{"id":1250,"date":"2012-05-11T11:06:14","date_gmt":"2012-05-11T18:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/gc2012\/?p=1250"},"modified":"2012-05-11T11:06:14","modified_gmt":"2012-05-11T18:06:14","slug":"thoughts-on-gc2012-after-a-week-of-less-stressful-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/thoughts-on-gc2012-after-a-week-of-less-stressful-living\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts on #GC2012 after a week of less stressful living"},"content":{"rendered":"

Delegation members Marie Kuch, the Rev. Gloria Kymn, Amory Peck and the Rev. Craig Parrish share a light moment with their ‘voting keypads’ on the last day of General Conference 2012. Photo by Patrick Scriven.<\/em><\/p>\n

_______________<\/p>\n

I returned home late Saturday night from Tampa. Rested Sunday then on Monday I went out and split firewood for the winter.\u00a0 Activity like that helps me focus my mind and shed stress and frustration.<\/p>\n

I am starting to see things more clearly; assuming it was something I had the opportunity to see at all. \u00a0The new rules of General Conference created many more consent calendar items, meaning less discussion on the plenary floor. Additionally, if we did not get to an item during the time allotted to legislative committees, that legislation just disappeared and lost its shot to change the\u00a0Book of Discipline<\/em>. This all contributed to a General Conference that was quite a bit different this time than I had expected, much more like the current political scene.<\/p>\n

Having had a bit more time to process the experience, I wanted to share a couple reflections on topics I followed\u2026much more happened than I can comment on here.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Before General Conference there was much excitement and enthusiasm around the possibility that the General Conference would adopt more inclusive language or compromise on the incompatible phrase in referring to\u00a0homosexuality\u00a0<\/strong>in the\u00a0Book of Discipline<\/em>, but that was not to be. \u00a0The proposed change would have used language that indicated we disagree and are not of one mind of the subject. \u00a0The votes returned to a 60\/40 split the same as my first General Conference in 2000.\u00a0 The votes were a little closer in 2004, but at that General Conference we redistributed delegates proportionally to include the Central Conferences. Those who oppose any change in the language have strong allies in many Central Conference delegates. \u00a0One delegate argued that if the language was changed no more children would be born, schools in his country would close and so on. This statement suggests a way of thinking that is difficult to understand but does represent the position of most of the delegates from Africa.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If change ever comes to the language of the Book of Discipline and the United Methodist position on homosexuality it will be in the distant future.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Central Conference delegations are growing while United States delegations are shrinking. In 2008, of the 984 delegates, 704 were from the United States with 280 from the Central Conference, including 196 from Africa. In 2012, of the 978 delegates, 606 were from the United States\u00a0with 372 from the Central Conferences, with 282 of those delegates coming from Africa.\u00a0 The direction of influence in The\u00a0United Methodist Church is changing. We have embraced the concept of a global church and now we are experiencing the realities of a global United Methodist Church. Unless we restructure and make the United States a Central Conference, and even then, I don\u2019t see The United Methodist Church position on homosexuality changing any time soon.\u00a0 Maybe in 75 years we will have a service repentance and reconciliation for our treatment of LGBTQI folks like we did this year for our treatment of Native Americans.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. During the debate on term limits for the\u00a0Episcopacy<\/strong>\u00a0I heard comments and attitudes I have never heard before.\u00a0 There are regions of the church that do not like, respect, or trust their Episcopal leaders.\u00a0 The debate was recessed for lunch and I happened to eat with an Episcopal candidate from another jurisdiction who confirmed a mean spirited and vindictive attitude toward Bishops. My friend was reconsidering his decision to be a candidate not because of self-doubt but because of the environment of service.\u00a0 Despite this, term limits for our Bishops were defeated.<\/li>\n
    2. The Southeastern and South Central Jurisdictions brought a real sleeper to General Conference buried in Report # 13 from the\u00a0General Council on Finance and Administration<\/strong>. \u00a0They successfully had it added to Report #8 in committee, which is the General Church apportionment formula. This little gem would have changed the way the Bishops of the church are funded.\u00a0 The change would have had each Jurisdiction paying for the number of Bishops they could afford.\u00a0 Currently the Episcopal Fund is apportioned proportionally across the 5 US jurisdictions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      In 2012, the Southeastern Jurisdiction pays $1.4 million more than the cost of its\u2019 Bishops while the others all pay less. In 2012 the West pays $750,000 less than the actual cost of our Episcopal offices. \u00a0In committee the argument was very pointed\u2026\u201dwe are tired of subsidizing the West.\u201d \u201cIf the West cannot pay, they can reduce the numbers of Bishop they have.\u201d\u00a0 Any sense of proportionality or mission field engagement in West was not present anywhere.\u00a0 It felt like \u201cit\u2019s time to bury them.\u201d<\/p>\n

