{"id":957,"date":"2012-05-01T15:38:48","date_gmt":"2012-05-01T22:38:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/gc2012\/?p=957"},"modified":"2012-05-01T15:38:48","modified_gmt":"2012-05-01T22:38:48","slug":"general-conference-approves-united-methodist-women-autonomy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/general-conference-approves-united-methodist-women-autonomy\/","title":{"rendered":"General Conference Approves United Methodist Women Autonomy"},"content":{"rendered":"

The famous UMW sign from their ministry fair exhibit at General Conference 2012. Photo by Patrick Scriven.<\/em><\/p>\n

By Yvette Moore<\/em><\/p>\n

May 1, 2012<\/em><\/p>\n

By a vote of 889 to 20, General Conference made United Methodist Women an autonomous organization within the United Methodist Church May 1 during its quadrennial meeting Tampa, Fla. The historic vote separates the national policymaking body of women organized for mission within the denomination from the church\u2019s mission agency for the first time in more than 70 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is great result for United Methodist Women and for the church and positions us for the next 143 years of mission,\u201d said Harriett Jane Olson, chief executive of the national United Methodist Women organization.<\/p>\n

General Conference also approved a series of recommendations from United Methodist Women that will structurally strengthen ties between local United Methodist Women members, their national structure and the ministries they support around the world. The actions will provide more flexibility to local, district, conference and jurisdictional United Methodist Women as they organized for mission in their respective communities.<\/p>\n

In a separate vote, oversight of the denomination\u2019s deaconess and home missioner programs was placed with the new national United Methodist Women organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis restores the break that was made in 1964 and the relationship the office of deaconess has had with women organized for mission since it was created in 1888,\u201d said Barbara Campbell, a deaconess and retired staff of the former Women\u2019s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries.<\/p>\n

United Methodist Women members at the event were elated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is good for everyone,\u201d said Elsie Olson, spiritual growth mission coordinator for Florida Conference United Methodist Women. \u201cThe timing is right. The General Board of Global Ministries agrees. Everyone supports it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Carol Toney, reserve delegate from North Alabama Conference agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what we wanted!\u201d said Ms. Toney, president of her conference\u2019s Northeast District United Methodist Women. \u201cI\u2019m excited about the opportunity this gives us to be more in service to our sisters and brothers around the world. This gives us the autonomy to put our faith, hope and love in to action!\u201d<\/p>\n

The national United Methodist Women organization will be governed by a 25-member board of directors with 20 elected by United Methodist Women members through jurisdictional channels and five through a nominations process to ensure diversity of age, race, language, physical ability and working status. The board will be responsible for managing the organization\u2019s program policies, finances \u2014 including investments, budget, property, financial policies \u2014 and its chief executive staff person.<\/p>\n

A 70- to 80-member Program Advisory Group will advise the board on matters related to program. Each annual conference will have representation in United Methodist Women\u2019s national organization, thereby strengthening the connections between local women and their national policymaking body.<\/p>\n

The Program Advisory Group will include:<\/p>\n