McHenry County Blog

Whenever homosexuals win a victory, it is trumpeted all over the media.

At the world convention of the United Methodist Church in Tampa this week, the homosexual agenda took a beating, however, and I couldn’t find a line of type in the Chicago Tribune today.

That, even though there was a major article on which religions were growing and which were declining in Illinois, complete with county-by-county maps for (in descending order of Illinois membership) Roman Catholics, Evangelicals, Muslim, Methodists and Southern Baptists.

The Methodist Church’s Book of Discipline “does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching” and does not allow “a self-avowed practicing homosexual” to be a pastor.

However, as a commentator for Good News puts it, the church “affirms the ‘sacred worth’ of all persons even while acknowledging that as Christians we cannot affirm every expression of human sexuality.”

Two days ago (Wednesday) a resolution supported by the Love Your Neighbor Coalition to dilute Methodist policy was defeated 53%-47%.

Another resolution to eliminate the statement that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching” failed 61%-39%.

Moderates offered a compromise similar to one defeated four years ago which would state Methodists agreed to disagree on the issue, but that was defeated by a similar margin.

Afterwards the homosexuals took over the convention floor to demonstrate their frustrations (or “Temper Tantrum,” as the Institute for Religion and Democracy puts it.)

Although neither the Chicago Tribune or Sun-Times could find space.

Neither could the Northwest Herald or the Daily Herald.

The New York Times, however, ran an article:

Methodists Keep Stricture on Homosexualitys

USA Today also ran an article, written by Associated Press:

Methodists vote to keep stand against same-sex relationships

In other mainline Protestant denominations, The Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the homosexual agenda has held sway of the position of theological conservatives.

One of the groups in the winning, Good News, issued the following statement:

Pain and Protest

For ten previous General Conferences (1972-2008), the issue of homosexuality has absorbed increased time and energy and caused deep division in the church.

This General Conference was the tenth such time.

Veterans of previous General Conferences come prepared for the drumbeats of protest, the rainbow stoles designating us vs. them, and the tears that accompany the vote of the General Conference.

Although we do not agree with those who would change United Methodism’s stance on homosexuality, we do not take their tears lightly.

It is grevious that General Conference has become a place of such pain and protest. The sorrow is profound and will not be healed easily.

We know that the protesters and their supporters are hurt and upset at the direction, once again, that our denomination has taken.

We do not celebrate in their pain.

Most would agree that the orchestrated protest is not what John Wesley had in mind when he spoke of holy conferencing.

For first-time visitors, the experience can be overwhelming and dramatic.

For many of the Central Conference delegates, it is difficult to comprehend.

There were ceremonial arrests in Cleveland and a broken African communion chalice in Pittsburgh.

In Fort Worth, it was

• the chalk outlines,
• a lesbian wedding in the park, and
• a funeral shroud over the communion table.

One need not be a sacramentalist to find it exasperating to see the elements of the Lord’s Supper once again used as political theater.

When well-known, inspirational hymns are sung as a means of promoting a gay-rights agenda, delegates and observers are placed in the undeniably strange position of singing along with a protest that they may not have supported or observing in silence.

Yet after

• numerous dialogues,
• at least two General Church study commissions,
• official study resources,
• dozens of convocations,
• piles of books,
• demonstrations and
• disruptions of the General Conference business, and
• extended impassioned debate,

our denomination has consistently affirmed a holistic position that is pastoral and biblical, compassionate and redemptive.

United Methodism’s statement is a balanced and nuanced position that affirms the “sacred worth” of all persons even while acknowledging that as Christians we cannot affirm every expression of human sexuality.

After all, there are certain sexual practices that contradict biblical standards and as faithful disciples we must be willing to declare them to be incompatible with Christian teachings.

The United Methodist position does that with mercy and grace.

To a watching world and local churches at home, it is a statement of ethical stability in an age of murky morality.

It is a statement of theological honesty in an age of religious ambiguity.

It is a prophetic statement to a world that offers no boundaries to sexual expression.

To young people, our statement may provide a necessary guardrail to protect them from sexual brokenness.

The biblically prophetic message has always been more interested in truth and transformation than in consensus and conformity to mob-rule morality.

What the world often finds excusable and acceptable, the church does not and cannot.

In the interest of reaffirming our stance on human sexuality, we must admit that we have not always shown love for those who struggle with same-sex attraction.

In far too many of these highly-charged denominational gatherings, the temptation has been to view one another in the “us vs. them” mentality.

Sometimes our words and actions weighed heavier on “incompatible with Christian teaching” than on “persons of sacred worth.”

That was never our intent.

Despite that, we apologize.

This is not to paper over legitimate differences of opinion that we have regarding

• sexual ethics,
• the authority of Scripture, and
• the role of boundaries in the UM Church.

We probably will not change one another’s minds.

Nevertheless, we are grieved that what has been lost in the debate over homosexuality since 1972 is the potential for ministry to those who struggle with sexual brokenness.

Even though our denominational debates usually focus exclusively on homosexuality, United Methodism must begin to learn how to provide effective and compassionate ministry to all persons who struggle with their sexuality-whether it be heterosexual or homosexual.

We live in a hypersexualized culture and United Methodism must deal seriously-and here we are speaking to conservatives as well as liberals and moderates-with the crippling spiritual devastation that sexual brokenness brings into our local congregations.

Many who sit next to us in our pews have been victimized by sexual abuse or by an unfaithful spouse.

Others in our congregations

• struggle with promiscuity,
• are addicted to pornography,
• suffer with sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS,
• are confused about their sexual identity, or
• wrestle with same-sex attractions.

They all need to know that the United Methodist Church is prepared to minister to their needs. Right now, we are woefully ill-prepared.

In the midst of our sexual brokenness, the Bible says,

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear!” (Isaiah 59:1)

The United Methodist Church was birthed as a Holy Spirit movement that believed in the power of God to transform the lives of all those who struggle with sin–homosexual or heterosexual.

