The united methodist church's commission on a way forward
THE BACKGROUND (or scroll down for updated links marked NEW)
At the world-wide meeting of the leadership (bishops and elected clergy and laity delegates) of The United Methodist Church, which was held in Seattle in May 2016, a new thing happened: the General Conference asked the Council of Bishops to create a Commission for the purpose of examining possible "futures" for The United Methodist Church.
The request for such a Commission comes after years of increasing tension and division among United Methodists, most often having to do with issues of human sexuality, biblical interpretation, and the clergy covenant. How shall the Church respond to increasing social acceptance of homosexuality, and marriage equality? Shall the Church ordain "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals"? What shall the Church do about clergy who celebrate same-sex marriages (which is against our Church rules)? How shall the Church deal with theological differences in interpreting some specific Bible passages? Is the division in the Church irreconcilable? Is a split inevitable? What might such a split look like?
Thirtytwo women and men were invited by the Council of Bishops to be The Commission on a Way Forward, with three bishops as moderators. The Commission shall meet and make recommendations to the General Conference at some point between now and 2020.
Pastor Kerry has prepared some informational pages here, and invites your questions. And requests your prayers. umcprays.org
If you like, scroll to the bottom of this page to download and print a 12-page PDF that contains all of the information I've compiled.
The background: tinyurl.com/CommissionPartOne
The "Way Forward" that initiated the formation of the Commission:
http://wordsfrompk.blogspot.com/2017/03/an-offering-for-way-forward.html
The Commission membership:
http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/council-of-bishops-names-32-commission-members
In the event the above link doesn't work, http://www.firstchurchbville.com/the-commission.html
Some questions and answers, updated March 2017: tinyurl.com/CommissionPartTwo
An update from United Methodist News, March 2, 2017: http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/way-forward-group-looking-to-get-feedback
An update from UMNews, April 10, 2017: http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/commission-on-a-way-forward-optimistic-of-future-delves-into-tough-task
An update from UMNews, April 10: 2017: http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/way-forward-group-ponders-structural-changes
NEW: Update from Great Plains UM News, October 26, 2017: http://www.greatplainsumc.org/newsdetail/bishops-turn-to-shape-ideas-from-way-forward-commission-9814762
NEW: A lay journalist's reflections, October 26, 2017: http://www.greatplainsumc.org/blogdetail/in-laymans-terms-discussion-with-a-moderator-for-the-commission-on-a-way-forward-9815175
New: Update from UMNews, November 1, 2017: http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/commission-on-a-way-forward-drafts-interim-report-to-the-bishops
New: Update from the Bishops, November 9, 2017: www.umc.org/news-and-media/bishops-uphold-values-of-mission-unity-space-contextuality-in-interim-repor
NEW: UPDATE FROM THE WAY FORWARD MODERATOR TEAM, January 30, 2018: www.wvumc.org/2018/01/10401/
The PDF of Pastor Kerry's background and update on A Way Forward:
At the world-wide meeting of the leadership (bishops and elected clergy and laity delegates) of The United Methodist Church, which was held in Seattle in May 2016, a new thing happened: the General Conference asked the Council of Bishops to create a Commission for the purpose of examining possible "futures" for The United Methodist Church.
The request for such a Commission comes after years of increasing tension and division among United Methodists, most often having to do with issues of human sexuality, biblical interpretation, and the clergy covenant. How shall the Church respond to increasing social acceptance of homosexuality, and marriage equality? Shall the Church ordain "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals"? What shall the Church do about clergy who celebrate same-sex marriages (which is against our Church rules)? How shall the Church deal with theological differences in interpreting some specific Bible passages? Is the division in the Church irreconcilable? Is a split inevitable? What might such a split look like?
Thirtytwo women and men were invited by the Council of Bishops to be The Commission on a Way Forward, with three bishops as moderators. The Commission shall meet and make recommendations to the General Conference at some point between now and 2020.
Pastor Kerry has prepared some informational pages here, and invites your questions. And requests your prayers. umcprays.org
If you like, scroll to the bottom of this page to download and print a 12-page PDF that contains all of the information I've compiled.
The background: tinyurl.com/CommissionPartOne
The "Way Forward" that initiated the formation of the Commission:
http://wordsfrompk.blogspot.com/2017/03/an-offering-for-way-forward.html
The Commission membership:
http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/council-of-bishops-names-32-commission-members
In the event the above link doesn't work, http://www.firstchurchbville.com/the-commission.html
Some questions and answers, updated March 2017: tinyurl.com/CommissionPartTwo
An update from United Methodist News, March 2, 2017: http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/way-forward-group-looking-to-get-feedback
An update from UMNews, April 10, 2017: http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/commission-on-a-way-forward-optimistic-of-future-delves-into-tough-task
An update from UMNews, April 10: 2017: http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/way-forward-group-ponders-structural-changes
NEW: Update from Great Plains UM News, October 26, 2017: http://www.greatplainsumc.org/newsdetail/bishops-turn-to-shape-ideas-from-way-forward-commission-9814762
NEW: A lay journalist's reflections, October 26, 2017: http://www.greatplainsumc.org/blogdetail/in-laymans-terms-discussion-with-a-moderator-for-the-commission-on-a-way-forward-9815175
New: Update from UMNews, November 1, 2017: http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/commission-on-a-way-forward-drafts-interim-report-to-the-bishops
New: Update from the Bishops, November 9, 2017: www.umc.org/news-and-media/bishops-uphold-values-of-mission-unity-space-contextuality-in-interim-repor
NEW: UPDATE FROM THE WAY FORWARD MODERATOR TEAM, January 30, 2018: www.wvumc.org/2018/01/10401/
The PDF of Pastor Kerry's background and update on A Way Forward:
| bart_on_a_way_forward.pdf |
