(At Left) Atlanta-Roswell District Superintendent Ed Tomlinson at the 2008 UMC General Conference in Fort Worth Texas. Below is a summary of General Conference actions provided by Ed.

General Conference Report—Actions Effective January 1, 2009 (Unless Designated)

Our mission statement is enlarged to state: “The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

People who join United Methodist Churches will in the future be asked to be faithful with their “prayers, presence, gifts, service, and (also) witness.”

A Full Communion Agreement with the ELCA was approved.  We recognize each other’s ministry and mission and the authenticity of our baptism and Eucharist.  There is an interchangeability of ordained clergy.  Likewise, there was authorization to continue dialogue with the Episcopalians with an interim agreement on the Eucharist until full communion is accomplished between the churches.

The Cote d’Ivoire Church was received as a United Methodist Conference which added 700,000 new members to our denomination.

Probationary Members of Annual Conference will now be referred to as Provisional Members.  The normal provisional membership term will be 2 years instead of the current 3.  A person must be a church member for 1 year instead of the current 2 unless the candidate has been involved in a United Methodist campus ministry or other ministry of our denomination for 1 year.

The Ministry Study was continued for another 4 years.

A proposed constitutional amendment will allow provisional members of the Annual Conferences and local pastors who have completed the Course of Study and served 2 consecutive years prior to the election to vote on delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conferences.  Only members in Full Connection may serve as delegates.

Concerning retirement issues, the age of mandatory retirement for clergy was raised from 70 to 72.  Effective May 3, 2008, Bishops must not have reached age 68 before the Jurisdictional Conference (currently 66).

Sacramental authority can now be given to Deacons upon request of their pastors and district superintendents and authorization by the Bishop.  There are restrictions and the Council of Bishops will not grant permission until a process has been negotiated.

A new 24-member standing committee on Faith and Order will help the church reflect on matters of faith, doctrinal teaching, order and discipline.  It will from time to time provide study materials.

Annual Conference membership on the General Boards was clarified.  Attempts to reverse the fair representation legislation passed at the 2004 General Conference were defeated.

A 27-member hymnal revision committee was established for the creation of a new hymnal ready for consideration at the 2012 General Conference.  A smaller committee was to study the need for an Africana hymnal.

The proposed new social creed (set to music) was added as a “companion litany” to the current creed.  It did not replace the present Social Creed which was reaffirmed.

None of the divestment resolutions or petitions concerning Israel was enacted.  There was, however, a call to uphold UN resolutions concerning the wall on the Palestinian lands. 

The “incompatible with Christian teaching” phrase was retained concerning homosexual practice.  Also, kept were statements asking “families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends.”  The policy of not funding groups that promote acceptance of homosexuality was continued. 

The definition of marriage being between “one man and one woman” was maintained.

A statement on abortion was added to the Social Principles which included “ministries to reduce unintended pregnancies” and to assist in finding “feasible alternatives to abortion.”

While the Book of Discipline kept language concerning pastoral authority over church membership, a constitutional amendment will be offered to the Annual Conferences which states “all persons shall be eligible to attend worship services and, upon taking vows, become church members.”

A resolution calls for “equal rights of men” with regard to parental leave and child custody.

A constitutional amendment will enable the General Conference to set the membership of the Annual Conference (without a further constitutional change). 

Twenty-three constitutional amendments would make possible regional conferences around the world.  One or more such conferences could then be formed in the United States.  The powers and duties of these regional conferences and the responsibilities of the General Conference will be addressed by a 20 member committee to report to the 2012 General Conference.  These amendments will be voted upon by the several Annual Conferences in 2009.  A two-thirds vote of the aggregate total will be required for passage.

The General Church Budget ($642,000,000) increases by 4.8% over the next four years (1.2% per annum).  There were four areas of focus – 1) Developing Christian Leaders; 2) Starting New Congregations and Renewing Existing Ones; 3) Engaging in Ministries with the Poor; and 4) Improving Global Health (e.g., Stamping out Malaria).

$2 Million was set aside for Theological Education in Africa.  $20 Million ($10 Million in the Budget and $10 Million to be Raised) is to go to Africa University.

Four of the five Jurisdictions will lose one Bishop in 2012 by action of General Conference.  The SEJ is currently operating with one less than the formula states.

District Superintendents can serve up to 12 years at the discretion of the Bishop.  Although 6 years is the norm, the only absolute is 12 years in one’s ministry.

Congratulations go to Susan Henry Crowe, who is the first woman to be elected President of the Judicial Council.  She is Dean of Cannon Chapel at Emory University.