Six members of the Michigan Area delegations share some of their experiences and expectations from the scene of the General Conference.
KAY DeMOSS
Senior Editor-Writer, Michigan Area
Material, page after page, has been read. Meetings, hour after hour, have been endured. Distance, mile after mile, has been travelled. And NOW the first day of General Conference is underway!
No amount of preparation can really get a person ready for the enormity of the General Conference experience.
Six Michigan delegates to the General and Jurisdictional Conference offer these brief reflections of their initial hours in Portland on May 10. Some of these persons are attending General Conference for the first time. Others have been delegates before.
The Rev. Laura Speiran is a clergyperson elected by the Detroit Conference. She says, “I am excited to be at General Conference for the first time as an alternate delegate and as the first ever Deacon from the Detroit Conference!” Laura was especially touched by opening worship “ … filled with sights and sounds and many languages–in music, in the communion liturgy, and in prayer.” She was especially impressed by the greeting given by from Kathryn Jones Harrison, representing the Grand Ronde Tribal Council and the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. “She said, ‘put your hand on your heart when you listen to the drumming. Even with all our differences, our hearts can beat as one.’ I am hopeful as we begin for all that is ahead.”
Alex Plum is a layperson active in the Detroit Conference and elected as an alternate to General Conference. “My first go-round at General Conference came in 2008, when I was a delegate,” Alex recalls. “Then we had five lay folks; now we have only three. So I guess my first observation is that the demographics of our global church are shifting away from US dominance and toward a more comprehensive representation on the part of our brothers and sisters outside the US.” Alex feels blessed by this new reality. “We have such a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another’s perspectives and experiences. I think this makes us a stronger more culturally competent church.” But he is also discouraged by the factions in the church. “They seek to manipulate the votes and voices of our international colleagues. As it was back in 2008 and is again now, retreats and trips are furnished by certain political groups in order to influence votes.” Alex says he mourns “that we can’t honor our brothers’ and sisters’ experiences without trying to co-opt them to serve our agendas.” He says he came to Portland to tell his story and to hear others tell their story. “It’s been a rich experience albeit frustrating at times. But that’s the church,” Alex concludes.
The Rev. Laurie Haller is a Clergy Delegate from West Michigan who has been representing the Conference for the past 20 years. She notes, “A lot has changed since my first General Conference in 1996! Although Oregon permits open carry, The United Methodist Church has declared General Conference to be a carry-free zone. Hence, security checks at every entrance to the Convention Center.” She noticed a number of other first-time tech-related features: “ … all delegates received headphones upon entering the plenary room because there will be simultaneous translation into different languages; the per diem allowance for delegates is now given to us as a VISA Prepaid Card rather than a check; and we are encouraged to text our offering on our smartphones.” Laurie points out that some things remain the same. “Worship inspires and shapes us as United Methodists, and relationship-building across cultures, languages and countries enriches holy conferencing. We claim John Wesley’s conviction that we may not think alike, but we can remain united by loving alike.” Laurie believes that “anything is possible” if the Holy Spirit is allowed to guide delegates.
Rev. Megan Crumm Walther is a young adult from the Detroit Conference who is also a first-time delegate. She says her first impression of General Conference is that, “It’s big. It’s vast!” Megan enjoyed sitting next to a woman from the Philippines during the first-timer orientation. The people in her congregation (Erie UMC) “had not taken too much notice of General Conference in the past, mostly because they are a small, rural congregation that doesn’t see themselves overly affected by decisions made here,” Megan explains. “But this year they are watching very closely because I am here. They are curious to see how it will go and what I will be doing. So they are very excited.”
Laura Witkowski, first-time Lay Delegate from West Michigan, is in Portland with her family. She says, “The energy since I arrived at the Convention Center is fantastic. You can tell everyone is excited to be here.” Laura praises the venue and calls the layout impressive but was “slightly disappointed that the Commission on General Conference forgot about the first-time delegate orientation.” She adds, “They improvised well.” This “bonus comment” comes from Laura’s mom, Wendy Clark. “I have not flown often so I am like a little kid looking out the plane window. On my trip to Portland, I was struck by how much the land below looked like a quilt. Each parcel of land connected from one corner to the other.” She continues, “Like us…we are all connected. I prayed that we be stitched together with grace and our edges bound by peace.”
The Rev. Dr. Matthew Hook is a clergy delegate elected by the Detroit Conference. Matt says, “My first impression is that it just looks right. The global-ness of it all just looks right.” He goes on, “The diversity of the people and conversations hold the most interest for me. I just love seeing what God is doing in the lives of people all over the world. There is this Connection through the Holy Spirit that draws people together from an incredible amount of cultures.” Matt enjoys observing from the sidelines what he calls, “the convergence of the progressives and the moderates and the evangelicals.” He recounts a dialogue with a man from Pennsylvania “who talked about how everyone is ethical and living out their ethics. For progressives it’s a justice issue. For moderates it’s unity they are seeking. Then the evangelicals ask, ‘What about scripture?’” He notes that people in his congregation in Dexter are “all over the map” with their views. “All are emailing me and everybody says they will be praying for me. Some of them are also praying for unity, others for scriptural holiness, and others for inclusivity.” He concludes, “There is a great variety of viewpoints in my church but all are sending me to Portland with prayer.”
First impressions with plenty more impressions to come. Laurie Haller shares the most significant of all … “God is already at work here in Portland!
Last Updated on May 11, 2016