What can be said about our church?
The last few days have not gone well for progressive Christians.
If you value open conversation, many of you saw, or have heard, that the guaranteed appointment went by on the consent calendar because of a duplicate signature on a petition to remove it from the calendar. A motion for reconsideration failed soon thereafter. Whether you supported the end of appointment security or not, no discussion was not healthy for our church. The fear and uncertainty among women , racial/ethnic and prophetically-minded clergy was clearly evident.
The next big matter brought before the body today were the proposals to restructure the church. There is a lot to like but the heavy concentration of South Eastern Jurisdiction and Central Conference delegates on the new General Council of Strategy and Oversight gives me pause. They will have the power to hire and fire their Executive Secretary, confirm all of the General Secretaries, and reallocate funds — when they judge that they are not being used effectively for making disciples. This concentration of power is just too scary for me. The best of intentions of this year’s General Conference may have just created a structure that will create a church unrecognizable to many of us in a few, short, years.
Finally the divestment debate. The General Conference certainly disagreed on this one. What I find it troubling is that we are willing to let bulldozers destroy homes and farm land rather than have our lay people lose money from their investments in Caterpiller, Motorola, or HP should their stock price drop due to divestment. People grow ‘tired’ of the debate and then we spend 30 minutes discussing whether of not we should call people lay speakers or lay servants.
I am really fired up. Hope I can sleep tonight.
Craig
Rev. Craig Parrish is the Conference Treasurer for the Pacific Northwest Conference and head of the PNW delegation to Tampa, Florida for General Conference 2012.
Holding y’all in love and prayer from here in Woodinville.
Thanks, Craig! It is important we hear what individuals are saying, not just the official statements.
I appreciate your reflections, Craig. It’s been troubling watching conversation being shut down and voices being shut out. Even when the votes have turned in the direction I supported, the process felt so wrong.
Re-reading your reflection from day 4 helped. Hang in there and please keep writing. You are the voice of many of us who can’t find the words
Your reflections are so appreciated. I”m reading as much as I can and there is much to be concerned about – will be really anxious to hear everyone’s feedback in person. Tonight’s picture shows you were laughing at something – so guess a lighter moment may have helped the tension a little.
Thanks, Craig for sharing. You’re in my prayers.
Thank you for keeping us in the loop, Craig, I appreciate your work.
Keep fighting the good fight, Rev. Craig.
It did our hearts good to see you laughing, Craig. Hope there is some joy among all the negative. Just to say again, thank you for being there for us and for keeping us in touch with what is going on. Hope you can get rest and strength for the rest of the conference.
Thanks Craig (and others) for being there. I know it is hard work and sad work too given the direct the UMC seems to be going.