Dessert and Discussion
Sunday, October 21
4 pm Fairfield UMC
Guest Speaker: Beth Christian 2016 General Conference Delegate & 2019 Special Called Conference Delegate
Bring your favorite dessert to share!! Coffee and cold drinks provided.
The “General Conference of the United Methodist Church” is an international body of nearly 1,000 delegates elected by annual conferences that meets every four years. Half of the delegates are laity (non-clergy members), half are clergy. During General Conference, delegates discuss and vote on petitions and resolutions proposed by individuals, agencies, annual conferences, and other groups within the denomination. These actions result in a revision of the Book of Discipline, the denomination's book of law, and Book of Resolutions, policies of the denomination on current social issues.
It is at General Conference where delegates wrestle with today's issues in light of scriptural teachings and the church's understanding of that teaching. Only General Conference can officially speak for our denomination.
Our Council of Bishops called for a Special Called General Conference on February 23-26, 2019, to receive and act on a report from the Commission on a Way Forward. The 32-member Commission was authorized by General Conference 2016 and appointed by the Council of Bishops to examine paragraphs in The Book of Discipline concerning human sexuality and finding ways for the denomination to stay together despite deep differences around homosexuality. Their report contains three different proposals for how this might work.
You are invited to listen to Beth’s presentation and be part of the discussion afterwards. It will give us a chance to hold a holy conversation about a very difficult topic that will impact the future of our church and denomination.
Sunday, October 21
4 pm Fairfield UMC
Guest Speaker: Beth Christian 2016 General Conference Delegate & 2019 Special Called Conference Delegate
Bring your favorite dessert to share!! Coffee and cold drinks provided.
The “General Conference of the United Methodist Church” is an international body of nearly 1,000 delegates elected by annual conferences that meets every four years. Half of the delegates are laity (non-clergy members), half are clergy. During General Conference, delegates discuss and vote on petitions and resolutions proposed by individuals, agencies, annual conferences, and other groups within the denomination. These actions result in a revision of the Book of Discipline, the denomination's book of law, and Book of Resolutions, policies of the denomination on current social issues.
It is at General Conference where delegates wrestle with today's issues in light of scriptural teachings and the church's understanding of that teaching. Only General Conference can officially speak for our denomination.
Our Council of Bishops called for a Special Called General Conference on February 23-26, 2019, to receive and act on a report from the Commission on a Way Forward. The 32-member Commission was authorized by General Conference 2016 and appointed by the Council of Bishops to examine paragraphs in The Book of Discipline concerning human sexuality and finding ways for the denomination to stay together despite deep differences around homosexuality. Their report contains three different proposals for how this might work.
You are invited to listen to Beth’s presentation and be part of the discussion afterwards. It will give us a chance to hold a holy conversation about a very difficult topic that will impact the future of our church and denomination.
Commission on a Way Forward’s final report is now available
From the Office of Bishop Sharma D. Lewis:
Dear Virginia Conference-
I want to share that the Commission on a Way Forward’s final report is now available on the Judicial Council website (pages 131-224) as part of their October 2018 docket at this link: http://cdnfiles.umc.org/Website_Properties/who-we-are/judicial-council/judicial-council-dockets/docket-10-2018-12.pdf.
The release of this report is due to the fact that the Council of Bishops asked for a declaratory decision on the constitutionality of the three plans last week. As such The Book of Discipline ¶ 2608.1 requires that requests for declaratory decisions, including relevant documents, need to be posted on the Judicial Council website 30 days prior to the filing date of the briefs. This report is available only in English as required by the Judicial Council. The Commission on a Way Forward’s report will still need to be translated in the denomination’s four official languages for the Central Conference Episcopal Areas, which are outside the United States.
From the Office of Bishop Sharma D. Lewis:
Dear Virginia Conference-
I want to share that the Commission on a Way Forward’s final report is now available on the Judicial Council website (pages 131-224) as part of their October 2018 docket at this link: http://cdnfiles.umc.org/Website_Properties/who-we-are/judicial-council/judicial-council-dockets/docket-10-2018-12.pdf.
The release of this report is due to the fact that the Council of Bishops asked for a declaratory decision on the constitutionality of the three plans last week. As such The Book of Discipline ¶ 2608.1 requires that requests for declaratory decisions, including relevant documents, need to be posted on the Judicial Council website 30 days prior to the filing date of the briefs. This report is available only in English as required by the Judicial Council. The Commission on a Way Forward’s report will still need to be translated in the denomination’s four official languages for the Central Conference Episcopal Areas, which are outside the United States.
*Click on this picture to be linked to reading plan.*
We had so much fun at the Annual Staunton District Banquet!
