Happy Mother’s Day!  This would have been the first Mother’s Day in many years that I did not write a letter to you.  Knowing that I am not a big fan of sending flowers and that you and Dad didn’t need any more stuff, I started writing letters on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.  I didn’t just send a card but tried to express gratitude for how you both shaped and influenced my life and faith.  You returned to God’s embrace last November 30, but I’m writing you anyway since you are still a great part of who I am. 

On this Mother’s Day 2012 I’ve been thinking a lot about the many ways in which you were a peace-filled person.  Or course, you grew up in the Church of the Brethren and became a Mennonite when you married Dad, so you were steeped in pacifism.  You truly modeled peace.  I don’t ever remember you raising your voice.  You always saw the best in others, persuading me and my siblings into positive behavior through love, not punishment.  Whenever I read in the Beatitudes that the meek will inherit the earth, you are the first person I think of, Mom. 

I’ve been very concerned in recent months about the culture of violence that seems to pervade our country and know that you would not remain silent about this if you were still alive.  It was brought into sharp relief on February 26 when 17 year old African-American teenager Trevon Martin was shot to death by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida.  Martin was unarmed and wearing a hoodie, yet Zimmerman said he felt threatened.  When advised by a 911 operator to stay in his car, he instead followed Martin, an encounter took place, and Martin was killed. 

In addition to having racist overtones, this case has raised the issue of “shoot-first legislation,” which has been enacted in more than 2 dozen states.  These laws permit individuals to shoot others if they feel threatened, even if they have the option to simply walk away.  What is our world coming to, Mom?

At the same time we’ve experienced a rash of violence in sports.   You probably don’t remember the name Metta World Peace, but he is a forward for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team who changed his name last September from Ron Artest.  World Peace, who has a history of violent outbursts during basketball games, was suspended for 86 games in 2004 for a brawl against the Detroit Pistons. 

It is natural to assume that the name change indicated Artest’s desire to change his behavior.  Unfortunately, Metta World Peace was suspended for 7 games on April 24 because he threw a violent elbow to the head of Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden.  Changing one’s name does not always transform one’s attitudes.

Then there was Bountygate.  It would have been incomprehensible to you that players and coaches of the New Orleans Saints football team were systematically offered money for deliberately hurting opponents.  Players actually put money in a bounty pool and targeted specific players to be taken out of the game by violent hits.  Among others, head coach Sean Payton was suspended for an entire year for his role in the “pay for pain” scandal, and the league’s investigation showed that a significant number of players participated in one way or another.  Fortunately, the National Football League, which is already concerned about the effect of violent hits and concussions on the long term health of football players, acted decisively. 

Meanwhile, more than 1,800 retired football players have joined 68 lawsuits against the NFL, claiming that the NFL did not do enough to warn them about the dangers of head injuries and did not treat them adequately.  Studies are just beginning to recognize that multiple head trauma by current and former football prayers can result in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), symptoms of which are neurological problems, depression, and violent outbursts.  The recent suicide of former San Diego Charger and Pro Bowler Junior Seau, who was revered for his ability to play through pain, once again raises concerns about our violent national pastime.    

Violence permeates every aspect of our culture, Mom.  Many of our youth spend hours a day playing video games where people kill each other, which simply reinforces our cultural norm that hurting another person is a legitimate way to solve problems.  Why does the entertainment industry glorify violence?   Racism also incites violence, and God knows how far we have to go in creating racism-free communities in our country.

Verbal violence is just as harmful.  I don’t ever remember you speaking harshly about others or using violent images in your speech, but verbal tirades are commonplace today, especially in politics.  I was astonished when Rush Limbaugh called Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown University law student, a “slut” and a “prostitute” a few months ago simply because she publicly advocated that employers cover contraception in their health care plans.

Unfortunately, we find this kind of behavior in the church as well.  Several weeks ago at our 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, I was grateful when delegates spent an entire evening learning how we have mistreated and disregarded the indigenous people of the United States.  Our act of repentance did not erase the pain of violence against our Native American brothers and sisters, but it publicly recognized our collective sin and commitment to change our behavior.

We didn’t fare quite as well in the treatment of our homosexual brothers and sisters who so fervently desire full inclusion in the life of The United Methodist Church.  Sorrowfully, not only did they experience the withering verbal violence of demonstrators who came all the way from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, to cast slurs upon homosexuals, but they also experienced extremely hurtful and unnecessary language from some of our own delegates.  

Sorry to dump all of this on you, Mom, but there’s one more thing that weighs heavy on my heart right now.  The Michigan State Senate is considering a bill that would allow concealed pistols in so-called “gun-free” zones such as churches, schools, and sports stadiums for those who receive extra training. This bill, which also would revise the permit process for permission to carry concealed weapons, was approved last month on a 5-1 vote of the Senate Natural Resources, Environment, and Great Lakes Committee.  In addition, two bills, nicknamed by some the “George Zimmerman Armed Vigilante Act” have been introduced in the U.S. Senate (S. 2188 and S. 2213).  The legislation would force all states to allow people to carry loaded, hidden handguns.

I am not naïve enough to think that there are no guns in our churches now.  In fact, after I preached a sermon years ago that touched on the epidemic of violence in our country, an older woman approached me in the narthex after church.  She pulled out a derringer from her purse and said, “I never leave home without it.”  I was stunned. 

Gun control is a sensitive issue with a segment of our country who believe that every citizen has a right to be armed.  The United Methodist Church, in its statement on gun violence, says, “In the name of Christ, who came ‘and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near’ (Ephesians 2:17) and challenged all his disciples to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), we call upon the Church to affirm its faith through vigorous efforts to curb and eliminate gun violence.”  We further state that “every United Methodist church is officially declared a weapon-free zone” (“Gun Violence,” #3426 Book of Resolutions).

Mom, you taught me to be a peace-maker, and I remain convinced that we are not a safer country when everyone is packing heat.  Jesus taught us to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, and not return violence with violence.  My faith dictates that:

• It’s not okay to bring guns to church on Mother’s Day or any other day
• It’s not okay to use verbal images of violence: i.e. “God hit me upside the head”
• It’s not okay to give in to road rage by tailgating someone that you think cut you off
• It’s not okay to yell and scream at others at home, school, work, church or anywhere else
• It’s not okay to exalt our soldiers for their killing prowess and neglect to honor them for their primary role in keeping the peace
• It’s not okay to march in lockstep as a nation so that we no longer recognize systemic violence to be just as sinful as individual violence

When one of those with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave, Jesus told him that those who take up the sword die by the sword.  Jesus was consistently non-violent over the course of his ministry and never justified the use of force.  In the early church thousands of Christians died as martyrs because they refused to defend themselves.  Mom, you modeled for me the kind of love causes no harm but does good; a love that is not violent but gentle; a love that values each human life as precious; a love that does not have to crush others in order to build ourselves up; a love that does not condone evil but speaks out for justice. 

