KAY DeMOSS
Senior editor-writer, Michigan Area

A Pre-General Conference Briefing was held in Portland, Oregon January 20-22, 2016. Several delegates from the Detroit and West Michigan Conference were among the 400 present reviewing legislation and building community.

Here are some impressions, concerns, and hopes that they carry back to Michigan to process with the full delegation that will be returning to Portland in May. Click here for additional background provided in a United Methodist News Service summary of the event.

NICHEA VER VEER GUY/General Conference Lay Delegate/West Michigan

“The discussions around the role of the United States and the Global nature of the church are most interesting. Seeing the U.S. as a “Central Conference” is very important. Legislation involving LGBTQ issues, like the Connectional Table’s Third Way, will challenge the church to be in conversation and to resolve these concerns through compassion and compromise. My hope is that our people in our congregations will be able to relate to one another in a whole new way. I personally am feeling overwhelmed as just one of two voices present at General Conference for West Michigan. I want so much to express the spirit of West Michigan in issue dialogues and legislative decision-making. I want to model the fabric of who we are as United Methodists in mission together, regardless of what side of the fence we sit on, expressing the compassion West Michigan has always shown in faithful servant-hood on behalf of the church. I am hopeful that we can show the world how to BE the church wherever calls us to be through calm, discerning conversation.”

JACKIE EUPER/General Conference Lay Delegate/Detroit

“I believe a significant item to be considered at General Conference regards changes in the path to ordination. This includes eliminating commissioning as a step, streamlining the process and broadening the paths toward ordination. There is also legislation to remove the age minimum for those called to be Local Pastors and to emphasize lifelong learning for clergy with in-depth assessment of effectiveness every eight years. This is my seventh time as a delegate to General Conference. I will seek God’s guidance daily in the midst of this important work. There are fewer petitions (1,044) in 2016 than in previous conferences. Mid-week we will all take part in a special remembrance of the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864. Descendants of those killed will be present for this time of healing. We may vote to be in special Christian Conferencing sessions on May 14 for discernment on all 99 petitions regarding issues of sexuality. I come away from Portland assured that God is in charge of our beloved United Methodist Church. One quote I will share with our Detroit delegation is this: ‘Few will see what we write, but millions will see what we do!’”

BENTON HEISLER/Reserve Jurisdictional Conference Clergy Delegate/West Michigan

“Not surprisingly, and disappointingly, it seems too often the legislation focuses on matters related to sex, money and power. Regarding actions with potential to make a big difference in the lives of local churches in Michigan, there are ministry track items that will provide greater flexibility to recruit and use pastoral leadership, like removing the age requirement for a person to follow the Local Pastor path. Allowing this helps to offer less expensive educational options and the possibility for younger leaders to receive credentials and begin pastoral leadership. I believe younger leadership and less educational debt burden are critical. During our time in Portland I sensed we were able to focus our vast diversity and multitude of gifts with incredible tenacity. There seemed to be a spirit of kindness and sensitivity around the issues and in places where there is disagreement. I was most struck that our discussions had none of the rhetoric, exaggeration, personal attack or mean spiritedness present in our current presidential candidates’ speeches.  I pray the Church may still ‘transform the world’ with such kinder and gentler interactions among one another. My first experience of General Conference was in Denver in 1996. I recall thinking the boards, agencies and Council of Bishops seemed isolated and disconnected from each other. Here in 2016 that has made a 180 degree change. There is now common focus, direction, alignment of human and financial resources and a deep desire to ‘equip and connect the local congregations for ministry.’ This action emphasis aligns with our stated understanding that ‘the local congregation is the most significant arena for making disciples.’ The Connectional Table is providing leadership accountability, communication and creativity during the interim years of General Conference. Is there hope for the future of The United Methodist Church? Absolutely! I see growth, vitality, generosity, compassion, transformation and creativity taking place around the globe as God moves through the people and places called ‘United Methodist.’”

