Please share your thoughts and observations of the 2008 General Conference below.
2008 GENERAL CONFERENCE BLOG
24 April 2008 | 2008 General Conference | 21 Responses
Last Modified: 28 April 2008 @ 19:51
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Over 6500 people worshipped together in the Fort Worth Convention Center on Wednesday evening as General Conference 2008 got underway. Bishop Janice Huie was the worship leader as the United Methodist Church, which has over 48,000 congregations in 50 countries around the world with over 11.4 million members began its quadrennial meeting.Throughout the next few days petitions that affect church life and mission will be debated, amended, perfected and ultimately voted upon.The West Ohio Conference has 22 lay and clergy delegates among the 992 delegates from around the world.
Rev. Roger L. Grace, Assistant to the District Superintendent of the Capitol Area North District, and West Ohio delegate, was elected at General Conference to become the next national president of the United Methodist Rural Fellowship. UMRF is one of the oldest caucus groups in the United Methodist Church and has been advocating for smaller churches, rural churches and Town & Country churches since 1940. Rev. Grace will begin his four-year term on Jan. 1, 2009.
One of the the groups attending General Conference this year is the Spotted Owl Society (SOS).
This is a group that advocates for streamlining the process of Ordination in the United Methodist Church.
The name comes from the reality that the Spotted Owl is on the endangered species list, and there is concern that the lengthly process of ordination puts younger clergy persons on the endangered species list.
Bishop Bickerton gave a report on the Nothing But Nets initiative of the UMC. To date, over $20,000,000 has been rasied in just over 2 years. A special offering for Nothing But Nets was received. The money was place on the altar table, which is made of wood from trees that were downed by hurricane Katrina at the Gulfside Assembly in Missippi.
Watched Judicial Council elections today.
Watched Rev. Greg Stover later.
Watched East Africa Children’s Choir.
The date and time of my previous post is in error.
Watched all via live streaming video.
It is 8:56 p.m. EDT 28 April 2008.
Please note that the times shown on these posts may not be accurate for your time zone because the blog source is based in London, therefore the time reflects London time.
I haven’t watched much, but the Young People’s Address was an amazing testament to the power of positive, inclusive, and practical visions for the future through understanding our past and present. It made me again proud to be part of the United Methodist Church. I hope that we can have similar conversations, such as that one and the one held for and by the West and East Ohio Delegations earlier this year, throughout our conference. I believe that dedication to understanding the needs and concerns of young people will not only help our churches reach out to young people, but will help our denomination get back to the most important parts of our faith.
Several West Ohio Delegates were elected to leadership roles at General Conference. Each legislative committee at General Conference elects 3 officers to lead the committee - a chair, vice chair, and secretary. To help manage the incredible number of petitions each committee needs to review, sub committees are created, dividing up the work on the petitions. Each subcommittee then elects officers as well.
This year at General Conference, Chris Steiner, lay delegate from Maumee Watershed District was elected Secretary of the Judicial Administration Committee. This is a great honor and places Chris in a significant leadership position on the committee.
In addition, three other of our delegates were elected officers for a subcommittee. George Howard is the chair of a Discipleship Legislative subcommittee, Anna Barrett is secretary of a subcommittee for the Ministry and Higher Education Committee, and Scott Dawson is secretary for one of the Conferences subcommittees. Congratulations!
What an overwhelming experience to be able to hear first hand as United Methodist member Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, first democratically elected President of Liberia, spoke to the Conference. Her message of Hope and testimony of the work of the UM Church in her country affirms my belief in the church I have been involved in for 75 years!
The President’s visit may come to be one of the highlights of GC2008.
It seemed so by watching it all via live video streaming.
Have seen and listened to Greg Stover, Tom Tumlin, John Edgar, and Dee Stickley-Minor at GC2008.
Good to see those mentioned above as well as Darryl Fairchild numerous times in GC.
Eyes wide open is an exhibit that explores the human cost of the war in Iraq. It started as a national display, but due to the number of US casualties, has since become a state exhibit. 364 Texans have died in Iraq. The boots represent each of them. The civilian shoes remind us of the untold thousands of non-combatant deaths associated with the war. The Rev. Darryl Fairchild from the Miami Valley District, is a member of the American Friends Service Committee and worked to bring this display to the 2008 General Conference.
Photos of the display taken by Roger Grace are in the General Conference Image Gallery, linked on this page, upper left hand menu.
People in 48 countries have been watching General Conference via live video streaming over the Internet.
In 26 different languages on 5 continents with 53, 033 viewings on April 29th.
I saw today for first time: Margaret Mallory, Anthony Carmichael, Alice Wolf, and Scott Dawson. Yes, I did see Darryl after my post on April 29th.
We certainly pray that all is well in Texas.
What is the mood of the delegates? We’re getting reports of back-stabbing, infighting, etc. But some of these reports are being brought about by those with their own agendas.
We inadvertently missed Rev. Gloria Brooks when we announced the West Ohio delegates who have been elected to committee leadership positions. Rev. Brooks was elected chair of one of the subcommittees of the Judicial Administration legislative committee. Congratulations.
This is Gary Stug from the Meegastuh District, New Mexico. I’ve noticed that the proceedings have entailed Great Constitutional Grace (GCG). Praise be our Blessed Savior.
I want to thank Roger and his crew in the Higher Education committee and their support for local pastor’s vote. This is going to make quite a difference in the West Ohio Conference as every Church will have an opportunity to vote for those who will be representatives in 2012. God bless you all as I worried that the pettion would be referred for another four years. Tom Graves
Bishop Palmer preached a powerful and moving message of Hope for the United Methodist Church.
SHALOM
Well, Sue and I are finally back home in Grove City and trying to rest up from the frantic finish. General Conference was quite an event. We dealt with all of the petitions that were submitted in one form or another; adopt, reject, or refer. For the most part I beleive that most of the delegates tried to actively participate in “Holy Conferencing”. There were some tense moments, some pain, some joy and a variety of other emotions as well.
I did enjoy sending some of the photos back of events that were going on, but the schedule was extrememly grueling. I agree with the motion that was made on Saturday that in 2012 the conference pause in its work for worship and a day of rest.
The Rural Life Celebration on Saturday was a highlight for me, as was the adoption of the petition to allow Local Pastors and Associate Members to vote on clergy delegates to General, Jurisdictional, and Central Conference Delegates in the future. Since that is a Constitutional amendment, now the Annual Conferences have to approve it.
Roger L. Grace
Having worship service at the end of General Conference, when everyone is tired, ready to go home, and exhausted, in the early morning hours, seems to be cruel and unnecessary.
I would suggest a prayer and benediction would be more practical and sufficient. I know this suggestion should go to the Conference planning team and not on this blog.