I miss you very much, Mom, but I’ll carry on your legacy as best I can on this earth.  Happy Mother’s Day.  By the way, is heaven a gun-free zone?  I assume so, but if for some crazy reason it’s not, I’m sure that you and all the other mothers are working on it.  

Love,
Laurie  

Many years ago our three young children were flying home alone from visiting grandparents in Florida and had been put into first class.  They regaled us with stories of the fine food and royal treatment they received and said, “You ought to travel first class sometime!”  That time came 2 days ago.  Because I almost always fly Delta out of Grand Rapids, I have accumulated enough miles over the last few years to be a Silver Medallion member.  All that really means is that if there are empty seats in first class I might be upgraded.

I was upgraded from Detroit to Grand Rapids earlier this year, but the benefits are few on a 25 minute flight.  This time is different, but not in the way I expect.  As I wait to board in Tampa along with 4 colleagues from the Detroit Conference, John Boley from West Michigan, a clergy friend from Minnesota, and a United Methodist bishop from another conference, I suddenly become extremely uncomfortable.

My seat is on the aisle in the very front row, and my friends are going to march right past me into coach.  To be fair, I’ve spent the last 11 days sitting in the very back row of General Conference, so maybe when Jesus said that the last will be first, he was right.  Being first sure doesn’t feel right, though. 

I’m ready with my excuses as they file by me to the back, “I didn’t pay for first class.  I didn’t ask to be here.  I’m only here because I have silver medallion status.”  Ah, there’s that pesky word status again.  My colleagues are gracious, and one even says, “You’ve earned it by all those miles you fly for the church.”  I attempt a smile as I drink the bottled water that was waiting at my seat. 

The lunch is what does me in.  A flight attendant places a tray in front of me with a cloth placemat, and I am given a warm towel to wash my hands.  I am invited to choose between a roast beef sandwich and a chicken salad.  My jaw drops when the tray arrives with an elegant salad, mixed fruit, gourmet tortilla strips, a Dancing Bear Baking Company Chocolate Chunk Brownie, and individual ceramic salt and pepper shakers.  I can get used to this, I say to myself, as my friends in the back munch on miniscule packs of peanuts, pretzels, or cookies. 

After using a private first class restroom, I stretch out my legs, read a magazine, and say, “No, thank you,” 4 more times to the flight attendant who offers me whatever I want.   No wonder our kids never forgot their one experience in first class.  My food, however, is not digesting well, and my spirit is discomfited. 

Sitting in first class is antithetical to my values.  Why should I enjoy privileges that others don’t have?  If I had been sitting on a plane with all strangers, would I be feeling as embarrassed as I am in front of my friends, who put a human face on exclusion?  Sadly, the answer is no.  It’s dangerous to sit in the front row because I don’t have to look back, which renders everyone else behind me invisible.

That’s exactly the challenge we face in the church.  In light of my recent experience at General Conference, I wonder.  Whom are we continuing to exclude from the front row?   Did the U.S. delegates preserve our front row status by focusing on our own issues ad nauseam?  Did the unofficial makers of the Plan UMC that was declared unconstitutional compromise their restructuring proposal by excluding some of our constituencies?  Are we now going to relegate to the “coach seats” clergy who pastor part-time when we vote not to require our conferences to include them in the pension program?  Did we exclude international delegates when we spoke so fast that interpreters could not keep up?  Did we parade our front row status when we verged on the unethical in attempting to influence others to vote in a certain way?  Would we have been sending our retired bishops out to pasture had the approved petition to eliminate their presence from the Council of Bishops not been lost because we ran out of time? 

And what about our local churches?  Do we exclude others who don’t look, talk, act, think, dress, smell, or love like we do so that we don’t have to face the reality of our own prejudice?  Do we exclude people when we remain inside our doors and send a clear message, “If you gather the courage to come through our doors, we may welcome you, but we’re certainly not going to go looking for you.”  Do we exclude people when our worship services do not represent gender, racial/ethnic, age, socio-economic, and cultural diversity? 

Do we exclude people when we who are privileged to sit in the front row of this world not only refuse to mingle with those in the back, but won’t even look back?  Do we exclude people when we want to be in ministry for the poor rather than as a presence with the poor?

Do we exclude people when we label them as sinners without considering our own sin?

It’s easy to justify our own status and the exclusion of others when they are strangers.  When we choose to come face to face with those sitting in coach, however, we come face to face with a Jesus who said through the owner of the vineyard, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?  Or are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:15)

Oops.  Gotta go.  The flight attendant asks one more time if I want a drink, and I have to stow away my computer.  I need to be ready because I’m going to be the first one out.  Don’t want to delay anyone else’s connecting flights.  After all, I’m in the front row, and I haven’t dared to look into the faces of those in the back.  I did not share my salad and especially my brownie.  Nor did I offer to exchange seats with someone in the back row.  I enjoyed my privilege – until God messed with my heart in the front row.  Funny how those things happen.

Blessings,
Laurie

Henri Nouwen once said, “When we persevere with the help of a gentle discipline, we slowly come to hear the still, small voice and to feel the delicate breeze, and so to come to know the presence of Love.”

Today is our last day of General Conference, and we have many important issues yet to consider.  There is a sense of anticipation and anxiety as we realize what is ahead of us, knowing that because only 32% of the calendar items have been cared for, some of the issues we hold dear may not even come to the floor.  The still, small voice of God has been hidden at times this week by strident, partisan voices advocating our own agendas.  We will end up with a Discipline that will not seem gentle to everyone, but with the help of a gentle discipline of prayer, spiritual formation, and quiet perseverance, we move forward, knowing that the presence of Love goes with us.

A motion was made this morning that we reconsider our previous decision to combine the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (COSROW) with the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) and include this new Committee of Inclusiveness under the authority of the new General Council for Strategy and Oversight.  The reconsideration came because one of our core values in The United Methodist Church is to advocate for inclusiveness for women and people of color and challenge sexism, racism, and oppression at all levels of our church.

Proponents believed that COSROW and GCORR should remain separate and that the 2 agencies should be independent and not directly accountable to the General Council for Strategy and Oversight.  The body did not vote to change its previous decision, and I am concerned that with the elimination of the guaranteed appointments some of our colleagues who are women and people of color may be at risk.  At the same time I felt the delicate breeze of the Holy Spirit and am so proud of a denomination that cares for the very least in our midst.