Through a biblical ministry of mercy and grace, we must be a church that welcomes the sexually broken and confused.

We must be a church that stands with those who seek

• healing,
• wholeness, and
• holiness

in their sexuality.

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Other articles that may be of interest:

• 4/24/12 Methodist Convention This Week in Tampa – Unity Not on the Agenda
• 4/27/12 The Disconnect Between American Liberals and Africans in Tampa’s Methodist Convention
• 4/28/12 Conservative Methodists Making Headway in World Conference, Big Fight on Homosexuality in Offing
• 4/29/12 Update from United Methodist Church General Conference in Tampa – Conservatives Winning Most Votes, Setbacks for Abortion & Israeli Divestment Supporters
• 4/30/12 Good News Reports Most Endorsed Candidates for Methodist “Supreme Court,” University Senate Win
• 4/30/12 Conservatives Take Three of Four Vacancies on Methodist Judicial Council, Vote on Homosexuality Imminent
• 5/2/12 Methodists Vote Almost 3-1 Against Ending Investments (Divestment) in Motorola and CAT, Proportional Representation for Africans on Ruling Bodies, Preacher Tenure Ended
• 5/3/12 53% Reject Homosexual Liberalization at Tampa World Methodist Conference
• 5/3/12 Homosexuals Take over Methodist Tampa Convention Floor after Losing Vote
• 5/4/12 Coverage of Conservative Methodists’ Victory over Homosexual Activists Missing in Newspapers

Shortly after noon, the following email arrived from the United Methodist Church group Good News:

After a very emotional morning of debate on the General Conference floor regarding homosexuality, hundreds of onlooking demonstrators crossed the bar of the conference right before the morning break in order to occupy the middle of the convention center.

The demonstrators – delegates and non-delegates – began singing and serving communion to one another.

When the morning plenary session was called back to order, the demonstrators refused to leave the General Conference floor. Presiding Bishop Michael Coyner politely asked the group several times to disperse. They ignored his pleas and continued singing while reports were given from the stage.

Finally, Bishop Coyner closed the session because the demonstrators refused to leave the space marked off for delegates.

The session will resume at 2 p.m.

We are asking for you to pray that God would grant our leaders wisdom in dealing with this issue and that a spirit of peace would reside over the Tampa Convention Center and that the Holy Spirit would lead the General Conference.

If you would like to receive an introductory issue of Good News free of charge, please request it at info@goodnewsmag.org.  

 Thank You  

If you would like to be a part of Good News’ prayer ministry and receive monthly prayer updates, please email Ginny@goodnewsmag.org

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Good News has an article by Karen Booth about the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force targeted the Methodist and other mainline churches with democratic ruling structures because they were “the backbone of American religion.”

These “denominations’ general assemblies and conferences were identified as the best settings to introduce and foster proposals for the revision of Christian sexual ethics.”

There’s much more but these two paragraphs might proved instructive:

“The Common Witness Coalition’s Love Thy Neighbor emphasis is the latest stage of the United Methodist version of BOL. According to the Reconciling Ministries Network’s online program manual, BOL trained volunteers hoped to meet with all 600+ United States delegates to General Conference to tell their stories and advocate for full inclusion of LGBT persons.

“Many of these same volunteers are onsite here in Tampa engaging in protest and distributing a multi-page daily paper that is published by former GLAAD staffer, Ann Craig. (GLAAD’s web site has also announced that staffers are onsite to coordinate the Common Witness Coalition’s media campaign.)”

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Other articles that may be of interest:

• 4/24/12 Methodist Convention This Week in Tampa – Unity Not on the Agenda
• 4/27/12 The Disconnect Between American Liberals and Africans in Tampa’s Methodist Convention
• 4/28/12 Conservative Methodists Making Headway in World Conference, Big Fight on Homosexuality in Offing
• 4/29/12 Update from United Methodist Church General Conference in Tampa – Conservatives Winning Most Votes, Setbacks for Abortion & Israeli Divestment Supporters
• 4/30/12 Good News Reports Most Endorsed Candidates for Methodist “Supreme Court,” University Senate Win
• 4/30/12 Conservatives Take Three of Four Vacancies on Methodist Judicial Council, Vote on Homosexuality Imminent
• 5/2/12 Methodists Vote Almost 3-1 Against Ending Investments (Divestment) in Motorola and CAT, Proportional Representation for Africans on Ruling Bodies, Preacher Tenure Ended
• 5/3/12 53% Reject Homosexual Liberalization at Tampa World Methodist Conference
• 5/3/12 Homosexuals Take over Methodist Tampa Convention Floor after Losing Vote
• 5/4/12 Coverage of Conservative Methodists’ Victory over Homosexual Activists Missing

Just in from the Confessing Movement web site:

Thursday, May 3 – Day 9 of General Conference

Update, 10:45 am:

The full petition regarding human sexuality has been defeated with 368 votes in favor and 572 votes against.  As delegates prepared to take a brief break, once again the supporters of GLBT entered the restricted area.

Update, 9:56 am:

Adam Hamilton’s amendment was defeated with 439 votes in favor and 531 votes against.

UPDATE, 9:20 am:

At 9:20 am the debate on homosexuality began.

A number of people wearing rainbow stoles representing gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual individuals are standing around the area just outside the area restricted for delegates and officials.

Adam Hamilton has presented his motion to add language to the Discipline to indicate United Methodists agree to disagree on issues related to homosexuality.

Dr. Maxie Dunnam, Confessing Movement board member, has spoken against the motion  The debate continues.

6:45 am.  - Today is a very important day at General Conference.

All of the sexuality issues are on the agenda.

The first petition to be considered deals with homosexuality.

Adam Hamilton, pastor at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, asked yesterday to have his amendment printed for today’s agenda.

His petition would add language to the Discipline that would say we agree to disagree on homosexuality.

