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Resolution Update:
Eloise Nenon from the Danville District presented Bishop Kammerer with a handmade episcopal hook from England. It was in honor of the 50th anniversary of full voting rights for clergywomen. Council on Finance and Administration (CFA) Carl Moravitz, chair of CFA, introduced Dennis Scheer who was formally elected as conference treasurer. The budget as amended was approved. Jim Branscome, former conference treasurer, was thanked again for the many contributions he made during his tenure. Carl Moravitz is ending his eight-year term as chairperson. Mr. J.D. Berlin was introduced as the new chair of CFA and he briefly addressed the conference. Resolution Update: (Motion approved to limit debate to two minutes, 2 speeches for and against, the board or agency 1 minute, maker of the motion 1 minute.) Resolution 17 - United Methodist Church Funding of World Council of Churches (referred to Board of Global Ministries that does not approve). After one speech against the resolution, the body voted against the resolution. The resolution failed. Resolution 14 - Hymnal Reinstatement of “Eternal Father, Strong To Save” (referred to the Board of Discipleship who approves with an amendment that the Va. Annual Conference (instead of General Conference) recommends the diversity of its hymnal. This amendment was accepted by the maker of the resolution). The resolution as amended passed. Resolution 15 - Strengthening the Inclusivity of The United Methodist Publishing House in its Ministry of Print and Media Resources and Curriculum. Board of Discipleship approved with an amendment. The resolution as amended passed. Resolution 16 - Methodist Resolution on the Integrity of Membership in the United Methodist Church. Board of Discipleship approved with new "whereases," and "resolves," that basically affirms the Book of Discipline and affirms all people. (Does not intend to override Judicial decision) Affirms the importance of our supervised connectional ministries. Jerald Waltz, the maker of the resolution, was given the opportunity to speak but did not come forward. Dan Elmore of the Petersburg District spoke for supporting the amended resolution. Winchester District member moved to table. The move to table failed. Tim Tate of the Peninsula District offered a substitute that said clergy would accept anyone who is willing to "take and live out the membership vows." Two people spoke in favor of the substitute. The substitute prevailed. The resolution passed as substituted. Because time is running short, a motion was made to refer the remaining resolutions to the Common Table and to find a way to open continuing discussion. The Common Table has an e-mail address: commontable@vaumc.org where comments and questions can be e-mail or calls can be made to Susan Garrett's office. Closing Worship and Fixing of Appointments "As you go back to the cities and villages and the places of worship, the ministry of the local church is extended to proclaim in word and deed the word of our Savior. "Sometimes it is lost on us, the awesome responsibility that has been given to us as Christ's body in the world. There are moments where I just have one of those "aha" moments and say, "You really don't get it do you." Sometimes were are just ambling down the road of religion and authentic faith is put on the back burner. The church is about the world that God loved so much that God gave his only son. Sometimes it dawns on me that we have reached such warm fuzzy relationships with the cultures around the world that it is like we have become mute on speaking what the Gospel has to save about a sinful world. The gospel says "Christ in you, the hope of glory." We are being reminded to get ourselves refocused and to align all our resources and place them fully and completely without hesitation and without any covenanting of them to place them fully at the disposal of the gospel's work in the world. "Sometimes I'm not sure we think Jesus make a difference in peoples' lives. I see signs every now and again but then we move back to comfortable behavior where we don't want to offend anybody. Everywhere Jesus went people received him glady and others whose people teeth were set on edge. They didn't fully understand what he was saying. What is clear to me, is that Jesus was less worried about what people thought about him and more worried about doing the will of God as best as he could understand it. I'm persuaded that the reason we talk about Jesus is because we keep reading this narrative and see how this little peasant turned the world upside down and rightside up again... not to accommodate himself or currying favor with t hose in high place but allowing God to shine forth in his life. "It is scandalous that all United Methodist Christians find it difficult to talk about Christ in their personal lives. Until we can say, "Let me tell you what the Lord has done for me," we haven't got a chance and we haven't got a future. Until we can speak forth the power of God not only at work in the lives of others but in work in our lives our witness will be muted. "There is no other name under heaven whereby people must be saved than by Jesus Christ. "But if Jesus becomes so personalized that I believe I own him and control him, then I have done great disservice to God. We have an enormous capacity to hold in critical tension personal salvation and social holiness. We've had this capacity when we've been able to claim it and don't get is secondhand we have really had the capacity to say this isn't just about me but it is about peace and salvation lived out through me and community. "Do you know why we're not growing. Because we don't want the folks that God wants. If we would cast a lot with the broken and marginal of this world, not just for charity, but to build relationships, we would find we have more to gain than we have to offer. "It's about reaching out between the walls that come between us. Christ in you is the hope of all glorious things to come. "God asks the church to live before the world what God intends for the world... Christ in you, the hope of all the glorious things to come. I invite you to take that as your mandate and your burden." |