      Fortunately the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops was willing to meet with me on Sunday night.\u00a0 I explained the proposal from a monetary impact on the West and as an\u00a0assault on the concept of the general superintendency<\/em>\u00a0that may well lead to jurisdictional attempts to control and supervise the Episcopacy in new ways. \u00a0They immediately saw the proposal as a constitutional issue and began making plans for a Judicial Council Declaratory decision, which was successful. The legislation was ruled unconstitutional.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Because there was no debate on the\u00a0security of appointment<\/strong>\u00a0legislation my reflections are brief.\u00a0The legislation went by on the consent calendar because of a duplicate signature from folks attempting to get it off the calendar.\u00a0 A motion to reconsider was overwhelmingly defeated, 70\/30.\u00a0 There was noticeable fear and anxiety in many conversations.\u00a0 I don\u2019t expect much to change in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference.\u00a0 There are still protections and a process to follow before anyone is left without an appointment. \u00a0Many ministry and judicial related changes went by on the consent calendar without notice or debate. \u00a0We will have to study the revisions and implications of these changes as time goes by.<\/li>\n
      2. The\u00a0structure change\u00a0<\/strong>proposals were much anticipated.\u00a0 When the General Administration committee met for 4 days and could not make a decision on a plan to present to plenary session, another compromise plan was quickly created.\u00a0 Gone was the Interim Operating Team (IOT) Plan, Plan B, and\u00a0 the Methodist Federation for Social Action plan; Plan UMC was put forward.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        In my opinion they all had the same basic flaw. In an effort to revitalize the UMC, all these plans emphasis the structure as the problem to be fixed.\u00a0 Building on a business model of efficiency and nimbleness, the plans streamlined and collapsed the organization. The plans all concentrated power and authority over the programmatic and financial life of The United Methodist Church in the\u00a0hands of a few<\/em>. \u00a0Those few, given our love of proportionality, were predominating from the Southeastern and South Central Jurisdictions and from the growing Central Conferences.\u00a0 Any one of these plans would have created a church we would not recognize in another 8 years. Thanks to the Judicial Council ruling Plan UMC unconstitutional, the church can try again, with perhaps a different set of guiding principles.<\/p>\n

        There is no doubt we could be more efficient with a smaller organization.\u00a0 The General agencies each had a plan for downsizing and General Conference finally approved those plans. Let see what happens.<\/p>\n

        Here is where it\u2019s at for me\u2026General Conference is an environment of competing self-interests.<\/p>\n

        Some positive and some not so positive changes occurred in the United Methodist Way as recorded in the\u00a0Book of Discipline<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0 By and large we are free to be the church in Pacific Northwest within the parameters of this\u00a0BOOK<\/strong>.\u00a0 Some will go beyond and some will be confined by the\u00a0BOOK<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

        It\u2019s time we put our collective energy and attention to the business of making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.\u00a0 No matter what your theological bent or position on social issues, it\u2019s time to make disciples, disciples of all kinds.<\/p>\n

        The problem is not our structure, and it’s not the theological persuasion of the people at the church across town or on the other side of the state, it\u2019s the people in the pew who have no vision as to their role in disciple making. Looking at the overall statistical record of the Pacific Northwest, we are not making disciples of any kind despite a mission field that is growing by leaps and bounds\u00a0in many places.<\/p>\n

        If as leaders we don\u2019t know how to reach new people, let\u2019s recommit and learn what we need to know.
        \nIf we lack the will, let\u2019s seek the rebirth of our zeal for the faith.
        \nIf we are tired and weary, let\u2019s seek the renewal of our bodies and spirits.<\/p>\n

        Let me say this clearly. \u00a0To use tired old terms, whether you are conservative or progressive, its time to swallow hard and lay some baggage aside, there is more than one way to embrace the Scripture and The United Methodist Church as a denomination, is not inclusive of all people.\u00a0 Now let\u2019s go be the church for God\u2019s mission in the world, the birthing and nurturing center for new disciples. \u00a0New disciples will be different from one another depending on how they are formed.<\/p>\n

        Whether we are disappointed in something that happened at General Conference, or frustrated with the lack of meaningful change, none of that changes our core mission. We are called by Jesus to make new disciples for the transformation of the world. This is our non-negotiable. If you are worried that the rules get in the way of you making disciples with integrity, err on the side of inviting more people into a deeper relationship with God. If you feel like you are being held back in some way by a theological bent of the General church or the Annual Conference environment, prove your point by producing fruit (disciples) that transform(s) lives and communities.<\/p>\n

        Be the church the world needs and let the chips fall where they lie. That’s my advice coming back from General Conference. I suspect you’ll sleep better at night.<\/p>\n

        The longer I go the preachier \u00a0I sound. Enough is enough.\u00a0I think I\u2019ll go split some more wood.<\/p>\n

        Craig<\/p>\n

        _______________<\/p>\n

        The Rev. Craig Parrish is the Conference Treasurer for the Pacific Northwest Conference and head of the PNW delegation to Tampa, Florida for General Conference 2012.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Delegation members Marie Kuch, the Rev. Gloria Kymn, Amory Peck and the Rev. Craig Parrish share a light moment with their ‘voting keypads’ on the last day of General Conference 2012. Photo by Patrick Scriven. _______________ I returned home late Saturday night from Tampa. Rested Sunday then on Monday I went out and split firewood […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1250","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pnw-delegation"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/on-the-floor.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2l75j-ka","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1250"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1269,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1250\/revisions\/1269"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}