That language makes other church language essentially void.

Maxie Dunnam, Eddie Fox, and others will oppose the Hamilton amendment.

However, the presiding bishop must recognize an individual before they can speak.

Please pray for General Conference on this National Day of Prayer.

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Mark Tooley of the Institute for Religion and Democracy has this to say about the debate and vote:

“This morning at about 10 am the United Methodist General Conference defeated a motion from Kansas minister Adam Hamilton to acknowledge that United Methodists disagree on homosexuality.

“The motion, co-originated with Ohio minister Mike Slaughter, was defeated by about 53 percent to 47 percent.

“Nearly 30 percent of delegates are from Africa, where United Methodism is solidly conservative theologically.

“Nearly 10 percent come from elsewhere overseas, mostly Europe and the Philippines.

“Of the 60 percent of delegates who are from the U.S., about one-third are believed to be evangelical.

“The vote revealed a majority coalition of Africans, U.S. evangelicals, and some other overseas delegates.

“The Adam Hamilton motion was considered the strongest attempt to dilute the United Methodist Church’s current stance that homosexual practice is “incompatible with Christian teaching.”

“The church prohibits same-sex unions and precludes actively homosexual clergy, expecting all clergy to be celibate if single and monogamous if in a marriage between man and woman. Legislative committees last week recommended retaining these current stances.

“Almost certainly, after the defeat of Hamilton’s motion, the full General Conference will reaffirm its current teachings on

• marriage,
• sexual ethics and
• homosexuality.

“The growth of United Methodism in Africa, where there are now over 4 million church members, has helped to ensure that the denomination has not followed other U.S. denominations in liberalizing their sexual standards.”

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Other articles that may be of interest:

• 4/24/12 Methodist Convention This Week in Tampa – Unity Not on the Agenda
• 4/27/12 The Disconnect Between American Liberals and Africans in Tampa’s Methodist Convention
• 4/28/12 Conservative Methodists Making Headway in World Conference, Big Fight on Homosexuality in Offing
• 4/29/12 Update from United Methodist Church General Conference in Tampa – Conservatives Winning Most Votes, Setbacks for Abortion & Israeli Divestment Supporters
• 4/30/12 Good News Reports Most Endorsed Candidates for Methodist “Supreme Court,” University Senate Win
• 4/30/12 Conservatives Take Three of Four Vacancies on Methodist Judicial Council, Vote on Homosexuality Imminent
• 5/2/12 Methodists Vote Almost 3-1 Against Ending Investments (Divestment) in Motorola and CAT, Proportional Representation for Africans on Ruling Bodies, Preacher Tenure Ended
• 5/2/12 Homosexuals Take over Methodist Tampa Convention Floor after Losing Vote
• 5/3/12 53% Reject Homosexual Liberalization at Tampa World Methodist Conference
• 5/3/12 Homosexuals Take over Methodist Tampa Convention Floor after Losing Vote
• 5/4/12 Coverage of Conservative Methodists’ Victory over Homosexual Activists Missing

The big news out of the Tampa’s Methodist convention

• for friends of Israel and
• for those who know the impact of Motorola and Caterpillar on the Illinois economy

is the overwhelming defeat of liberal efforts to force Methodist investments out of those and other companies doing business with Israel.

The Institute of Religion and Democracy leads with that outcome of the meeting in its May 2nd report:

Good News! Despite massive lobbying by dozens of yellow shirted anti-Israel activists, the United Methodist General Conference decisively rejected anti-Israel divestment today by 685 to 246.

Sometimes the debate language was ugly.

One Western [West Coast U.S.] Jurisdiction delegate likened United Methodist policy to supporting firms helping Nazi Germany conduct the Holocaust.

So much for temperate argument.

But good sense prevailed in the final vote.

Here’s Jeff Walton’s report on yesterday’s rally for anti-Israel divestment featuring a United Methodist missionary claim he was more “conservative” than Billy Graham even as he speechified in the gay advocacy rally tent.

Debates over marriage, sexual ethics and homosexuality are expected tomorrow. Here’s Bart Gingerich’s report on a speech touting “queer people” here by radical theologian James Cone of Union Seminary.

And here’s a report from Jeff Walton about a “Church Within a Church” event for gay clergy who have unofficial ordinations.

Bart Gingerich blogged about hyper political correctness at General Conference.

But overall, the news here is mostly good.

United Methodism is slowly moving away from dying North American liberal Protestantism and towards growing, biblical Global South Christianity.

In the church restructuring approved today, overseas churches’ representation on church agency boards will increase from 10 percent to over 30 percent, more in line with their membership.

Long overdue!

Please keep praying, especially tomorrow.

With appreciation,

Mark Tooley
IRD President
Director, UMAction

P.S.: Please stand with us with a special online donation today, easily made here. We rely on you!

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Below is what the group Good News is reporting:

The 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church has been slowly dealing with legislative issues under the watchful eye of silent protesters.

As time is quickly slipping away, delegates are feeling the pressure to make the next several days really count since so many of the big-ticket issues have not been dealt with.

We have been hosting our Briefing Breakfasts every morning this week for the delegates, monitoring the legislation on the floor of the General Conference, and distributing our daily newsletter [newsletters are here] outside the convention center.

If you are watching the General Conference via live streaming and want to see a legislation tracking guide of issues of interest to the Renewal and Reform Coalition, click HERE.

