Jonathan LeMaster-Smith

The opening plenary session was mostly procedural (read: not that exciting).

But there are few things to note.

1)The addition of rule 15(5):
Delegates are free to vote according to their conscience without interference by others observing, monitoring, or recording their votes. Persons shall not give or accept bribes or threaten delegates in order to influence voting.

This addition comes in response to the allegations of voter manipulation at past General Conferences. It is not a call to not allow actual lobbying, debating, and compromise.

2) Several suggested amendments to the rules from the floor were focused on equity, transparency, acknowledging history and culture, and a move toward unity in diversity.

3) The resolution that was came form the floor that calls the Commission on the General Conference to give a detailed transparent explanation was one that seeks to address the accusations that the Commission on General Conference did not follow through with their role to support all delegates around the world.

4) Can we get everyone the right print outs and right food? I mean, come on, the multiple requests for the correct cultural and dietary foods (or give per diem/reimbursements) and documents in the the correct language. It seems like they are working this out.

What this is pointing us toward is a church that acknowledges our flaws, works toward transparencies, and embraces differences. We are learning from our mistakes, and building a new future.

I’ve been asked several questions about General Conference petitions and other areas. This is the first of many Q&As I will do. Please continue to ask questions and share my responses as you feel led.

1. Roll Expansion of The Order of the Deacon:
   • There are petitions to allow Deacons the privilege to perform the sacraments without special permission from a bishop. They would not have the same rights as elders related to all sacraments.
   • There are several petitions that would allow Deacons to be elected as Bishops and appointed as District Superintendents. This is an acknowledgement that some Deacons have specialized vocations toward administration and order.
   • Citation: Advanced Daily Christian Advocate (ADCA)
2. Pension Changes
   • A proposal from Wespath (our pension and health benefit board) would change the pension plan (for people not retired or retiring in the next two years) from a defined-benefit plan to a defined contribution plan for clergy.
   • A defined-benefit plan is our more traditional model, and guarantees all clergy a monthly payment for life.
   • A defined-contribution plan provides an account that is more like a 401(k), and the funds present are limited. It is up to the clergyperson to assume the risk of sustaining the funds.
   • Wespath notes that this is necessary as we have an increasing number of retirees with decreasing membership numbers and financial contributions.
   • Citation: UMNews
3. Bishops Roles, Retirement, and Assignment
   • Several petitions are proposing term limits and limitations for bishops.
   • Other petitions proposing limiting the number of bishops in jurisdictions. One would reduce them to five person jurisdiction (unless the jurisdiction requests more and can afford more).
   • One petition even creates partnerships between jurisdictions and central conferences during different quadrenniums. They would share bishops and send central conference bishops to serve in the jurisdiction and vice versa.
   • There was a question about bishops being sent form jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but this is already allowed in the discipline as needed. This requires the transferring bishops to consent to move and the approval of the committee on the episcopacy for each jurisdiction. We may see this more often now with the potential reduction in bishops.
   • Citation: Advanced Daily Christian Advocate (ADCA)
4. Apportionments as a Tithe
   • Some petitions propose changing church contributions to the general church to a flat 10% of income for the year.
   • This would increase apportionments in some annual conferences and reduce them in others.
   • Annual conferences would be able to decide how much goes to the General church out of this tithe.
   • Citation: Advanced Daily Christian Advocate (ADCA)
5. Why are we global in scope vs. independent affiliated churches?
   • The question asked why we didn’t use the World Council of Churches as our global governing body.
   • We have a global denomination. It of course comes out our colonial approach to missions. We see them as part of one body each contributing to the body of the church. Our connectionalism hopes to learn, grow, and serve together. it roots itself in our understanding that theology and faith are both incarnational and contextual.
   • We do have churches that have left The UMC and remain affiliated (or not) and we connect with them in different ways including General Conference.
   • The World Methodist Council is also less a governing body and more a collaborative body that works together toward common goals and initiatives.
   • We understand the basic body of the church is the connection (the annual conference specifically) not the individual church, so we we understand that we are interconnected churches tied up in each others faith and salvation, not independent agents.
   • The regionalization proposals will allow for more rich contextuality, but we will still share a common Constitution, Doctrine, and Social Principles.
   • Citations: World Methodist Council & 2016 Book of Discipline.