First time delegates often leave General Conference both energized and disillusioned. They are encouraged by the faith, commitment, and far-reaching impact of the people and ministries of The United Methodist Church.  At the same time they are shocked at the intense lobbying and strategizing by various factions and are confused by the harsh ways in which we can treat those who disagree with us.  They are also discouraged by the snail’s pace at which we enact adaptive change in our denomination.

At the very moment I am writing this a 31 year old first-time delegate rose to address the General Conference.  She spoke of closed door meetings, systemic manipulation of the process, youth and young adults being ignored, and dismissive behavior which leads to fear and mistrust.  She said that this General Conference will be known as the time when we restructured but provided no formal place for young adult voices.  She ended by saying, “I love you, and Jesus calls all of us to do better together.”

General Conference is the church at its best and at its worst.  Spiritual maturity recognizes that perfection and imperfection are everywhere and that what benefits us may very well result in hardship or even injustice for others.  We will not fix everything.  We will not solve all of our problems. We will leave tomorrow, having done the best we could but knowing that we could have done far better.  It’s the human condition.

I pray that we have done the least harm as possible to others and the kingdom of God, although I’m not sure we’ve accomplished that goal.  I pray that we have done as much good as we possibly could – good not for ourselves, but for the church and for our world – so that we can live into a future where laity and clergy alike are empowered, equipped, and emboldened to bring in God’s kingdom.  Most of all, I pray that we will stay in love with God.  Ultimately, it’s about love of God, neighbor, and self, and it always has been.

“When we persevere with the help of a gentle discipline, we slowly come to hear the still, small voice and to feel the delicate breeze, and so to come to know the presence of Love.”

Taavi, are you bored?” I asked during a lull in the action at General Conference. Taavi is a district superintendent in Estonia and sits at my table in the very, very, very back row. He is one of five other tablemates, including Estonian lay delegate Meeli Tankler, Emilie Just (laity) and Jorgen Thaarup (clergy) from Denmark, and WMC lay delegate Laurie Dahlman.

What a joy it has been to meet and interact with United Methodists from other parts of the world. He said, “I’m not bored at the moment, but during the hour-long debate over a new pension program for the United States, I simply worked at my computer.” Jorgen said, “There is so much at General Conference that does not concern delegates from outside the United States. Central Conference delegates should not even be voting on issues that do not affect us. The U.S. should be a Central Conference where you can make your own decisions, just as we make our own decisions in the Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference. This is not a good use of money or time. We need a different way.”

During the dialogue around which pension program to adopt, I made an amendment that would mandate inclusion of all clergy who are half-time or more in the pension program. The petition coming out of the legislative committee stated that only full-time clergy were eligible to participate in the pension program but that individual annual conferences could extend coverage to clergy serving in ½ or ¾ time appointments.  I felt strongly that this was a justice issue and that clergy serving in these appointments deserved to participate, as is currently the case in the West Michigan Conference.

As debate ensued, my seatmates asked me, “Tell us what’s going on. How should we vote?” Jorgen said, “This is so different for us because in Denmark clergy receive our pension and health insurance from the government.” When a new pension program was adopted this afternoon, 41% of the delegates, international delegates from the Central Conference, were voting for something that did not apply to them in any way. Although the amendment failed, I trust that the West Michigan Conference will still provide pension benefits for ½ and ¾ time clergy.

Our morning plenary was emotionally draining as we considered a substitute motion from pastors at two of our largest churches, Adam Hamilton and Mike Slaughter. This motion would alter our Social Principles to state explicitly that we are not of one mind in The United Methodist Church around homosexuality. I was not expecting that we would remove the language from The Book of Discipline that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. I was hopeful, though, that this might be the General Conference where we are honest with ourselves that good and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ differ on this issue.

I was especially hopeful since the original motion came from the brightest and best of our youth and young adults leaders in The United Methodist Church. The discussion was respectful yet painful as we acknowledged that in Africa and the Philippines, many Methodist clergy and laity strongly oppose the practice of homosexuality. In the end, both the original and substitute petitions failed, prompting a peaceful demonstration on the floor of the plenary. When participants refused to leave after the break and kept singing as we attempted to work, the presiding bishop decided to cancel the rest of the morning session.

In the afternoon I found my new friend, Max Maregman, a pastor from the Philippines. Max sent an email to members of the Superintendency Legislative Committee several weeks before General Conference to introduce himself and connect with delegates ahead of time. When I replied to Max’s initial email, he wrote back, “I look forward to having a very fruitful and holy conferencing in spite of many differences we have.  I love The United Methodist Church because it is the only church in the world that is connectional. The cross and flame is our symbol of unity and love.  I trust that this logo will remain whatever happens in this General Conference, which will discuss and decide on a new structure.”

I asked Max this afternoon about his reaction to the morning’s debate around homosexuality and the resulting demonstration. He said, “I am very open and love all people.  I am very sympathetic to those who were demonstrating. However, in the Philippines we will not be able to evangelize if we go home and say that our church now condones the practice of homosexuality.

“This is your issue in the United States, but it not our issue in the Philippines. I hope that, in time, we will be more accepting of homosexuals, but we are not there yet. I also believe that different parts of the UM connection should be allowed to have different Social Principles.”

My tablemate Meeli said today, “It is interesting to be part of a big body, but many of your concerns are not our concerns, and many of our concerns are not your concerns. I want General Conference to do things that affect all United Methodist churches in our world.”

Over and over I am hearing, “It’s not working.” When The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church united in 1968, General Conference was almost solely for churches in the United States. 44 years later, we are still using the same model. Why?

What if we reimagined The United Methodist Church to be a truly global body where the United States would become a Central Conference, and Central (geographical) Conferences could determine social and polity issues unique to their context? Could General Conference shift its focus to emphasize our theological heritage, mission and vision, and strategic plans for making disciples of Jesus Christ to the end of the world?

“I love The United Methodist Church because it is the only church in the world that is connectional. The cross and flame is our symbol of unity and love.  I trust that this logo will remain whatever happens in this General Conference.”   Form follows function. What do we need out of General Conference? What could General Conference become? We need a different way.

Tuesday, May 2, 2012
RIDING THE GENERAL CONFERENCE DRAGON BOAT

I’d never heard of dragon boats before.  On the day before General Conference I took a walk along the water and saw a 45 foot boat filled with 20 young people paddling side by side in 10 rows.  An extra person in the back of the dragon boat stood on a platform and steered while another person sat in the front facing the rowers and beat a drum.  The steady rhythm of the drum was meant to keep the paddlers in synch with each other at the optimal stroke rate.