The big agenda today is supposed to be the new Restructure Proposal called PlanUMC. You can read it HERE

Some of the actions that warrant your attention:

• Delegates voted to end the guaranteed appointment of United Methodist elders. To learn more, click HERE.
• Delegates decided not to approve a petition that would have created a new full-time role for the president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops. To learn more, click HERE.
• Delegates revised the Social Principles statement on abortion to say, “We mourn and are committed to the diminishment of high abortion rates.”
• Churches are encouraged to provide “age-appropriate sexuality education, advocacy in regard to contraception, and support of initiatives that enhance the quality of life for all women and girls around the globe.”
• Churches are also encouraged to support “crisis pregnancy centers and pregnancy resource centers that compassionately help women explore all options related to unplanned pregnancy.”
• Delegates opposed, 407 to 383, a longer preamble proposed for the Social Principles by a legislative committee. They agreed with a minority report that affirms “our unity in Jesus Christ while acknowledging differences in applying our faith in different cultural contexts as we live out the gospel.”
• Voting 532 to 414, delegates in a May 1 plenary session added a clause, “We stand united in declaring our faith that God’s grace is available to all — that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.”
• Delegates created an additional episcopal area in the Congo Central Conference, increasing the number of bishops in the area from three to four.
• Delegates celebrated an April 30 decision to enter into full communion with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Union Methodist Protestant Church and the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church. To learn more, click HERE.

We covet your prayers for our United Methodist Church.

If you would like to receive an introductory issue of Good News free of charge, please request it at info@goodnewsmag.org.

Thank You

Thank you for your prayers and the financial support that sustain this ministry. Your support and participation make it possible for Good News to be your advocate for Scriptural Christianity within the United Methodist Church and beyond.

If you would like to subscribe to Perspective, click HERE.

If you would like to support the work of Good News with an online gift, click HERE

If you would like to be a part of Good News’ prayer ministry and receive monthly prayer updates, please email Ginny@goodnewsmag.org

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The Confessing Movement reports some of the same information, but with a different viewpoint, as well as additional happenings on May 2nd:

Wednesday, May 2 – Day 8 of General Conference

Update (9:30 pm):

The gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual groups and their supporters have been here from the beginning of General Conference.

They have engaged in numerous actions such as walking around the area designated for delegates and conference officials only holding signs, handing out pro gay materials and lining up so delegates must walk through their silence demonstrations but they had not violated the General Conference rules.

At about 5:30 today as the delegates were going to break for dinner, the demonstrators entered the restricted area violating General Conference rules.

The conference agenda for tomorrow morning is scheduled to deal with sexuality issues including the practice of homosexuality.

JUST IN (12:35 pm) After 3 hours of debate, restructuring for The United Methodist Church has passed with a vote of 567 in favor (59.6%) to 384 against.

The pace of General Conference thus far has been very slow.

The agenda includes many items and activities that keep petitions from getting considered.

At previous General Conferences this has also occurred, forcing many important issues to the end when there is little time for discussion and debate. 
The proposal to require restructuring of the general church is scheduled to occur today. After hours of committee discussion and work outside of the committee a compromise has been reached with one proposal being presented rather than a major and minor report.

The debate on restructuring began about 9:30 this morning. A motion to refer this report for action in 2016 was defeated with 555 delegates voting against this proposal to kill restructuring this year.

Other important developments include:

1. The United Methodist Women (UMW) petition to become an autonomous organization passed by an overwhelming vote, 889 to 20. This means the UMW will no longer be a division within the General Board of Global Ministries but will be a stand-alone autonomous agency. There appear to be a number of reasons for the desire to be autonomous. The UMW has been subsidizing the World Division and the National Division for a number of years and this has become more difficult since giving is down for UMW. Furthermore, it was uncertain what restructuring would do with UMW. At the moment UMW selects one third of the board and this would change in restructuring. For its part, many in Board of Global Ministries think the UMW has had too much dominance (since it selects so much of the board) and that the board might be more effective if UMW were independent. As part of the change the Deaconess and Home Missions Program, which were part of the board, will be moved to the jurisdiction of UMW.
2. 

   In Illinois, the Chicago Tribune reports May 2, 2012, there are 314,461 Methodists as of 2010. During the decade, the church lost 50,721 members in Illinois. That's almost 14%. The Northern Illinois Conference is under the control of some of the most liberal Methodists in the world.

   The final budget has not yet been set for the General Church (it is usually the last agenda item) but the General Council of Finance and Administration (GCFA) is recommending a 6.04% reduction [emphasis added]. This is the first General Conference in recent times that has recommended a reduction. The question still to be answered: how will the monies in the budget be divided up? Boards and agencies have already needed to cut back on staff. In 1971 there was a total of 3,139 staff serving general agencies. By 2010 this number had been reduced to 1,384.

3. The General Conference referred to the Commission on the Status and Role of Women a petition that would amend Article IV of the Constitution on “Inclusiveness.” The petition, submitted by the Status and Role of Women would have added “gender” and “age” to the categories that are welcomed into United Methodist Churches. The additional words were unnecessary in the minds of many of the delegates. Referral basically kills the petition. Another petition on the paragraph wanted to add sexual orientation, gender choice, and gender identity to the category of persons needed to be included. This petition failed.
4. By a vote of 879 to 25 the General Conference voted to enter into full communion with five predominately black Methodist denominations: Africans Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, African Union Methodist Protestant, Christian Methodist Episcopal, and Union African Episcopal Church. Each of the denominations will recognize each other as part of the one true apostolic faith, recognize the authenticity of each other’s sacraments, recognize the ordination of each denomination, and enter into cooperative ministry where possible. A service of celebration and recognition was held in the afternoon of May 1. At one time there was some talk of merger but the other denominations would not favor that.
5. Five more resolutions have been passed to bulk up the Book of Resolutions, which is already 1048 pages long. A number of others are recommended for passage but have not yet made it to the floor. One of these is on “Just War” which, if passed, would move the United Methodist from a pacifist position (presently no support for any war). The Publishing House has indicated the Book of Resolutions is so big that it would cost $70,000 to translate it per language and that would not include printing costs. Only 21,000 copies of the book sold after the 2008 General Conference and this is supposed to be a an important book on United Methodist positions. Only 32% of UM pastors feel they understand it.

