Articles about developments of alternatives for the future of The United Methodist Church: discussions of options, other expressions of the Methodist or Wesleyan Way, new alignments, petitions and resolutions approved in annual conferences, etc.
News about the postponement of the 2020 General Conference:
Well, the resolution to our 50+ year conflict over sexuality (especially "homosexuality"--see this reason for the quotes) has been postponed a third time! First postponed to 2021, then 2022, now 2024. Here's the UMNews story:
Citing long wait times for visas, General Conference organizers announced that The United Methodist Church’s top lawmaking assembly — long postponed by pandemic — must wait until 2024.
“We engaged in a fair, thorough, integrity-filled discussion of the alternatives," said Kim Simpson, chairperson of the Commission on the General Conference, in a press statement.
“The visa issue is a reality that is simply outside our control as we seek to achieve a reasonable threshold of delegate presence and participation. Ultimately our decision reflects the hope that 2024 will afford greater opportunity for global travel and a higher degree of protection for the health and safety of delegates and attendees.”
General Conference was scheduled to be in Minneapolis this year. In the press statement, the commission said a new already-secured venue would be announced at a later date as soon as logistical planning is complete....
Another update on the state of our United Methodist Church. I last posted over a year ago, and while I have continued my activism in the Western Methodist Justice Movement, I’ve slowed down a lot, while keeping active in the Arvada UMC, just a mile from our house here in Arvada, Colorado, USA.
Movement towards a resolution of the impasse that initially was hoped to be resolved by the 2019 General Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, has been slowed and delayed by the continuing crisis of the worldwide pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus and its illness, COVID-19. General Conference 2020 was postponed twice, and may or may not happen Aug. 29-Sept. 6, 2022, despite calls from young adult UMs to schedule it at a time that doesn’t coincide with the start of the school year. Disappointment, relief, anxiety—mixed emotions surround the postponement. [Update: now postponed to 2024!]
United Methodist congregations continue to wait with more or less patience for the resolution. There are now new Methodist movements forming, the Liberation Methodist Connexion, a progressive, inclusive, and liberationist expression, and the Global Methodist Church, a conservative evangelical expression of Methodism. Here are two stories about groups of Methodists forming:
[Due to our move to Arvada from Denver in April-June, 2020, a scooter accident with an mTBI (concussion), and some surgery, my work on this site has fallen behind events--infrequent as they have been since the cancellation of the 2020 General Conference due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Here are some significant happenings to date (December 10, 2020):]
Neocolonial Manipulations by Good News and WCA Are Resurfacing:
"American exceptionalism plays a crucial role for United Methodist traditionalists in defining their worldview and reaction to situations in the global church. They have difficulty admitting failure with humility; instead, they have a tendency to blame and break the institution, burn the house and point to everyone else but themselves as the problem. Sadly, this evil persists today in our denomination." By Lloyd Nyarota, Special to United Methodist Insight, Dec. 9, 2020 (also here).*
by Lloyd T. Nyarota,
December 9, 2020
"Special to United Methodist Insight" -- used by permission.
American exceptionalism plays a crucial role for United Methodist traditionalists in defining their worldview and reaction to situations in the global church. They have difficulty admitting failure with humility; instead, they have a tendency to blame and break the institution, burn the house and point to everyone else but themselves as the problem. Sadly, this evil persists today in our denomination.
Read more: Neocolonial Manipulations by Good News and WCA Are Resurfacing
- Delegates discuss mapping new church vision
- Wrestling with budget after GC2020 postponed
- Looking at financial impact of GC2020 plans
- New Website and Educational Materials Introduce the Revised Social Principles
- New Era Begins with Resistance, Warnings
- Greater New Jersey Creates New "Discipline"
- Church Future Under Negotiation Before GC2020
- Central Conferences Speak Up Against Dissolution of UMC
- Background and Update on UMC Debate
- Separation Outlook: It's All in the Details
- The WCA: How Did We Get Here?
- Western Jurisdiction's "Fresh" Summit Envisions Inclusive Church
- WCA looks toward new, traditionalist church
- WJ Bishops Promise Safe Harbor, Invite Others To Do Likewise
- Bishop Carter Suggests Moratorium on Trials
- Bishop Carter reflects on journey to GC2020
- Greater New Jersey Conference Chooses a Way Forward
- An Inspiring and Courageous Episcopal Address
- The Filipino UMC Link Between Revival, Unity, and Mission
- A Filipino Experience With Schism
- BIshop Announces "Guiding Coalition" For Future
- Background: Breaking up would be hard to do
- We're Not in Kansas Anymore
- Will Filipinos Resolve the UMC's Three-Way Standoff?
- Leadership Gathering Holds Conversations on UMC Future
- COR Leadership Institute Focuses on Future of UMC
- 'Reform & Renewal' Forces Acknowledge 20 Percent Delegate Drop
- Black Leaders Meet to Discuss Future of United Methodist Church
- The Current Three-Way Standoff in the UMC
- The winding road ahead for United Methodism
- The Bursting of the Methodist Wineskin
- Reflections on Where We Are
- Western Jurisdiction Holds "Fresh United Methodism Summit"
- African Pastor Calls For Honesty in Global Methodism
- Two Traditionalist Arguments that Fall Flat
- Global? Who You Calling 'Global'?
- Papers, Discussions, Research: UM-Insight.org
- Parody Humor; Venn Diagram; First African Reconciling Congregation
- GC2020: Pick Up a Pen, Start Writing
- The struggle for the perfect plan
- State of the UMC: Bloggers weigh in
- The US & the Central Conferences at the UM Scholars Conference
- Speech: Four Words, Three Rules, Two Standards, One Grace
- Commission on General Conference added to confusion
- Bishop Richard Wilke: A plea to the United Methodist Church
- Diverse group of United Methodists explores separation
- Plans canceled for GC2024 in Philippines
- Connectional Table Approves Legislation Creating New U.S. Structure