Dragon boat racing is a growing grassroots sport whose benefits far outweigh physical exercise.  When 20 people of varying ages, athletic ability, and skill levels move together in the same direction, encouraging and helping each other maintain a common rhythm, the dragon boat glides effortlessly through the water.   

The dragon boat of the 2012 General Conference is moving in many different directions at the moment.  As I write this in the late morning, General Conference delegates are working together as a committee of the whole to consider a restructuring proposal after the General Administration Legislative Committee failed to make a recommendation to the plenary.  A boat with 1,000 paddlers is a lot harder to steer than a boat with 80 paddlers, especially when few of us have had an opportunity to carefully examine the compromise proposal put together by an unofficial small group.  We’re just trying to find our rhythm now.  

The body’s will is that we make an effort to pass some sort of restructuring proposal.  A compromise petition may not be perfect, but it will reflect our hope and determination to move our denomination forward.  To go home without an enhanced structure relegates our denomination to 4 more years of the same when we cannot remain the same and thrive.

Was it coincidental that the theme of last night’s worship was “Ready for the Storm?”  As we pondered Mark’s story of Jesus walking on the water to the disciples, who were cowering in fear in their dragon boat, we were reminded of stormy times in our personal lives as well as the impending storm coming in today’s plenary.  A song in our new Worship and Song, expressed our collective anxiety as well as trust.

When the waves are crashing and my faith is drowning,
though I forget you, hold me, Lord.
When the cliffs are steepest and my hope is weakest,
Though I fail to trust you, hold me, Lord. 

The waves seem to be crashing around our General Conference dragon boat as some of us hold on for dear life, some just try to row harder, some attempt to slay the perceived dragons around them, and others work to rearrange the seats so that the global presence of our church is felt at all levels of our denomination.  Wherever we sit in the boat, however, the way forward is to ride the dragon rather than fight it.  That’s what General Conference has chosen to do.

In Robert Wick’s book Riding the Dragon; 10 Lessons for Inner Strength in Challenging Times, he refers to the Zen Masters, who advise their students to ride the dragon in hard times rather than try to kill it or keep it in its cave.  Rather than retreat, strike out, or withdraw, dare we see our dilemma as an opportunity, our apparent stalemate as possibility, and our fear as a sign of health?  Margaret Mitchell has said, “Every problem has two handles. You can grab it by the handle of fear or the handle of hope.”

We faced an historic moment right before lunch as we approved an amended restructuring proposal.  This new plan is not the more radical paradigm shift for which many delegates had hoped.  But it’s a start.

The challenge before us is to focus on adaptive leadership, wise use of resources, and fostering excellence at all levels of The United Methodist Church.  We will need to continue to hold ourselves accountable to exclusion and injustice, monitor our behavior, listen deeply, and speak truth gently as well as directly. 

God will make a way when there seems to be no way.  God will bring clarity out of chaos.  Jesus will come to us as we strain against our paddles in the dragon boat, walking on the water of our doubt and uncertainty, and saying gently, “Take heart.  It is I.  Do not be afraid.  Ride the dragon boat.  Engage the wind and the waves and the darkness, and you will find your future.”

“Jesus Savior, pilot me over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll, hiding rock and tempestuous shoal.
Chart and compass come from thee;
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.”
(used last night with permission, words by Edward Hopper, adapted by Chuck Bell)

Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The motion

Last night delegates split into continental gatherings in order to discuss the global nature of The United Methodist Church.  The phenomenal growth of The United Methodist Church outside the United States is exciting, yet it also presents challenges to a church that has been U.S.-centric for many years. 

In the U.S. gathering I found myself sitting with 2 people from the California-Pacific Conference and one person from the Detroit Conference.  Our dialogue centered around 4 questions. 

What are the advantages of being a worldwide church?  The global church:

• Enlarges our borders geographically as well as in our minds, hearts, and spirits
• Broadens our witness and mission
• Challenges our decline as well as our cherished traditions and calls us to reinvent ourselves
• Exposes us to the world’s struggles as our United Methodist brothers and sisters in the Central Conferences put a different face on the Christ we worship as Savior
• Prompts us to wrestle with what is fundamental and common to all of God’s children
• Raises awareness that decisions the U.S. church makes have an impact worldwide

What needs to be strengthened to maximize our fruitfulness and faithfulness?

• Leadership at all levels: we rise and fall with leadership
• Faith and skills development
• Cultural competency
• A commitment to unity in the midst of diversity: people want to be part of a church that embodies unconditional grace rather than a divisive spirit

How can we honor each other’s differences while strengthening our unity?

• Focus on prayer, repentance, and spiritual growth
• Understand cultural differences
• Discern how to honor differences when our Book of Discipline restricts us from doing that

How can we move toward more equitable sharing of power and representation around the world?

When we considered this last question, the light of Christ penetrated our hearts, and we realized that the very process we were engaging last night did not allow for an equitable sharing of power and representation.  Hundreds of people in the bleachers had no opportunity to participate, hence the following motion and rationale which I prepared to be shared on the floor of the plenary today.

Motion:
I move that we invite all people, delegates and visitors, to participate when we have times of holy conferencing at this or future General Conferences which are not official plenary sessions.

Rationale:
Last night we divided into continental groups to dialogue around the global nature of The United Methodist Church.  My group included Frank Wulf, Mele Maka, and Charles Boayue, and I speak on their behalf as well.  Our small group found last night’s holy conversation to be enriching, stimulating, and challenging.  When we were given the last question, “How can we move toward more equitable sharing of power and representation around the world?” we realized that not everyone was at the table who could have been there. 

The questions we were asked to consider were far bigger than just the delegates.  We were blessed with many visitors from North America who were sitting in the bleachers and believe that we would have benefitted greatly from listening to their experiences and insights into the nature of the church.  After all, the reason we are here, delegates and visitors alike, is because we are passionate about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, revitalizing The United Methodist Church, and transforming our world into the kingdom of God.  As Marcia McFee said last night, “It takes all of us in the boat to set sail.”  Thank you. 

My motion would not have affected the course of The United Methodist Church.  It was minor compared to the removal of the guaranteed appointment, which we approved on the consent calendar today, or the discussion around our social principles.  Yet it would have provided for the inclusion of all people in the proceedings of General Conference in a way that we haven’t practiced before.  Ultimately, General Conference has little relevance if we make decisions in a vacuum.