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Other articles that may be of interest:

• 4/24/12 Methodist Convention This Week in Tampa – Unity Not on the Agenda
• 4/27/12 The Disconnect Between American Liberals and Africans in Tampa’s Methodist Convention
• 4/28/12 Conservative Methodists Making Headway in World Conference, Big Fight on Homosexuality in Offing
• 4/29/12 Update from United Methodist Church General Conference in Tampa – Conservatives Winning Most Votes, Setbacks for Abortion & Israeli Divestment Supporters
• 4/30/12 Good News Reports Most Endorsed Candidates for Methodist “Supreme Court,” University Senate Win
• 4/30/12 Conservatives Take Three of Four Vacancies on Methodist Judicial Council, Vote on Homosexuality Imminent
• 5/2/12 Methodists Vote Almost 3-1 Against Ending Investments (Divestment) in Motorola and CAT, Proportional Representation for Africans on Ruling Bodies, Preacher Tenure Ended
• 5/3/12 53% Reject Homosexual Liberalization at Tampa World Methodist Conference
• 5/3/12 Homosexuals Take over Methodist Tampa Convention Floor after Losing Vote
• 5/4/12 Coverage of Conservative Methodists’ Victory over Homosexual Activists Missing in Newspapers

 

Below is the Institute for Religion and Democracy’s take on the votes this morning for United Methodist Church Judicial Council slots. It’s a slightly different twist on the Good News email published earlier today.

Good News from General Conference

Some good news today!

3 of the 4 persons supported by our Reform & Renewal Coalition for Judicial Council won!

Remember that the Judicial Council is United Methodism’s highest court and often adjudicates cases about our church’s teaching on homosexuality.

Slots previously held by 3 liberal and 1 orthodox person are now filled by 3 orthodox and one liberal, creating a positive shift in the 8-member Judicial Council. Most significantly, 2 of these new Judicial Council members are from Africa, including a Liberian lawyer and a Congolese female pastor.

Previously, no council members were African, even though over one third of our church members now live in Africa.

More good news. 3 of the 4 persons we supported for the University Senate were also elected, including a Congolese university president and well known orthodox Methodist theologian Billy Abraham. A professor from Asbury, Bill Arnold, was the third. The University Senate is supposed to oversee our 13 official seminaries.

The enlarged African representation at this General Conference is flexing its muscle for the betterment of our church.

They represent much of our future, for which we give thanks.

Representing the old, dying American liberalism is the General Board of Church and Society and other liberal church agencies and caucuses, which continue to try to manipulate the General Conference, about which Bart Gingerich blogged. ["...what could I expect from such a vested interest? These folks are paid for lobbying, advocating, and making political statements."]

Please continue to pray that the Lord will hasten His work of reclaiming our church!

With appreciation,

Mark Tooley
IRD President
Director, UMAction

P.S. Please remember we rely on YOUR support for our ministry. So please donate online today. Thank you!

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In an article by Charles Butts of OneNewsNow on linked on the IRD website, it is claimed that the “homosexual activist groups have targeted Episcopalians, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the United Methodist Church” over the last decade and spent “anywhere from $3 [million] to $6 million from outside organizations that have been targeted towards changing the stance of these mainline denominations on homosexuality in order to mainstream the homosexual lifestyle.”

This research is attributed to Pastor Stephen Sparks of Indianola, Mississippi.

“The good news, he says, is that committee reports for the Saturday deadline do not call for a major change to the denomination’s biblically based stance on homosexuality, though activists and liberals could force a vote before the General Conference,” the article says.

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Other articles that may be of interest:

• 4/24/12 Methodist Convention This Week in Tampa – Unity Not on the Agenda
• 4/27/12 The Disconnect Between American Liberals and Africans in Tampa’s Methodist Convention
• 4/28/12 Conservative Methodists Making Headway in World Conference, Big Fight on Homosexuality in Offing
• 4/29/12 Update from United Methodist Church General Conference in Tampa – Conservatives Winning Most Votes, Setbacks for Abortion & Israeli Divestment Supporters
• 4/30/12 Good News Reports Most Endorsed Candidates for Methodist “Supreme Court,” University Senate Win
• 4/30/12 Conservatives Take Three of Four Vacancies on Methodist Judicial Council, Vote on Homosexuality Imminent
• 5/2/12 Methodists Vote Almost 3-1 Against Ending Investments (Divestment) in Motorola and CAT, Proportional Representation for Africans on Ruling Bodies, Preacher Tenure Ended
• 5/3/12 53% Reject Homosexual Liberalization at Tampa World Methodist Conference
• 5/3/12 Homosexuals Take over Methodist Tampa Convention Floor after Losing Vote
• 5/4/12 Coverage of Conservative Methodists’ Victory over Homosexual Activists Missing

I got two emails Saturday describing what is happening in Tampa during the early stages of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church.

The Conference is the counterpart of the quadrennial political party conventions in the United States, except the action is on the platform.

It amends the Church’s Discipline, a rule book about who can become a preacher, what the church’s stance is on social issues like abortion and homosexuality and even what electric bulbs Methodists should be urged to purchase.

If this sounds a bit like a political convention, you’re probably figuring out why a political blog like this one might be interested.

I received two emails from conservative groups today and will borrow extensively from each.

Good News says that “a well-funded and extravagant lobbying effort to change United Methodism’s view on marriage and sexuality, and stacks and stacks of petitions” describe the process so far.

Here’s the rest of Saturday’s report:

The Renewal and Reform Coalition has observers in each of these legislative committees and we have been tracking the petitions that have a special interest to mainstream evangelical United Methodists in the pews.

We have been publishing our daily newsletter Focus every night and we held our second breakfast briefing this morning.

The entire General Conference will be dealing with these individual petitions when they gather as a plenary group on Monday, April 30. Although, all these are subject to change within the next few days, we did want to highlight a few issues you would care deeply about.

