Gathering dreams of inclusive future
By Kathy L. Gilbert
Nov. 18, 2019 | ROLLING HILLS ESTATES, Calif. (UM News)
More than 200 United Methodists from the Western Jurisdiction gathered Nov. 14-16 to cast a vision and dream of a future for The United Methodist Church that is diverse and inclusive of “all God’s children.”
Participants at the Fresh United Methodism Summit at Rolling Hills United Methodist Church included the Western Jurisdiction bishops, delegates to the 2020 General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference, communicators and other leaders as well as a limited number of observers.
By the summit’s end, a working group of five clergy and five laity were elected as a visioning team. That team will bring a report to the 2020 Western Jurisdictional Conference to be held July 15-18, 2020, in Billings, Montana. [Continue reading at UMNews]
Western Jurisdiction "Fresh United Methodism" Summit Main Page
- Leadership makes space for fresh ideas from new voices at the Fresh United Methodism Summit
- Western Jurisdiction “Fresh United Methodism Summit” Affirms LGBTQ+ Support; Leaders See it as a ‘Movement Moment’ to Help Discern its Future in the Church
- WJ Fresh Day 2: A morning of inspiration, an afternoon of innovation
- The most viable proposals for strategic action in 2020
- A Report from the Western Jurisdiction Leadership Team
- Theological statement leads first day of summit
- Theological Declaration Affirmed at the Western Jurisdiction Fresh UMC Summit
- An Update from the Fresh Summit Working Group (Jan. 7)
- Thursday Afternoon: Opening Worship (sanctuary of Rolling Hills UMC)
- Thursday Afternoon: Introductions, opening surveys
- Thursday Afternoon: Gathering Getting-Acquainted; Sense of the Group
- Thursday Evening: Intros; Fishbowl reports: Safe Harbor; New Movements (All Belong); Coalitions; Complaints; Resisting; CC Connections; Theological Statement; Feedback; Annual Conference Reports; Pathways Team Report
- Friday Morrning: Bishops Declaration of Safe Harbor; Laying Groundwork (events & options);
- Friday Evening: Sprint Process:Alone in Own Process; Making Concept Map Newsprint
- Saturday a.m.
- Danish Video: All that we share (English)
- Saturday afternoon: summary of Sprint Process, beginning to select visioning team
- Saturday afternoon (including votes, selection of followup folks); final sending forth
Barmen Declaration (referred to in presentation of the Theological Statement presented Thursday evening)