The Conference met for two weeks. Among the many things the Conference accomplished:
- Worshiped daily in ways that represented United Methodists from all over the world
- Set a budget of $604 million for the next four years, slightly higher than 2012-2016
- Opened a new provisional Annual Conference in Rawanda
- Approved appointing 4 new African Bishops in 2020
- Approved a study group to start designing a new United Methodist Hymnal (The last addition was in 1989. The new hymnal will be available for electronic download and printing.)
- Approved a constitutional amendment to add "gender" and "age" to the list of qualities that will not be discriminated against in the life, worship and governance of the local church. (This amendment will need 2/3 approval from the Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church in 2017)
- Filled positions on many boards and committees for the church
- Adopted a resolution to oppose team mascots that demean Native American people
- Celebrated the amazing progress of the "No More Malaria" campaign to reduce malaria in developing countries.
The issue that many expected would be explosive at the General Conference was the cause for much debate and protest. Currently, the United Methodist Discipline states that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. United Methodist Clergy are not to be "self-professed, practicing homosexuals" nor can clergy perform same-gender marriages. The Discipline also states that all people are of sacred worth. There was a movement by many delegates to end the prohibition on same-gender marriage and to open up clergy ordination and appointment to all people. There were also many delegates who wanted to keep the Discipline wording as is.
Political strategy and debate around this issue was vigorous. In the end, the General Conference passed a resolution to allow the bishops of the United Methodist Church to appoint a commission to study what action should be taken regarding the church's stand on human sexuality. The commission will report to the members of the General Conference in two to three years.
This decision to defer a vote on this topic has left many United Methodist frustrated, both those that do not want change and those that do. For many, this issue was the main news coming from General Conference. (You will find a more detailed summary of General Conference and more news articles here.)
As I watched General Conference through live stream broadcast, I was frustrated as well. My greatest personal disappointment was not with how the issue of human sexuality was debated or deferred. I was frustrated because I wanted to hear more discussion and see more action toward ending the decline of the United Methodist Church in the United States. As Brighton First works to be a "turn around church" through Vital Church Initiative, we devote great amounts of time and resources to being creating and leading vital ministry in the name of Jesus Christ. I cannot imagine what effort it will take to turn around an entire denomination that is in decline. Unfortunately, I did not see our greatest effort placed in that direction at General Conference.
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| Jeremy Rosado led the singing of “Able.” The song is a gift to The United Methodist Church. Photo by Kathleen Barry, United Methodist Communications. |
Toward the end of the two-week conference, I heard a song that was commissioned to celebrate the success of the No More Malaria Campaign. It was introduced at General Conference by recording artist Jeremy Rosado. This joyful song reminded me that God can take any situation and redeem it. God can indeed do more than we can ask or imagine. While I am concerned about the future direction of the United Methodist Church, I am also confident that God will lead us. I invite you to listen to "Able" and know that God's promises will outlast and out-inspire anything that we can do ourselves.
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