• Petition 21050 espousing the right to civil marriage and civil unions for homosexual persons was defeated 36-39
• Subcommittee took our statement on abortion in a more pro-life direction, adding that we oppose abortion except in cases of “conflicts of physical life with physical life” and added unconditional rejection of abortion for “eugenics”
• 

  The Rev. Tom Lambrecht of Good News

  Petition 20624 was adopted to end any funding for pro-choice political lobbies (including the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice) (63-6)

• Subcommittee did not approve attempts to end the prohibition on funding to promote the acceptance of homosexuality (20-1)
• Attempts to fund central conference theological education through the Ministerial Education Fund were defeated by a subcommittee in favor of another petition that would take $5 million from World Service apportionments and designate it for that purpose
• Petitions to delete the prohibition of the ordination of self-avowed practicing homosexuals were not approved, however, a subcommittee approved petition 20994, which replaces that prohibition with the following language: “sexual conduct that occurs outside the context of a marriage between one man and one woman is incompatible with holy living. Therefore, those who engage in such practices, or who participate or represent themselves to others as participating in a relationship in which such practices are a part, including same-sex unions, may not be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The UMC.” (13-10)
• An approach to restructuring that would keep several church agencies with separate boards and one coordinating committee was favored over the proposal that would unify all agencies into a single board by a vote of 56-27, with a subcommittee now working on the details of implementation
• Proposals to eliminate the practice of homosexuality as a chargeable offense failed (27-20), but the definition of “immorality” as including “not being celibate in singleness or not faithful in a heterosexual marriage” was deleted as unnecessary
• Petition 20802 allowing supplemental women’s ministries in local churches in addition to United Methodist Women was adopted (40-13)
• Numerous proposals to require prospective church members to be received regardless of qualification were not approved. Instead, petition 20618 that protects pastoral discretion in determining a person’s readiness to assume the vows of membership and providing an appeal process to the local church PPR Committee was approved (29-28)
• Petition 20460 that permits an annual conference to use an apportionment formula whereby a church contributes a specified percentage of its current income or expenses was adopted (56-1-4)
• Petition 20875 to retain the current prohibition on homosexual unions was approved 63-10
• Proposal to establish a set-aside bishop to serve as president of the Council of Bishops was approved (49-6-5)

Please continue to pray for the delegates, observers, and all who are working for a faithful future for The United Methodist Church.

We invite you to join with other Christians around the globe who are praying that the 2012 General Conference proceedings will be led by the Holy Spirit.

As United Methodists, we are in desperate need of a season of revival, reform, and renewal. Nothing is more vital to the future of our denomination than a fresh touch from God and a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our congregations, seminaries, boards, and agencies.

Lord, we ask that a season of renewal and revival would begin at the 2012 General Conference.

[Those wishing to contribute to Good News can do so here.]

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The Confessing Movement offered this report for Saturday, day 5 of the General Conference:

Reports are coming in from legislative groups and their subcommittees. Each of these reports will be forwarded to the plenary sessions that will start dealing with petitions on Monday, April 30. Here are a few that will be of interest to Confessing Movement supporters.

1. A strong statement against pornography, submitted by the General Board of Church and Society, was approved by the subcommittee.
2. Petitions to change the definition of marriage to something other than a covenant between one man and one woman have not been approved by subcommittee.
3. After a time of holy conferencing and a long debate, a motion to delete the words “we believe the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching” passed by a vote of 14-12. However, as they often report on TV on the night of elections, “all the precincts are not yet counted.” About 100 supporters of Common Witness, the group lobbying to change the church’s position, crowded into the room. One African delegate indicated he felt he was uncomfortable. The petition will be forwarded to the whole legislative group and then to the plenary. Defenders of the Biblical stance on sexuality feel this vote will be overturned in the larger committee.
4. 4) A petition to study transgenderism failed 8-45.
5. 5) A vote to remove the prohibition against using church money to advance homosexual causes failed 1-21.
6. The vote is not yet finalized on a resolution for the church to withdraw from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), but a preliminary vote in subcommittee passed.  [This lobbying group is headquartered in the Methodist Building right next to the U.S. Supreme Court.  It opposes any restrictions on abortion.]
7. A motion for the funding of seminary education in the Central Conferences to the tune of 5 million dollars for the quadrennium passed the legislative group. This was instead of petitions that would cut the percentage of Ministerial Education Funds (MEF) going to U.S. seminaries in order to fund overseas seminaries.
8. Petitions which affirmed the pastor’s role in determining readiness for church membership have passed subcommittee. This topic became a major issue when a pastor in Virginia delayed membership to a practicing homosexual. He was removed from his pulpit by a bishop who said he did not have the right to deny anyone membership. The judicial council then overruled the bishop’s ruling and the pastor was restored. These petitions clarify and strengthen the pastor’s responsibility and right.
9. Legislation overturning guaranteed appointments for pastors has passed subcommittee. The legislation will allow easier removal of ineffective pastors.
10. The issue of term limits for bishops (appointed for eight years but need to be reelected for the next eight-year term) failed by a close margin of 25-28. This is sure to be debated further.
11. Legislation that would require 40% of faculty at United Methodist seminaries to be United Methodist, with reduced funding if less than that, has passed subcommittee.

All of this legislation will need to be approved or disapproved by the plenary session of all delegates but these first votes are an indication of which way the conference is leaning.

Contributions can be made to the Confessing Movement here.

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The Institute for Religion and Democracy made the following report today:

General Conference is a cauldron of controversies.

But some good news.

Despite liberal high hopes, lobbying to overturn United Methodism’s biblical stance on marriage seems to be failing.

Legislative subcommittees are so far rejecting

• same-sex marriage,
• any change in ordination standards, and
• affirming the ban on church funding for gay advocacy.

One committee rejected forcing homosexual scout leaders on the Boy Scouts.

The big fight likely will be over the Social Principles’ stance that homosexual practice is “incompatible” with Christian teaching. A subcommittee narrowly voted to remove “incompatible.” The full committee will debate and vote by this evening.

