There are 13 Legislative Committees handling the enormous volume of petitions, resolutions, and "non-disciplinary legislation" submitted to General Conference.
With our 2 voting delegates (1 clergy, 1 lay) getting voice and vote in the Committees they chose, the reserves have been scattered amongst the remaining 11 committees to monitor and report.
I have spent about 11 hours since 4 pm on Thursday the 24th covering the "Church and Society 2" Committee. The Discipline paragraphs assigned to this committee include some of the "key" controversial issues in our Social Principles such as Abortion and Human Sexuality/Homosexuality.
Past General Conferences have included some tempestuous reactions to the treatment of these issues. I approached the monitoring task with some real trepidation. What would I bear witness to, as I monitored the return to the discussion of these issues?
What I saw... was Holy Conferencing.* I saw people treating one another with the utmost respect, while still being clear about where they stood and what they believed. I watched people struggle together to work in unity. I beheld people, voting for something that did not pass, quietly withdraw inward for a brief time to deal with their disappointment with dignity, re-engaging the conversation as they quickly recovered. I watched Christians who disagreed with one another listen, then talk. Pray, then talk some more. Debate, then laugh together.
Surely these legendarily divisive issues would generate the oft-reported outbursts of emotion in uncontrolled storms that would derail the common work!
But they didn't.
Not at all.
Instead, I Saw It Happening...
What we talked about.
What we hoped to see.
The Spirit of Jesus Christ, giving grace and power so United Methodist brothers and sisters could do their work...
...in Holy Conferencing.*
I'll share more from General Conference with you soon.
Peace,
Jon Moore
* "Holy Conferencing" is the term for our Wesleyan understanding that talking to one another, as brothers and sisters in Christ, even when it becomes impassioned or centers on items we disagree about, can be done in such a loving, respectful, and Christ-like way that it becomes a means of God's grace.
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2 comments:
Jon, Very Interesting stuff...How can I contact you on Sunday night or monday morning, as I will be coming to the convention center to observe Conference for a day?
Jon, thanks for this wonderful post. From where I sit, I don't get to hear much of the "action," but I am encouraged to hear this report--I've overheard the same from others. I pray that the spirit of holy conferencing will continue to move among this meeting for the remainder of our time together!
Peace,
Randall
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