I made repeated attempts throughout the day to be recognized by waving my white paper but had no success.  After creatively fashioning a larger sign with 2 “No More Malaria” flyswatters and Commission on the Status and Role of Women stickers, I was finally seen and invited to make my motion.  The motion was defeated, but it will continue to live in my heart and ministry as I seek to learn from and welcome all people into the life of The United Methodist Church, here in Tampa, at home in Grand Rapids, and around the world. 

What a great church we have!

Monday, April 30, 2012  
The back row  

“The yellow card – way, way back there!”  We’re in the middle of a plenary session about term limits for bishops, and Bishop Schol calls upon a delegate to speak.  The reality is that the delegate is only ¾ of the way back.  I am sitting in the very, very, very back row of the voting area of the Tampa Convention Center, where the people on the stage look like flesh-colored ants.

Like back row lifers in local churches, we are rather anonymous.  However, unlike most back pew sitters, we really do want to be noticed.  We want to be recognized so that we can be a part of the process and share our wisdom.  We know that our leaders do care about us.  It’s just that we’re so far away no one can see us.  It’s almost futile.  We can wave our yellow, orange, and white cards.  We can rise from our seats, ask others to stand with us, and even do a song and dance, with absolutely no effect.

My back row buddies and I have discussed our dilemma, and we have decided that there could have been a better arrangement of the plenary space. Tables could have been arranged in a semi-circle, the rows could have been wider and shorter, and the leaders’ table could have been elevated a bit higher.  We could also benefit greatly from spotters in the back who could relay information to the presiding officers.

To be fair, life in the back row does have its advantages. We can see the neatly coiffed backs of a lot of heads, we are close to the peanut gallery of observers, and we can nod off without too many people noticing.  The marshals and pages are nearby to make sure we are not disruptive, but the trade-off is that we are the first ones out for snacks and bathroom breaks.

I’ve heard somewhere that the last will be first, and the first will be last.  Not so in this case.  As delegates wait for one glitch after another to be resolved, I’ve been fantasizing about tours I’ve been on where everyone moves two rows forward every day.  Now that’s an idea!!  Alas, I’ll never be called on to propose it as a motion, so I am resolved to remaining in the back row all week.

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a worship service where Dr. James Cone preached.  Dr. Cone, who is Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, has spent his life speaking truth on behalf of the marginalized, the oppressed, the forgotten, and the victims of racial injustice.  In his latest book, a memoir called The Cross and the Lynching Tree, Dr. Cone explores the symbolic connections between Jesus’ death on a cross and the crucified people of history.

How could whites lynch blacks on trees in the name of the cross of Jesus while blacks clung to that same cross as a symbol of salvation?  How could whites relegate blacks to the back seats of busses and theaters while blacks found hope in their very blackness?  How can churches proclaim the inclusive love of Jesus Christ when the vast majority of churches in our country have no racial diversity at all?

Another worship service took place last night at Washington Nationals Baseball Park.  It was a “Night of Hope with Joel and Victoria Osteen,” part of an 11-city tour.  Tens of thousands of people streamed into the park for a 3 hour super-sized extravaganza from America’s current icon of encouragement, positive joy, and the prosperity gospel. Osteen said, “You know when restaurants ask you whether you’d like to supersize it?  That’s what God’s like.  He wants to supersize it. He wants to supersize your joy.”

Unfortunately, those who are intentionally relegated to back rows of real life don’t often have much joy to supersize. The slow, the poor, the troublemakers, the left behind, the intimidated, and the cast-offs are not guaranteed the shallow, supersized joy that counts on one’s own worldly success.

This is exactly where my analogy breaks down.  I may be in the back row, but I still have a vote.  I may be in the back row, but I still count.  I may be in the back row, but I still remain within the bar.  I will never know the fear and despair of those who still experience the lynching tree/cross, those who are utterly powerless against their oppressors, those who cannot choose whether to be crucified with Christ or not.   The back row has much to teach me this week.

Greetings from General Conference 2012 in Tampa, Florida!  It is 8:30 a.m., and we have already begun voting on petitions brought to us by the 13 legislative committees, which worked diligently all last week.  I have been writing a daily blog while at General Conference called GC Dispatch and am including those 7 blogs here.  If you would like to receive the daily General Conference update prepared by our West Michigan Conference Director of Communications, Mark Doyal, and which includes my blog, please click here to register.  Click here to watch live streaming.

Please hold all of our delegates in prayer as we make critical decisions on behalf of The United Methodist Church.

Blessings,
Laurie

Sunday, April 29, 2012
Fix All

Every time I turn on my computer these days, I receive the following message, “Warning! PC Cleaner Pro has found 43,940 problems with my computer, including 2,049 system errors, 12,954 junk files, 23 privacy protection issues, 985 Malware problems, 5 PC Optimizer/System Tweaks, and 3 System Performance Problems. To fix the remaining 43,940 issues, click the “Fix All” button.”

Someday, when I have time, I’ll “fix all” on my computer with the click of a button. O, that it would be that easy to “fix all” in The United Methodist Church. It is Sunday, our Sabbath day at General Conference. I actually slept 8 hours last night instead of the 5-6 hours a night last week and the 5-6 hours a night I’ll get next week. Our bodies, minds, and spirits are numb because of the intensity of our work. We need a psychic break.

I speak for all of the delegates when I say that we love The United Methodist Church so much, we care so much about this legislative process, and we are so invested in the future of our denomination and our world that we just want to “fix all” – now. As results of legislative committee votes become known today, we realize that it’s not all going to be fixed.

One of the big surprises is that none of the restructuring proposals were approved by the General Administration Legislative Committee, prompting a liturgist in the worship service I attended this morning to say “We are United Methodists, and we are going nowhere!” The congregation erupted in gales of laughter, which reminded me of a quote by May Sarton, “We are able to laugh when we achieve detachment, if for only a moment.” That moment will be over tomorrow.

In my Superintendency Legislative Committee we had another extremely close vote yesterday on a major petition which would remove retired bishops as members of the Council of Bishops and make them members of the Jurisdictional College of Bishops out of which they were elected. Right now retired bishops are members of the Council of Bishops (COB) with voice but no vote. The rationale is partly financial, with some concerned about the cost of sending retired bishops to the twice a year COB meetings. Others believe that retired bishops wield too much influence in the COB. Still others value and wish to retain the experience, wisdom, and mentoring that retired bishops provide for their younger colleagues and for the church at large.

fter breaking up into small groups for discernment and extensive discussion as a full committee, we narrowly approved the petition, which will go to the plenary this coming week. This scenario has been repeated dozens of times in the other 12 legislative committees.