Meanwhile, there is reportedly legislation proceeding that would provide benefits to same sex partners in states where same sex marriage is legal.

And other legislation, approved in subcommittee, would redefine as marriage as two individuals rather than man and woman.

My own petition protecting religious adoption agencies’ ability to place children with traditional married couples was narrowly rejected in a committee, but we hope to get it to the main floor for debate.

Support UMAction

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Of course, there is a plethora of political resolutions before the General Conference. United Methodism already officially opposes any law enforcement against illegal immigration. But even this extreme stance is apparently insufficient. Jeff Walton reported on a luncheon for liberalized immigration polices.

Promisingly, a subcommittee has approved United Methodist withdrawal from the radical Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

Please pray for God’s will at this General Conference. And please pray especially for courageous delegates, defending God’s Word, often surrounded by hostile activists.

With appreciation,

Mark Tooley
IRD President
Director, UMAction

P.S.: Please help sustain IRD/UMAction’s presence here in Tampa with an online donation of $25, $50, $100 or more today. Thank you!

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Other articles that may be of interest:

• 4/24/12 Methodist Convention This Week in Tampa – Unity Not on the Agenda
• 4/27/12 The Disconnect Between American Liberals and Africans in Tampa’s Methodist Convention
• 4/28/12 Conservative Methodists Making Headway in World Conference, Big Fight on Homosexuality in Offing
• 4/29/12 Update from United Methodist Church General Conference in Tampa – Conservatives Winning Most Votes, Setbacks for Abortion & Israeli Divestment Supporters
• 4/30/12 Good News Reports Most Endorsed Candidates for Methodist “Supreme Court,” University Senate Win
• 4/30/12 Conservatives Take Three of Four Vacancies on Methodist Judicial Council, Vote on Homosexuality Imminent
• 5/2/12 Methodists Vote Almost 3-1 Against Ending Investments (Divestment) in Motorola and CAT, Proportional Representation for Africans on Ruling Bodies, Preacher Tenure Ended
• 5/3/12 53% Reject Homosexual Liberalization at Tampa World Methodist Conference
• 5/3/12 Homosexuals Take over Methodist Tampa Convention Floor after Losing Vote
• 5/4/12 Coverage of Conservative Methodists’ Victory over Homosexual Activists Missing

Every four years the United Methodist Church holds a convention.

Just like the Republicans and the Democrats.

This year Methodists affiliated with the UMC will convene in Tampa.  (The vibrant Korean Methodist Church is not one of those affiliated.)

There are just short of 1,000 delegates apportioned, more or less, on the basis of membership.

Liberals in the United States have been trying for more than a decade to follow the example of other Mainline churches in their acceptance of homosexual behavior in society and religious leaders, specifically, clergy.

Because of the astonishing growth of Methodism in Africa, that effort was beaten back in 2004 and 2008.

Both sides think they have a chance to win in 2012.

Seared into my mind are the words (quoted as well as I can remember them below) of an African delegate from eight years ago:

 “I don’t understand why we spend half our time talking about sin. I thought we were supposed to talk about saving souls.”

I’ve just finished reading a biography of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.

Tucked into Footnote 13 on page 313 of Robert G. Tuttle, Jr.’s “John Wesley, His Life and Theology” is the following:

“…unity and holiness are the two things I want most among Methodists.”

The fight over the acceptability of homosexuality surely does not accomplish Wesley’s goal.

The goal of the liberals is get African votes out of the decision-making mix.

Four years ago they tried, but failed to segregate them.

In different contexts, the same fight will continue in Tampa for eleven days.

According to an article by Mark Tooley of The Institute on Religion & Democracy,

“The U.S. church, where all the liberals are located, is declining and losing representation, while the Africans, who are very conservative, will probably become a majority within the denomination within ten years or less,’ Tooley predicts. ‘So, this year, 2012, may be the last opportunity for the liberal side to win on sexual issues.’

“Since 40 percent of the delegates come from Africa and other overseas locations, Tooley estimates the liberal side would have to get about 80 percent of the U.S. delegates to prevail. He thinks that is unlikely, as conservatives plan to fight hard to keep the denomination aligned biblically in its policies.”

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Other articles that may be of interest:

• 4/24/12 Methodist Convention This Week in Tampa – Unity Not on the Agenda
• 4/27/12 The Disconnect Between American Liberals and Africans in Tampa’s Methodist Convention
• 4/28/12 Conservative Methodists Making Headway in World Conference, Big Fight on Homosexuality in Offing
• 4/29/12 Update from United Methodist Church General Conference in Tampa – Conservatives Winning Most Votes, Setbacks for Abortion & Israeli Divestment Supporters
• 4/30/12 Good News Reports Most Endorsed Candidates for Methodist “Supreme Court,” University Senate Win
• 4/30/12 Conservatives Take Three of Four Vacancies on Methodist Judicial Council, Vote on Homosexuality Imminent
• 5/2/12 Methodists Vote Almost 3-1 Against Ending Investments (Divestment) in Motorola and CAT, Proportional Representation for Africans on Ruling Bodies, Preacher Tenure Ended

The United Methodist Church is governed by a representative democracy–more or less.

Internationally, with exceptions to provide over representation for declining areas (called conferences), there is approximate proportional representation at the policy-making convention every four years.

It would be no surprise to those who have watched the Methodist Church over the years to learn that the conferences with declining membership are those which are more liberal on social issues and more open to “modern” interpretations of the Bible.

Similar forces have taken control to the Episcopal Church in the United States, resulting in some congregations affiliating with evangelical bishops in Africa.

There is a great Christian awakening in Africa in many churches, including the Methodist Church.

Elgin Attorney John Jurgensmeyer says 2005 statistics show that there are 3,227,162 professing Methodist Christians in Africa, while in the United States 3,316,955 people attended Methodist Churches weekly that year.

