The differences between the first five days of General Conference and the last five are considerably different.  To get a better perspective on the differences between these two sections of time, Tim McDaniel caught Ed Tomlinson, General Conference clergy delegate and Atlanta-Roswell district superintendent, to find out more.    

Tim: I’ve noticed that the first days of General Conference are a bit different than what we are experiencing this week.  Can you tell me how are the weeks differ from one another?
Ed: The first week is usually spent doing some of the formalities and hearing some of the reports from ministries that have occurred over the last four years. That kind of sets the table for what is to come later in the General Conference Session.  For instance, last week we had placed before us the four vision pathways that the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table have coordinated.  It’s a way of getting it before us and allowing the legislative committees to respond appropriately this week in their legislative committees.    

Tim: Speaking of Legislative Committees, tell me which one you sit on.
Ed: I’m on General Administration.  Our responsibly is basically representation to the general agencies and the Connectional Table, and also many of the issues that relate to the General Church’s special days. We spend a lot of time correcting some of the things done in the formation of the Connectional Table at the 2004 General Conference Session.  We knew that everything couldn’t be completed as wished in 2004 because we were under such a time crunch.  And so this year is a response to what we have lived through over the last four years to make sure that things are operating smoothly, and that we’ll have a better effort going ahead.

Tim: With all the legislation that goes to the legislative committees, I would assume that not all of those can be discussed on the General Conference floor. 
Ed: Right.  A lot of the things that come though the legislative committees are either no votes opposing, or very few votes opposing. With that being the focus, they go on the consent calendar and go right on through as part of the new Book of Discipline or as new resolutions in the Book of Resolutions.  Those things that we have some need to discuss further, or things that we have some disagreement about, would be things that would be put on the General Conference calendar, and then discussed on the floor of the plenary. 

Tim: And what would an example of those be?
Ed: Each legislative committee has some things that are brought forward to be voted on  the floor.  Now some have a lot more than others … because when we start thinking about a social issue, there is a lot of diversion of opinion.  As well, when we start talking about budgetary matters there is a wide divergence of opinions … and certainly some around the mission of the church like where do we invest our dollars and our efforts.  So things such as this are going to be discussed by the whole General Conference.   

Tim: Are you fairly pleased as to how the legislation process has been going so far?  Ed: It’s going much better and much faster than any other General Conference I’ve ever experienced …and I’m not exactly sure why.  It seems that we’ve focused on, and  gathered around, some issues with our vision pathways. 

Tim: With all the voting or discussions that go on either on the floor of General Conference floor or in your legislative committee,  what is going on in your mind?  
Ed: I have been really concerned that whatever I vote for, or reflect on, is through the filter of the local church.  How will these things relate to the local church both in terms of its ministry, missions, programs, and the expenditure of financial recourses.  I always keep those questions fresh in my mind.    

Tim: Has being the Vice Chair of the North Georgia delegation been a good experience for you?
Ed: It has been a wonderful experience!  It’s also been a pleasure to work with Lyn Powell.  We’ve been a good team in trying to make decisions on how to call our delegation together, and how we keep them informed about both the issues that are coming forward … and educating them about what’s about to occur at General Conference. 

Tim: And how about your overall General Conference experience.  
Ed: It’s a pleasure to be here. To see our Church at work and to remind ourselves again that we are a democratic body where people can raise issues from the grass roots and up is wonderful.  Then to see how we respond to those issues, and hopeful that we make some good decisions that will lead the church in the quadrennium ahead is quite an honor.