I am so proud of The United Methodist Church for the way in which we make decisions. We allow any group, local church, or one of our 12 million members to submit a petition for consideration. We insist on inclusivity, even though we don’t always practice it perfectly. We attempt to hear all voices, although some speak much more than others. We devote countless hours to legislation in committees then bring the petitions again to the plenary. A simple majority is needed for approval, except in the case of constitutional amendments, which need to be approved by annual conferences as well.

Several weeks ago we read in the news that Pope Benedict approved a crackdown on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which represents most of the 57,000 nuns in the United States. Evidently, the women are straying too far from Catholic doctrine, on gay marriage, abortion, and women’s ordination. The Vatican’s attempt at silencing liberal dissidents seems to “fix all” because of the authority of the Pope cannot be challenged. The result, however, is that with every retrenchment the Catholic Church loses more of its brightest, most passionate, and most faithful advocates for social justice and shalom. Does the Pope really believe that with one click he can “fix” the women as well as the church?

In The United Methodist Church we allow for freedom of thought and differences of opinion. In the end, however, General Conference will make decisions that will hurt, disappoint, and alienate some. We will not “fix all” with one click of our electronic voting pads. My prayer is that instead of trying to fix our denomination, we will instead focus on fixing ourselves. When that happens, the rest will fall into place.

Fix me Jesus, fix me Oh fix me,
oh fix me, oh fix me Fix me Jesus, fix me
Fix me for my home on high Fix me Jesus,
fix me Fix me for the by and by Fix me Jesus, fix me
Fix me for my starry crown Fix me Jesus,
fix me Fix me for a higher ground Fix me Jesus, fix me
Oh fix me, oh fix me, oh fix me Fix me Jesus,
fix me Fix me Jesus, fix me Oh fix me
(African American Spiritual)

Saturday, April 28, 2012
The Parking Lot

The last day of legislative committees found delegates working intently, purposefully, and prayerfully. We took 20 minute breaks every few hours, but much of the time we continued informal strategizing out in the halls. In the local church we call it “parking lot conversations.”

Such conversations are often suspect. Parking lot conversations before church meetings may result in new agendas items that are presented in committee meetings without having gone through agreed upon channels and are intended to subvert normal processes. Parking lot conversations after church meetings often focus on complaints about decisions that are made, but they can also be a normal way to process information.

At General Conference parking lot conversations are an essential part of our work. Faced with a mountain of material that must be dealt with in a sort amount of time, delegates often spend breaks reflecting upon what we’ve just done, bouncing ideas around, and figuring out how to break up log jams.

I participated in many parking lot conversations this week with legislative committee members, but sometimes the best way for an introvert like me to process information is to have a parking lot conversation with God. Last evening during our dinner break I picked up a subway salad and walked by myself for an hour along Tampa Bay. Clearing my mind of the day’s work, I watched and listened.

• Flying fish joyfully leaped out of the water: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
• The outline of a manta ray gliding just beneath the surface was barely visible: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
• Pelicans dive-bombed into the water for fish: “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people, but please be a little more gentle than pelicans.” (Mark 1:17, with liberty)
• A homeless man was lying in the sidewalk sleeping: “Lord, when did we see you…?” (Matthew 25:37)
• People are biking, walking, and running: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.” (Habakkuk 2:2)
• A mound of trash floated along the edge of the water: “For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.” (Romans 7:18) 

After my bayside conversation with God, my spirit was restored, and I was ready to participate in the evening Act of Repentance toward Healing Relationships with Indigenous People. God is not through with me yet.

My parking lot conversation at noon today was at a Justice Rally outside the Convention Center. The theme of the rally, sponsored by The UMC’s Task Force on Immigration and state and local groups, was “Profit From Pain Is Inhumane! Dignity Not Detention.” Many people are not aware that the private prison industry in the United States is growing and is being used to incarcerate immigrants.

The rally focused on opposition to the building of a 1,500-bed private immigrant detention center in Broward County, Florida. Over 350,000 immigrants are jailed in the United States, enduring terrible conditions, separation from their families, and treatment as criminals. Organizers claimed that the private prison industry is investing in putting more people into prison by encouraging state governments to send them prisoners and guarantee occupancy.

Bishop Minerva Carcaño, chair of the Immigration Task Force, said, “We believe that the for- profit prison system is a major contributor to the detention of immigrants without due process of law. This system contributes to the growing criminalization of entire migrant communities giving rise to racial profiling and the demonization of migrant communities. We believe this to be immoral and antithetical to our Christian faith.”

Another rally speaker said, “If you want to impress Jesus, you will advocate for the poor, the hungry, homeless, and the prisoner.” I turned to a friend and said, “This is where we find hope.” I thank God for a church that is not afraid to speak out against injustice and oppression wherever they are found.

It was quite a parking lot conversation, and it restored my perspective as we went back to our legislative petitions. When the last petition was voted upon, we offered our work to God. Our legislative committee was grateful for the clarity and energy to do the best that we could, at the same time recognizing that it was not perfect. We were prayerful and discerning and listened carefully to all voices. Somehow God used us.

Tomorrow is our Sabbath, a time for resting our weary bodies, minds, and spirits. Next week our legislative decisions will come to the plenary where they will be refined, bandied about in more parking lot conversations, and finalized. What will we have to show for all of this effort? Two new books! The Book of Discipline 2012 and The Book of Resolutions 2012.

But the new books are nothing compared to a new beginning, a new spirit, a new attitude, a new hope, a new vitality, a new commitment to shalom, a new church. God is not through with The United Methodist Church yet. I can’t wait for the parking lot conversations that lie ahead!

Friday, April 27, 2012
God Bless You

At the end of worship last night we were asked to lay hands on and offer prayers of healing for one another. With my seat mate I asked for prayers for all those in our world who are experiencing disappointment, despair, oppression, and hurt. I was thinking especially of the personal privilege granted during the evening plenary to Mark Miller, a gay man and delegate. Miller expressed deep pain resulting from small group holy conferencing the day before. During dialog around homosexuality, several people experienced rejection, shame, and even bullying by others. After Miller invited delegates to stand who have loved ones, family, and friends who are homosexuals, Bishops Hays offered a beautiful prayer.

My heart was pierced to think that some of our brothers and sisters might feel disenfranchised from the body of Christ. I was also remembering the previous night when Rev. Adam Hamilton described that one of the primary goals of the Call to Action is to raise up and invest in a new generation of clergy, specifically 2,000 young clergy in the next 10 years. Certainly, the health of our denomination is directly related to the effectiveness of our clergy. However, I have always been convinced that the power of The United Methodist Church is in the laity. Laity are our most under-utilized resource. We will rise or fall as a Holy Spirit-led movement because of laity who witness, model, teach, and encourage others by their grace, faith, and spiritual courage.