The figures are not of the same measurement, but one can see that African membership is high in relationship to that in the USA. The latest international General Conference composition is based on almost 35% of the world’s church membership being in Africa.

Yet African church members receive second class treatment.

For example, wouldn’t you think that if a part of the world had one-third of the constituency that it would have some major church headquarters in its area?

That’s what occurred to me when I realized that Methodists in Africa obviously know how to evangelize. It is self-evident from the rapid membership growth.

In the United States, on the other hand, those parts of the country where liberals are in control are in decline.

So, I have proposed that the Board of Global Ministries move its headquarters within two years from New York City to Africa.

Let’s let those who know how to evangelize have more contact with those who make the Great Commission decisions in the mission field.

Juergensmeyer has put forth a number of resolutions.

He wants the quadrennial Methodist governing body (called a General Conference and scheduled next spring in Tampa) to be as representative as the U.S. Congress.

What a concept.

One person, one vote.

Currently conferences declining in membership have something of a “hold harmless” approach. Their representation does not go down in proportion to their loss of membership.

That means growing conferences are penalized.

Not exactly the way to encourage growth or reward success in winning souls for Christ.

Juergensmeyer asks that similar representation extend to the governing agencies and staffing of all agencies of the worldwide Methodist Church. He specifically mentions geography, language and ethnicity.

Juergensmeyer also proposes that the same Methodist Book of Discipline govern all Methodists. Liberals want to break off the United States to allow them to float their own boat without interference from those conservative Christians in Africa.

Clearly he is trying to avoid letting what happened to the Episcopal Church in America jump into the Methodist Church.

The Elgin resident calls for translation of the Book of Discipline and other publications into any language for which there are 100,000 members.

Juergensmeyer asks in another resolution that the Book of Discipline be codified so people can find subjects covered more easily.

He also proposes all legislative resolutions after the Tampa General Conference next year be translated into a language with which each delegate in comfortable at least 60 days before the conference.

Who could be against such transparency?

In addition to having the proposals translated into the delegates’ languages, one of Juergensmeyer’s resolutions asks for simultaneous translations of committee and floor debate. He notes that in Houston three years ago it was obvious that many delegates had no idea what was going on.

To save money, a Juergensmeyer resolution asks that local Methodist families be asked to host foreign delegates before, during and after conferences, starting in 2016.

Not really radical proposals unless you are a ruling liberal and don’t want people to know what is going on.

Finally, the Elgin attorney proposes that Church bureaucrats not be allowed to submit resolutions to the quadrennial conference. He envisions “enormous long-term savings.”

He notes about 80% of the resolutions come from the bureaucracy and that the bureaucracy is spending Church funds to lobby the United Methodist Church’s legislative body to pass the bureaucracy’s agenda so it can then lobby others in the name of the Church.

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Both  John Juergensmeyer and Cal Skinner are members of the Northern Illinois Conference in the United Methodist Church. It is one of the most liberal in the world and has declining membership.   Juergensmeyer’s church is the Wesley United Methodist Church of Elgin.  Skinner’s is the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake.

That was in the early 1990′s when Bishop R. Sheldon Duecker was regularly on the news exhorting Illinoisians about the evils of gambling and urging the legislature not to expand it.

So, so much more appropriate a cause to promote than his successor’s crusade to legalize homosexual marriage.

I was reminded of Duecker when I saw black ministers on TV last week urging the General Assembly not to expand gambling.

No white faces.

And, unfortunately, probably little connection to suburban viewers.

Where was the cry from the increasingly enfeebled Methodist Church?

In his February 14, 1992, column in the Northern Illinois Conference United Methodist Reporter, the weekly newspaper sent to leaders in the church, Duecker says,

“The gambling devices known as video slots are particularly attractive to teenagers who have grownup on video games. Experience counselors report they are (a) particularly addictive form of gambling.

“The message teen-agers have been receiving from our culture is that gambling is not a vice, but a normal form of entertainment.

“A ‘Time’ magazine article cites that fact, along with others for the surge in gambling fever among teen-agers. The promotion of lotteries by state governments, the marketing efforts of casinos, and the example of parents and other adults also contribute to this problem.

“I have only recently become aware of the extent of this problem. Like most people, I have sat quietly while the legislators and local community councils have approved gambling for economic reasons.

“If we care at all about the quality of life in our state and in our local communities, we will become informed on this issue and say,

‘Enough is enough!’

“For the sake of the future quality of life, won’t you join me in becoming acquainted with this glamorously disguised evil and speak out against it?”

I even put together a post card that was mailed to members of the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake.

Unlike this past week, when McHenry County State Reps. Mike Tryon and Mark Beaubien, plus State Senator Pam Althoff voted for video slot machines at the corner convenience store and tavern, none supported similar proposals 17 years ago.

Since the bill is now at the stage of approval or disapproval by Governor Pat Quinn, those interested should direct their communications to him. The addresses are below:

Springfield
Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: 217-782-0244
TTY: 888-261-3336

Chicago
Office of the Governor
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph, 16-100
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 312-814-2121

Click to enlarge any image.

Haven’t seen me write much on foreign countries here, have you?

I’ve written about the building of really inexpensive schools in Angola by Rise, International.

I’ve written a story about a Methodist missionary who will is trying to teach Zambian farmers to be productive.

I wonder what he is doing this time of increasingly expensive food.

This probably won’t be of interest to anyone but Methodists, but it is of extreme importance to the future of the United Methodist Church.

Ivory Coast has 677,355 members.

How does that compare with other conferences?

Why is that significant?

Virginia, the largest in the United States 341,264 lay members, according to an Institute of Religion and Democracy article.

It means that, instead of two out of about 1,000 delegates, they could have 70 delegates four years from now.

“The Ivorians, along with other Africans and American evangelicals, favor traditional church teachings and will bring refreshing renewal to our church.,” is the way the Institute’s Mark Tooley assessed the change.

The times they are a changin’ in the international Methodist Church.