Author: Rev. Dr. Mark R. Holland, Executive Director, Mainstream UMC Sunday was a tough day. In prioritizing the plans, the Traditional Plan came out on top with 56% and the One Church Plan had 49%. The difference is 56 votes out of 864. We need to swing 30 votes to defeat the mean-spirited Traditional Plan that would certify, punish, and evict all who disagree. We … [Read more...] about General Conference 2019: Day 2
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The Delegate: GC2019 Sunday
General Conference 2019: Day 1
Author: Rev. Dr. Mark Holland, Executive Director, Mainstream UMC The first day of General Conference 2019 feels different. There is a palpable tension in the air. This is a momentous conference, and everyone knows it. I was initially skeptical of the “soft opening” with a day of prayer, but it was probably the right way to begin with everyone so on edge. I still marvel at how great the … [Read more...] about General Conference 2019: Day 1
Seeking an Inclusive Church in Nebraska
Author: Sonya Siebe, Member, First United Methodist Church Omaha Dear General Conference Delegate, Thank you for receiving this e-mail, giving your time, and thoughtfully considering your vote at the upcoming General Conference. I’m writing to you from Omaha, Nebraska. In 2000, my (now) wife and I began a journey to search for our church home. We were new to the Omaha … [Read more...] about Seeking an Inclusive Church in Nebraska
Grace or Eviction?
Posted by: Mainstream UMC Dear Delegates, As we travel to St. Louis, we have a clear choice. Are we going to vote to create a church where there is grace and a place for everyone? Or, are we going to vote to create a church where one group triumphs over another and certifies, punishes, and evicts all those who do not share their view? The One Church Plan inserts grace in the … [Read more...] about Grace or Eviction?
A Kansan’s Journey to Acceptance.
Author: Trevor Hands, Garden City, Kansas To the Delegates of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church. First let me begin by thanking you for representing us in what is assuredly an emotionally charged decision. I know the task at hand has been fervently prayed for. I continue to pray for all of you as you make your decision. I wanted … [Read more...] about A Kansan’s Journey to Acceptance.
Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
Authors: Donald P. Wiley, Reserve Lay Delegate, North Texas Conference Daniel Soliz, First Alternate Lay Delegate, North Texas Conference Rev. Owen Ross, clergy delegate, Director, Center for Church Development, North Texas Conference Tim Crouch, lay delegate, Chair, North Texas Conference delegation A common theme in the … [Read more...] about Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
67% of U.S. Delegates Support One Church Plan
Posted By: Mark Holland, Executive Director, Mainstream UMC Delegates from the United States overwhelmingly support the One Church Plan with more than two-thirds saying Yes! Months of outreach by several organizations, including Mainstream UMC, has yielded a clear choice in the U.S. The count includes at least a majority support in all five U.S. Jurisdictions. There is no … [Read more...] about 67% of U.S. Delegates Support One Church Plan
Groups Are Misusing Survey Results
Posted by: Mainstream UMC United Methodist Communications recently commissioned a survey about the beliefs of United Methodists in the United States. This survey is already being misused by some to bolster their position at General Conference. This was not the point of the survey, which did not ask any questions about human sexuality or about any of the plans coming before … [Read more...] about Groups Are Misusing Survey Results
With some reservations, I prefer the One Church Plan.
Author: Reverend Don M. Foster, retired Although not alone, I am the church. All of us need to decide what kind of church we want to be. May God's will be done. Thomas Merton wrote: We are not at peace with others because We are not at peace with ourselves, and We are not at peace with ourselves because We are not at peace with God. A story is told of a great desert monk … [Read more...] about With some reservations, I prefer the One Church Plan.