your heart is also”
C. “Have no other gods(objects of worship) before God”
D. “Sell all you have and give it to the poor”
E. and a Spanish philosophy; “Love people, use things, not the other way around”!
If there was any ‘winner’ at General Conference 2019 (aka “No Spirit in St. Louis”) it was ‘Evil’. John Wesley stated in his sermon ‘Catholic Spirit’ “But although a difference in opinions or modes of worship may prevent an entire external union , yet need it prevent our union in affection? THOUGH WE CANNONT THINK ALIKE, MAY WE NOT LOVE ALIKE. Nay we not be of one heart though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, WE MAY…forward one another in love…”
Will Wespath continue as the retirement plan for the new traditional Methodist denomination?
https://www.wespath.org/assets/1/7/5431.pdf
This is infuriating! The commission can allow for online matters of budget and balloting but not the real business of the denomination: “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” That essential business is severely compromised as we are in this untenable hypocrisy of our Discipline saying one thing and the enforcement of it being another. Who wants to become a member of this denomination the way it is? We needed that Protocol Proposal voted upon this year. There will be a separation this year. The Commission had the chance to have it be amiable, but now it will be forced. I am fed up with the dithering, hand wringing of those put into leadership? of the U.M.C. “To your tents, O Israel!”