Day One: May 10, 2016
AWF Delegate Begins General Conference with Prayer
Clara Ester, lay delegate from the Alabama-West Florida Conference and the Mobile District, shared her experience yesterday, May 9, 2016, at General Conference. She said, "I started my morning in the prayer room praying for General Conference. We then went to every legislative room, conferencing rooms, technology area, translators space and offered prayers for delegates, staff and volunteers. We prayed for all the Bishops as we walked on the platform where the worship services will be held and blessed the drums and the piano. We walked through the complete area praying for all delegates, visitors and participants at General Conference. What an awesome morning!" She is pictured in the bottom left. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS.
Hare Leads Briefing for Women Delegates
Dawn Wiggins Hare, AWF lay delegate and general secretary of the United Methodist General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, speaks at a May 9 orientation for women delegates at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Hare said, "I am honored to serve and encourage the women delegates of the General Conference to have a safe space to make relationships, worship, and find our voices 'for such a time as this.'" Behind her, Andrea Raye of Dallas, Texas, provides sign language interpretation. Photo courtesy of UMNS.
General Conference Debates Rules of Organization
The afternoon organization of General Conference session ran into the evening as delegates debated and discussed details of rules and procedures by which the work of the conference is to be conducted. After an unexpected dinner break, delegates returned to seek more clarification of the rules on which they were voting. Rules 1-43, after much discussion, were approved. Rule 44, a highly debated option including Holy Conferencing, was deferred until tomorrow. More information will be included in tomorrow's newsletter.
Plan UMC’s Fate Still up to GC2016
(UMNS) - The 2016 General Conference now has the responsibility of determining what happens to three commissions that Plan UMC Revised has put on the chopping block. The Judicial Council, The United Methodist Church’s top court, ruled May 10 that the revised version of the agency restructure known as Plan UMC has parts that violate the denomination’s constitution and other parts that are entirely constitutional. More here.
African Delegates Poised to be a Force
(UMNS) - African delegates say they enter General Conference 2016 better prepared than at past legislative gatherings, and determined to gain more clout and resources for their continent’s part of The United Methodist Church. Most African delegates met for two days of briefings and strategy just before General Conference convened here. Sam Hodges reports.
Clergy Couple Volunteers at General Conference
Rev. Olivia Poole and Rev. Steve Reneau are volunteering this week at 2016 General Conference by serving as monitors for COSROW. Poole is serving with the local church committee and Reneau is serving with the discipleship committee. They are helping the legislative committees and plenary sessions processes in hopes of allowing an equity of voice by the delegates. Each day they take statistics that reflect the gender, race, ethnicity and age of those who speak and present. Poole is pastor at Mt. Zion UMC in Smiths Station, AL, and Reneau is pastor at Trinity UMC in Phenix City, AL. They are pictured above at the Opening Worship Service held earlier today.
General Conference Visible Around Portland Area
Passengers board a MAX light rail train that carries an advertising message from The United Methodist Church during the opening day of the denomination's 2016 General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS.
AWF Delegate Prayer & Profile
Each General Conference daily newsletter will feature a prayer from a delegate, alternating between clergy and laity.
"Almighty God, it is in your grace and mercies that we have come to this place as agencies and representatives of this body of Christ, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church. We invite your presence, in the Holy Spirit as it is embodied in the life of Jesus the Christ. Please be active in the hearts, mind and spirits of all who will gather within these walls. In all that we do remind us that you so loved the world that you gave your son that all may have eternal life. As we begin this work allow us to boldly proclaim in policy and deed that the world is your parish. We pray this prayer in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen."
-Rev. John Brooks
Rev. John Brooks is the District Superintendent of the Montgomery-Prattville District. This is his first time to serve as a general conference delegate. Prior to serving as a district superintendent, he was pastor at Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Montgomery, AL.
Tomorrow's Highlights
Streaming Schedule (Reminder: All times are Pacific Standard, UTC-7)
- 8:00 AM: Worship (10:00 CDT)
- 8:30 AM: Plenary Session and Episcopal Address (10:30 CDT)
Stay Connected
Live stream: Follow the action with live streaming video. Don’t miss a minute of the big event.
Social Media: The GC Twitter account will show a real-time conversation. Follow @UMCGC to get the 4-1-1 and join the global conversation using the hashtag #UMCGC. For AWF tweets, use #AWFGC. Follow General Conference on Facebook to stay well informed.
Digital Lounge: Stay clued in by visiting the digital lounge to watch interviews with notables and newsmakers, as well as folks who are out of the spotlight but critical to the event’s success.
Mobile App: The General Conference mobile app has everything you need in the palm of your hand.
United Methodist News Service: United Methodist News Service will be posting breaking news stories all day, every day, as well as in-depth coverage and analysis. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter or, subscribe to the UMNS daily digest and get the news in your inbox; then click to learn more.
GC Website: Find everything in one place at the General Conference website for an easy, user-friendly experience.
