{"id":12793,"date":"2016-05-14T23:54:38","date_gmt":"2016-05-15T06:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/?p=12793"},"modified":"2016-05-15T01:39:36","modified_gmt":"2016-05-15T08:39:36","slug":"may-14-wrap-up-young-ambassadors-share-hope-committee-work-finishes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/may-14-wrap-up-young-ambassadors-share-hope-committee-work-finishes\/","title":{"rendered":"May 14 wrap-up: Young ambassadors share hope, committee work finishes"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Barbara Dunlap-Berg<\/strong>
\nMay 14, 2016 | PORTLAND, Ore. (UMNS)<\/h4>\n

Worship,\u00a0an address by young people and a silent protest for LGBTQ inclusion began Day Five of General Conference 2016, which ended with final legislative committee meetings.<\/p>\n

Young people\u2019s address inspires<\/strong><\/h4>\n

While only two young people spoke on the General Conference stage<\/a> Saturday morning, thousands more stood with them. Chelsea Spyres of Detroit and Peter Cibuabua of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, began their witness by identifying themselves as \u201cambassadors sharing young people\u2019s voices from around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

That voice declared the uncompromising nature of God\u2019s love and grace for all people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe objective of this message is to help you, our brothers and sisters in the church, to understand how widely and deeply the young people are engaged in Christ\u2019s journey with energy and love,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

Sexuality challenges continue<\/strong><\/h4>\n

During the morning plenary, lay delegate Fred Brewington requested a moment of personal privilege to speak on behalf of fellow New York Conference delegate, Dorothee Benz. Dozens of protesters<\/a> \u2014 many with rainbow duct tape over their mouths \u2014 stood outside the space reserved for delegates to symbolize the silent treatment they feel LGBTQ people get from the church.<\/p>\n

Two days earlier, presiding Bishop Hope Morgan Ward had ruled Benz out of order when she used the term LGBTQ while speaking about why she favored Rule 44, which delegates did not adopt. Rule 44 was offered as an alternative process to Robert\u2019s Rules of Order for dealing with particularly complicated and contentious legislation through group discernment.<\/p>\n

Ward said\u00a0then that the vote was over whether to approve Rule 44, not how it might be applied. Benz was asked to sit before her allotted three minutes had expired.<\/p>\n

Brewington told United Methodist News Service that the problem was the manner in which the ruling took place. He asked Bishop Cynthia Harvey, presiding bishop for the May 14 session, for the plenary body \u201cand you as chair\u201d to recognize harm was done.<\/p>\n

Harvey called for a time of prayer. \u201cThere is a lot of hurt and there\u2019s a lot of healing that needs to happen,\u201d she said. In her prayer, she asked for minds, hearts and ears to be open to all God\u2019s children.<\/p>\n

\u2018A new epiphany\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Preaching during morning worship on May 14<\/a>, Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar used the familiar story of the Magi to urge delegates to find \u201ca new epiphany\u201d by listening to each other\u2019s perspectives and, most importantly, by listening to God.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/p>\n

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A member of the Tamba Marimba Ensemble performs prior to the May 14 morning worship at the United Methodist 2016 General Conferene in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Badfield, UMNS.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

With the theme \u201cGoing with Courage,\u201d Devadhar, who leads the New England Conference, told those gathered how important it is to be brave enough to listen if we are to arrive at the right place:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Because the Magi heeded the message from God, Devadhar said, they were able to bring an epiphany, a new perspective.<\/p>\n

He encouraged General Conference to look to Jesus.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not here to use the Bible selectively to fulfill our selfish goals and agendas,\u201d the bishop said, \u201cbut to look at the ministry and mission of Jesus, and ask the question,\u00a0with our Wesleyan DNA: \u2018Will the 2016 General Conference go down in history declaring that we have\u00a0offered Christ to the world?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Rural advocates want seat at the table<\/strong><\/h4>\n

United Methodist Rural Advocates<\/a> filed a legislative petition before General Conference to add a position to The Connectional Table \u201cable to represent the variety of rural ministries in the United States and the breadth of issues facing rural America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another petition would update Paragraph 2549 in the Book of Discipline on the \u201cDisposition of Property of a Closed Local Church.\u201d The update would include the option to make a gift of the property to a nonprofit with values consistent with the denomination that \u201cwill begin, enhance or continue the work and vision of ministry with the poor in that community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Much of the focus of The United Methodist Church \u201cseems to be on numerical growth,\u201d the Rev. Roger Grace said. \u201cIn some of the rural areas, there is not a lot of potential for numerical growth, but there is still a need for the church to minister to and with the community.\u201d Grace, a West Ohio Conference delegate, is outgoing president of Rural Advocates.<\/p>\n

Passing up commencement to attend General Conference<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Two General Conference delegates faced a choice<\/a> \u2013 attend their graduation ceremonies or attend the quadrennial gathering \u2013 and sided with delegate responsibilities.<\/p>\n

Ethan Gregory, a reserve delegate from the Central Texas Conference, missed his May 14 commencement at Perkins School of Theology, Dallas. Carlene Fogle-Miller, a Florida Conference delegate, served as secretary of the Faith and Order Committee instead of going to her graduation festivities at the University of Mississippi Law School.<\/p>\n

Full communion with Moravian church<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Already, The United Methodists have full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Pan-Methodist denominations. On May 14, delegates approved affirmation and implementation of a full communion relationship between the Moravian Church (Northern and Southern provinces) and The United Methodist Church.<\/p>\n

Pleas for justice from Lumads<\/strong><\/h4>\n

On May 16, a small group of Lumads<\/a>, indigenous people of Southern Philippines, will address the General Conference. They will share how they have been the target of cruelty for decades. Ancestral land owned by the Lumads is a jewel rich in resources that tempts many, including the government and rebel forces.<\/p>\n

Norma Capuyan and Monico Cayon spoke with United Methodist News Service on May 13.<\/a><\/p>\n

Cayon told of an \u201cevil day\u201d in September 2015 when 150 men, women and children were rounded up to witness militants murder two village leaders. A schoolteacher was tortured and killed in his classroom and the school burned down.<\/p>\n

Kerlan Fanagel, spokesperson of the\u00a0Lakbay Lumad USA and chair of Pasaka Confederation of Lumad Organization in\u00a0Southern Mindanao region, said they came to the U.S. seeking solidarity, asking church people and other groups \u201cto support and understand the struggles of indigenous peoples.”<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thank the United Methodist Church and other church people for having been an endless sanctuary to the Lumads who have evacuated, hurt and dispersed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Dunlap-Berg is general church content editor for United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tennessee.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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