Bishop Oliveto Gives Bread
Bishop Karen Oliveto shares bread with a delegate during a February 23, 2019, worship service in the Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. Oliveto is bishop of the Mountain Sky Area of The United Methodist Church. (Photo by Paul Jeffrey for United Methodist News Service.)
Love Your Neighbor Coalition Newsletter
What helps us respond to Christ’s call to be in relationship to transform the world?
One of the greatest tragedies of explicit discrimination against LGBTQ Christians in The United Methodist Church, said one panelist at Conversation at the Crossroads, has been the impediment of relationships that could have been built in our Church throughout our connection. It is through relationship that our own hearts are transformed and we are encouraged to pursue the kin-dom of God in solidarity. The transformation of the world requires our reconciliation unto each other and unto God. In all God’s wisdom, these processes of reconciliation cannot be accomplished alone - one without the other.
This tragedy has also precipitated the moment in which we find our Church today - the pain and exclusion of anti-LGBTQ discrimination. If you have not yet had the chance to have a conversation with an LGBTQ United Methodist, come to the #ConversationCouch on the first-floor lobby at the Dome. The Spirit has gifted us with the capacity for relationship, and we have the opportunity to utilize that for the building of God’s kin-dom this week. May it be so.
Western Jurisdiction Update
Sunday, February 24, 2019 - The First day of Business at General Conference 2019
Breaking News: Judicial Council rules two petitions out of order.
Today will be the beginning of business for the Special Called Session. On the agenda is an opening worship hour, the Report from the Commission on a Way Forward, a prioritization process for reviewing the list of legislation, and election of officers for the legislative committee. Start time is 7:30 a.m. CST.
Key Links:
- Live Feed of General Conference (Start time 7:30 a.m. CST)
- Daily Christian Advocate (updates and tracking for everyday!)
- Advance Daily Christian Advocate (The legislation and rules)
- Past issues of WJ Update
- United Methodist News Website
- Western Jurisdiction Website
- A chart of the four plans under consideration
- See the official online schedule
Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference
GC2019 opens in prayer, but legislating to follow
Nearly 900 United Methodists from around the globe settled into their highly secured meeting venue in St. Louis, Mo., on Saturday, Feb. 23, for the four-day Special Session of General Conference to decide together the future of their denomination. Eight Eastern PA Conference delegates, plus two alternates, were among them.
While the venue, known as The Dome at America’s Center, once housed an indoor football stadium for the former St. Louis Rams, the goal of this gathering was to choose among several competing denominational plans while avoiding the competitive, bittersweet syndrome of winners and losers. Thus, the entire first day was devoted to inspirational, collective prayers, enriched by heartfelt testimony, Holy Communion and soul-lifting music sung in multiple languages. Learn more...