KENNETHA BIGHAM–TSAI/Jurisdictional Conference Delegate/West Michigan

“I think the briefing went wonderfully. The information was vital and the presentations were appropriately paced. I think that the most important take-away that I will share with my delegation is the complexity of our world-wide church. We know that we are a worldwide denomination, but we often approach issues in ways that are very U.S.-centric. The United Methodist Church spans the globe and some of our greatest growth is in our Central Conferences. We must approach all legislation from that wider perspective. I also hope that we will welcome the rich diversity of our worldwide church and see that diversity as an opportunity to reflect the coming Kingdom of God. I also will share with the delegation the focus on unity at the briefing. Many of the presenters stressed the unity of the church. And, I believe that we are stronger in mission together than we are apart. I am praying for unity as we address tough issues at General Conference. Holding together, even as we differ, can be a powerful witness to what it means to be the Church.”

LAURIE HALLER/General Conference Delegate/West Michigan

“I think the possibility of the U.S. being a Central Conference is critical but will likely not be resolved in 2016. Issues of human sexuality will be defining for the Church. I advocate for finding a way to move forward together. I am committed to the process and to finding a way to work through our issues. That would be a great model for our world if we could find a way we could all live with. I have great hope that we can do that. We are all learning as we go. Cultural competence is a key to the health of denomination. We each have to get beyond our own situation and see what The United Methodist Church looks like in a different culture and how can I understand where they are coming from. The great privilege of coming to General Conference is to become more culturally competent by meeting others from around the world and understand where they are coming from. Our perspective comes from who and where we are. This General Conference will be important for our Michigan congregations not so much around what we do as who we are. How we act toward one another will make the greatest impression on our local churches and the world. For 30 years the headlines have been, ‘Look at the United Methodists fighting again. They just can’t get it together.’ I want the headlines out of Portland to be, ‘See how they love each other! See how United Methodists are salt, leaven and light for the world.’ The Holy Spirit has been moving here. We have tried very hard in the course of this briefing to be gracious. We need to make that part of our everyday life and not just be on our best behavior for an hour or so and then go back to bashing everybody. I have participated in five General Conferences. The stuff we are doing here matters and I hope to help people back home understand that. Because in the end it is not General Conference but the local church that is the heart of The United Methodist Church. All the bureaucracy only exists to empower the local church. None of this administrative stuff means anything if we can’t make disciples on the ground in our annual conferences. It is a wonderful privilege to be a delegate and vote on behalf of the West Michigan Conference. I go representing many people’s hopes and dreams. It takes my breath away to see the whole Church as we see it in Portland in May.”

JEROME (JERRY) DEVINE/Present for General Commission on Religion and Race/Detroit Conference

“One of the pieces of legislation that will have most significance as a Connection is related to the U.S. becoming a Central Conference. I am supportive but I am also have deep concerns. For one, the voice of women’s rights. The U.S. has made significant progress in that area and I hope we will be able to continue to influence other regions. As a region, can the U.S. still witness to justice in a global way? I think some could use this legislation to remove the unique regional gifts across the church and swallow them up in a homogenous design. Much of what General Conference will do is beyond the day to day cares of our local churches. One area of strong impact, however, is the proposal of a more flexible track for ordination and a call for greater clergy effectiveness. Laity have wanted this for a long time. The challenge to guaranteed appointment will be watched closely back home. There is a misperception that all General Conference deals with is human sexuality. Yes, those are important issues but not the only thing we are wrestling with. It’s also a misperception that it’s all extreme liberals and extreme conservatives that go to General Conference. When I turn around and look it’s another human being whom I see, a follower of Christ in the Wesley way wrestling with how to be faithful. Delegates may radically disagree but I hope those in the local church realize delegates are all coming out of local churches trying to find God’s way for us in an imperfect system. Our politics are not evil; they are how we organize our life together. We need to leave room for grace and the Holy Spirit. I have seen the Holy Spirit at work here in the discernment process added to our tool kit. Sometimes we need to step out of normal legislative rules of order and into a circle of conversation out of which wisdom comes. I have hope in that process. I especially appreciated one presenter who said don’t focus on what you disagree with but instead get behind what you can support. I hope that all who pray for our delegation and General Conference will pray for that which fires our passion and instills hope and let God worry about that which we let suck the life out of us. Let’s face it. If God desires to keep The United Methodist Church moving forward, we will keep moving forward. We don’t have the capacity to shut out the will of God. Let’s let God rebirth us into a more vital, flexible movement.”

Last Updated on December 15, 2023