Wednesday Afternoon

The Wednesday afternoon session began business by going back to the Task Force on a Conference Facility. The amendment to change the number of people VUMAC can accommodate from 750 to 1,000 failed.

The conference voted to accept the recommendations originally put forth by the task force:  

1. the Virginia Annual Conference designate the current facilities of the Virginia United Methodist Assembly Center (VUMAC) in Blackstone, Virginia,  as the site for a newly renovated and expanded conferencing center to accommodate 750 overnight guests with a modern 750-person capacity multipurpose room/auditorium,
2. the Virginia Annual Conference direct the  Conference Board of Trustees and CFA to continue to work with the VUMAC Board of Directors to address the list of priority renovations and upgrades for the current structure at VUMAC, and  
3. the Virginia Annual Conference direct the VUMAC Board of Directors, working with the Conference Trustees and the Conference Council on Finance and Administration, to initiate plans for a capital funds campaign to underwrite the estimated $8- to $9-million cost of the recommended expansion of the current facilities at VUMAC.

The conference moved on to Resolutions 2-4 that were referred to the conference Board of Discipleship. The writers of the resolutions were invited to a Board of Discipleship meeting to discuss them before conference. Resolution 2 is "The Purpose of Professing Membership." The Board of Discipleship voted "no" to Resolution 2. They said the proposed paragraph does not enhance or clarify the Discipline. Resolution 2 did not pass.

Resolution 3, "Prospective Members." The Board of Discipleship recommended that the conference vote no. Resolution 3 did not pass.

Resolution 4, "The Gift of Membership and the Pastor's Role." The Board of Discipleship offered an amended resolution. They would change the first line to "Membership is a covenant entered into by a person with God and the community of faith and should be entered into with much discernment." By a slim margin, the Board of Discipleship voted to say yes to the amended resolution. Resolution 4 did not pass.

Resolution 5, "A Call for Peacemaking." Referred to the Board of Church and Society. The board recommends voting yes to the resolution. Resolution 5 was passed by the conference to be forwarded to General Conference as a petition.

Bobby Thompson presented the report of the Board of Pensions. Six recommendations were presented to the conference. They were approved.

The recommendation brought by the Board of Discipleship was approved:  The Board of Discipleship recommends that each church in the Virginia Conference shall observe a Christian Education Sunday during September-October 2007, and shall promote and receive the Christian Education Offering (50 percent of which remains in their district for teaching-learning ministries while the other 50 percent supports teaching-learning ministries through the conference Board of Discipleship Division of Education.)

The recommendations brought by the Board of Global Ministries were approved.