Every vital, healthy church that I have ever experienced is filled with laity who are trained, equipped, and empowered to use their spiritual gifts to grow the church. Those laity are pastored by clergy who are willing to adapt their leadership style to share ministry. Energized laity who envision new ministries that align with the church’s mission, find others to join them, and make a difference in their community and the world are the lifeblood of the church. How is it, then, that we speak of redirecting so many resources to young clergy development when the nurturing and equipping of laity, both young and old, will likely yield far greater results? Why do we keep alienating tens of thousands of highly gifted and faithful GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered) lay and clergy by inviting them into leadership only if they promise not to make a commitment to love another for life? And why is it that some of our United Methodist pastors will not permit partnered gay persons to become members?

The truth is that we can no longer afford to hoard ministry to ourselves and exclude those who are different, whether it’s gender, sexuality, skin color, socioeconomic status, or anything else. Obviously, it hasn’t worked for the last 40 years. Where might we be today if everyone was welcome to eat and drink at the table in the kingdom of God?  All of that was running through my mind when I left the plenary hall after worship and witnessed several hundred people wearing rainbow stoles and lining both of the main exits of the convention center. They were young, old, men, women, homosexual, heterosexual, lay, clergy.

Instinctively, I laid my hand on the first person’s head and said, “God bless you.” I went all the way down the line of 40 people and moved over to the other side. Even longer lines of rainbow stoled children of God stood at the other exit. Compelled to go there, I could not stop without blessing each one. Just as Jesus healed by touch, so touching their heads was meant to be a sacramental act of healing. When I touched heads, some smiled, some looked into my eyes, others looked straight ahead, and still others remained with heads bowed. Some had tears in their eyes or streaming down their faces. “God bless you.” “God bless you.” “God bless you.” All were fully present to the moment, including me. I was transformed.

The next moment I was heartsick. Watching delegates and visitors stream out of the exits, I saw some people totally ignoring those wearing stoles, as if they were invisible. Others wore steely or annoyed expressions on their faces and would not make eye contact. Several were chatting with friends and appeared not to notice. Some seemed sympathetic but did not know how to respond. A few stopped to interact. Years ago I decided that Jesus does not allow any of us to make exceptions about whom to love. Every day I struggle with the implications of that decision, but I am more clear than ever that if God can love a person like me, then I will covenant to love and honor everyone, with God’s help. God bless you.

Thursday, April 26, 2012
The Legislative Life

We got our feet wet with a few no-brainers, like a petition that clergy as well as laity are eligible to become bishops and another petition that district superintendents not serve in their own conference but in adjoining conferences. Then we hopped right in to episcopal term limits.

I am a member of the Superintendency Legislative Committee, which has 62 members. There are lay and clergy members, and U.S members and members from Central Conferences outside the US. We have a white clergywoman chair, an African clergyman vice-chair, and a white lay young adult male secretary. Since you are likely a United Methodist, you understand the high value that we place on exclusivity in everything that we do. We have a number of translators for those whose first language is not English, and those of us who speak English are learning to speak slowly. We are all mindful that every voice matters and is needed in order to reflect the fullness of The United Methodist Church.

We have 43 petitions and 3 long days to thoroughly digest, discuss, and then refer, amend, approve, or disapprove each petition. 5 petitions deal with term limits for bishops, one of which comes from our West Michigan Annual Conference. Last June we approved a petition that says, in part, “Bishops of The United Methodist Church shall be elected for terms of 4 years and are subject to re-election by the Jurisdictional Conferences that elected them….”

Our process today included breaking up into small groups to carefully consider all 5 petitions, how they are alike and how they differ. My group had 5 people, none of whom were from the U.S. except for me. I learned that central conferences have varying practices around episcopal term limits. In Germany bishops are elected for 4 years and can be re-elected for another 8 years for a total of 12 years. In Poland bishops are elected for life as they are in the U.S. In the Ukraine bishops are elected for 6 years but can serve no more than 12 years. In Nigeria bishops serve within their own annual conference with a term of no longer than 8 years. My international colleagues in this small group all agreed that our denomination needs flexibility around term limits between U.S. Jurisdictions and Central Conferences because of our unique contexts.

After lunch we engaged in philosophical and heart-felt discussion about the purpose of term limits for our bishops. What does it mean to be a bishop? Is the episcopacy another order, or are bishops simply elders who are elected for a period time and then go back into a local church?

Should there be episcopal term limits because of accountability, ineffectiveness, finances, power, or something else? It was important to hear from an African delegate about how power is often misused among leaders in Africa. Others reminded us that that continuity of effective leadership contributes to vital ministry at every level of the church.

We recognized that terms limits might result in unintended consequences for bishops who are women and/or people of color. We also acknowledged that legislating episcopal effectiveness as a way of dealing with ineffective bishops disregards our responsibility to carefully discern the gifts and graces of episcopal candidates before they are elected. It also lets us off the hook for providing appropriate accountability, mentoring, and coaching for active bishops.

The petition upon which we voted would be an amendment to the Constitution of the United Methodist Church and said, “The bishops of The Methodist Church elected by the jurisdictions, the active bishops of The Evangelical United Brethren Church at the time of union, and bishops elected by the jurisdictions shall have life tenure a term of office limited to eight years, with the possibility of one re-election. Each bishop elected by a central conference of The United Methodist Church shall have such tenure as the central conference electing him shall have determined.”

The vote was 25 for the amendment, 28 against the amendment, and 7 abstentions. There is a provision for a minority report signed by 10 persons or 10% of the legislative committee membership (whichever is less) who voted against the proposal. They must notify the chair within 2 hours of final committee action. The committee and minority reports will be submitted and presented together in the Daily Christian Advocate and will be considered in plenary next week.

The legislative life continues. It’s late afternoon, and we have now moved on to the set-aside bishop, which is generating equally lively dialog. Please continue to pray for all of the delegates, that we will be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit as we make significant decisions for the future of our beloved church.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012
DISCIPLINE

As I listened to Bishop Peter Weaver’s Episcopal Address this morning, I heard him reference the importance of local churches engaging in “disciplining” ministries and finally made the connection. “Disciplining, “disciple,” and “discipline” are interrelated.

What compels people to become disciples of Jesus Christ today is not ultimately bridge clubs, softball teams, or working in soup kitchens, although each of these activities may open a door to the church.

What people are searching for is discipleship. They yearn to hear the stories of Jesus, learn what it means to give themselves away for the sake of Christ and the world, and then make a conscious decision to live in Christ-like discipleship. Bishop Weaver put it this way, “Do we want calcified Christians or crucified Christians?” I much prefer the latter.

