Dear friends and members of University UMC:
I hope this Friday note finds you doing well and having a good week. I hear more rain is on the way today, but I have enjoyed the warmer weather and walks outside in recent days.
Today, I share with you a few things related to the General Conference which will occur later this Spring. I understand that some in our church community are keenly aware of all things General Conference, while others may not even know what GC is. Some of you may follow General Conference news closely and be very interested, while others see it as not-very-important background noise.
A quick summary. Here at University UMC, we are connected to a global denomination called The United Methodist Church. There is great beauty in the connection and, like any complex system, there are some challenges. The beauty is that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. We are linked with amazing ministries throughout the world such as Africa University, and agencies like The Commission on Race and Religion. Through our apportionment giving, offerings extend beyond our local church to bring aid to victims of hurricanes and earthquakes through The United Methodist Committee on Relief and to support seminarians. This is just a small glimpse into the excitement of being part of a larger, global denomination. And, like perhaps most any family or organization, there are challenges. For a progressive congregation like UUMC committed to full inclusion, there is challenge and pain as we acknowledge that our current Book of Discipline (a book of church law) prohibits the ordination of and marriage of gay persons. The only way the Book of Discipline can change is by action from the General Conference. Years ago, you joined the growing number of churches resisting this discriminatory and harmful language by affiliating with Reconciling Ministries Network.
Churches affiliated with RMN claim the following:
