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.
Another analysis of the votes and pulse of the US United Methodist Church. A survey invitation is at the end of the article.
June 28, 2019
By Rev. Dr. Mark R. Holland, Executive Director, Mainstream UMC
The US Annual Conferences are complete and the backlash against the Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) and the Traditional Plan is unbelievable, even breathtaking. Fresh off General Conference 2019, with their signature legislation passed, the WCA organized in every annual conference to demonstrate they represent the US church. Fortunately, they published their preferred list of candidates so we can see how they did. Here are 5 takeaways:
1) The WCA has lost the hearts and minds of the US Church. ...
2) The WCA has lost both Clergy and Lay representation....
3) The WCA will not be electing any more Bishops. ...
4) The Traditional Plan is…well…something else. ...
5) The goal posts keep moving. ...
So now what? Well, we need your input. Mainstream UMC is conducting a grassroots survey about moving beyond the Traditional Plan. ...
UM-Insight is carrying this analysis of the state of the UMC in this week after Annual Conference season here in the US Methodist Church.
7 Suggestions on How to Begin to Restructure the UMC
by Ben Gosden
June 24, 2019
Delegate elections for the 2020 General Conference are now mostly complete in America. Methodists all over the world are following the numbers like it’s November during a Presidential election year. ...
This is an insightful analysis by Cynthia B. Astle, editor of UM-Insight.net, whose mission is to "amplify voices from the UMC margins." We are now (June 24) months down the road from this writing, but it still remains cogent and hopeful, even as the "revolt" of US Methodists continues. It is reprinted by permission of United Methodist Insight.
Where Do We Go from Here?
by Cynthia B. Astle
February 27, 2019
“The more you tighten your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.”
– Princess Leia to Gov. Tarkin, “Star Wars”
by Cynthia B. Astle
June 21, 2019
June 20 was a historic day in U.S. United Methodism, according to the Rev. Jeremy Smith. General Conference 2020 delegate elections were held in four annual conferences, and not one traditionalist was elected in any of them.
That’s right, says the esteemed Rev. Smith. More than 50 centrist and progressive GC2020 delegates were elected and not one WCA-supported delegate was chosen in California-Nevada, Minnesota, Western North Carolina and Virginia conferences. Of the four, Western North Carolina and Virginia typically have been conservative strongholds.
According to GC2020 math, these additional delegates still aren’t enough to vote out the Traditional Plan next May. But they are enough to provide a solid base for negotiation... [Continue reading this story on UM-Insight.] [Jeremy's story is here.]
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