When we say that we are a disciple of someone or something, it means that we adhere to the teachings of a particular person or system of belief. In the same way a disciple of Christ submits to the discipline of Jesus, the Master Teacher and Savior. No one doubts that a life of faith entails the rigor of discipline.

Few of us will ever approach John Wesley’s discipline, but we carry his legacy within us as United Methodists. As we heard this morning in the Laity Addresses, in order to live for Christ, a part of us has to die. Do we have the discipline to let go of pride, envy, status, riches, or security in order to follow Christ? What spiritual disciplines do our local churches have to practice in order to transform themselves into agents of hope and healing in our world?

United Methodists seem to have a love/hate relationship with the idea of discipline. Perhaps it’s because our denomination is guided by The Book of Discipline. Certainly, we need rules so that we can order ourselves as a denomination. In fact, we spent last night and much of the morning haggling over the rules that will guide our General Conference 2012. Despite the silent pleas of some to “just get on with it,” we understood the importance of ensuring that effective systems are in place to facilitate our work and, ultimately, our mission. At the same time, we must not let The Book of Discipline drive our mission. Legislative committees were organized this afternoon. I am in the Superintendency Legislative Committee, and I pray that the legislation we pass will be a catalyst for the adaptive change mandated by our mission, which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Mission should drive discipline (especially The Book of Discipline) and not the other way around.

Last weekend I spent 2 days with my grandson in Sarasota. Ezra is a curious bundle of energy who can get out of control at times, like most 3 year olds. Like the time when we were shopping for clothes and Ezra insisted that we buy him 2 nondescript plastic cups that were worth pennies. I outfitted Ezra with many summer clothes, but he didn’t care one bit. Despite dozens of gentle and then very direct reminders that we would not buy him the cups, Ezra carried them around the store until the bitter end when he dissolved into a massive fit.

Ezra doesn’t know this yet, but discipline does not burden us. Rather, it lightens our load. Ezra is most fortunate to have parents who know what is best for him and lovingly teach him self-control. Discipline helps us to become mature healthy persons who are able to delay gratification and say “no” to ourselves in order to say “yes” to what is far better. In the same way, the hours we spent in the last 2 days perfecting our rules will free us to function more effectively in the days ahead at General Conference. Pray for us!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012
INTERSECTIONS

“Look for the intersections,” we were urged this morning in a briefing for young people, women, and people of color. When we welcome people who are at the margins of our church and world to the center, the intersection that results moves us to a collective future. Those at the margins are our agents of change. Yet the patterns of intersection that we create also expose an interlocking web of exclusion that threatens to divide if we are not self-aware and intentional about inclusion.

Earlier in the morning we had a meeting for chairs of the delegations. It was only after we started that the leaders realized there were no translators available for delegates for whom English is not their first language. It was one of those glitches that happen in a large and complex international conference, yet it also made a statement about our US dominated denomination. In addition, we were startled to hear that some conferences from other countries did not have full delegations because of visa problems, and almost all could not afford to pay travel costs for reserve delegates. A built-in inequity will not allow full and equal representation of all our constituencies.

The mid-morning briefing emphasized the fact that our church does not reflect our world. The percentage of people of color, young people, people whose first language is not English, and women in The United Methodist Church is far less than that of our world. Harriet Olson, Deputy General Secretary of United Methodist Women, reflected on words of challenge offered by 16 year old Sam Sim, a reserve delegate in his conference. She said that there will be 10 more General Conferences (every 4 years) before Sam reaches the age of the average member of The United Methodist Church, 56.

She asked, “What will the world look like 40 years from now? What will The United Methodist Church look like 40 years from now? Most important, what will General Conference do in the next 11 days to create the church of the future, where The United Methodist Church truly reflects the world that we are serving? How can our denomination intersect with tomorrow’s world if we don’t begin right now? Can we create a transformed world that Sam can live in and lead 10 General Conferences from now?”

As we begin working in legislative committees tomorrow afternoon, I am committed to looking at our task with new eyes. I pledge to look at all of our petitions through the eyes of those who are marginalized and often relegated to the back of the room rather than through my own eyes. And I am going to ask different questions, “What role does gender or ethnicity play in this petition? Does the petition unwittingly pit one group against another? Are we using language that unintentionally hurts or excludes others? Who will the petition benefit? How can we assure that all voices are heard in the discussion? How can we respect and honor cultural differences?”

I pray that in the next 11 days all eyes will be peeled to the margins so that we can seek shalom at the intersections of General Conference.

Monday, April 23, 2012
WELCOME UNITED METHODISTS!

A big smile crosses my face as I walk toward the baggage claim at the Tampa airport on Saturday and see the sign, “Welcome United Methodists GC 2012.” As I retrieve my suitcase, I chat with 2 Africans who were on my flight from Atlanta, are serving as translators, and are headed to a 5 hour orientation. The woman says, “It’s so much easier for the international delegates to follow what’s going on when they don’t have to worry about understanding every nuance of the English language. It is a joy to help them.” I can’t wait to meet other new friends from around the world and be inspired by their faith and witness.

On Monday I register and wander through the empty plenary hall, praying for each delegate, worker, volunteer, and visitor. I imagine what it will be like during opening worship tomorrow with thousands of United Methodists uniting hearts in praise and possibility.

There is a fierce wind all day in Tampa, a sure sign that the Holy Spirit is moving for a few weeks in to blow us out of our complacence onto the Potter’s wheel for God to mold and shape over the next 11 days. I see ReThink banners fluttering all over the downtown area. I wonder what the citizens of Tampa think when they read them. I see children playing in a park. How will The United Methodist Church influence their future? I see welcome signs in local restaurants. Will we be signs of grace as they serve us?

How will this General Conference make a difference in our local churches?

• If the Call to Action restructuring proposal or an amended proposal passes, the emphasis on directing attention toward the creation of vital local congregations will filter down to increases resourcing of local churches.
• If the petition for a “set aside bishop” is passed, residential bishops will spend most of their time helping to create vital churches in their own conference(s).
• If General Conference supports the continuation of ethnic initiatives and the creation of new churches, the ripple effect of the energy and vision of new faith communities will revitalize our existing churches as well.
• If the guaranteed appointment is removed or altered, raising the bar on clergy effectiveness will ensure more skilled clergy for our local churches.
• If General Conference approves the $603,100,000 proposed budget, the 6.6% reduction over 4 years will slightly decrease general church apportionments for local churches.

Most of all, the attitude, passion, and focused vision of this General Conference will change our denomination – and the world.

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