GC 2020 – Surrounded by a Mighty Cloud of Words

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I’ll make my disclaimer right up front.  This post is less analytical and more lighthearted than what you probably have come to expect. Have a little fun as you read this post, you’ll live longer.

Right before going to bed last night I spent a few minutes reading part of one of the plans submitted to General Conference. I know what you’re thinking, “that must be a pretty potent sleep aid”. No comment. When I awoke this morning, mentally I heard “word cloud”.

I have an app I use from time-to-time that creates a visual “word cloud”. The online version of the Cambridge Dictionary defines a word cloud as “an electronic image that shows words used in a particular piece of electronic text or series of texts. The words are different sizes according to how often they are used in the text.”

When speaking to a group I occasionally employ word clouds to help reveal insights about a written selection.  To provide examples, here are two word clouds using John 1:1-18:

I decided to create some word clouds of various parts of the four plans submitted as petitions. The following word clouds were randomly generated using parts of petitions calling for plans for separation. Noise words (such as “a, an, the”) are filtered out.  Strictly for fun, see if you can tell which word cloud is associated with which petition. Answers are presented below without comment.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10

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ANSWERS:

1. UMC Next Plan call for Special Session

2. Indianapolis Plan (partial)

3. UM Forward NEW Plan

4. Plain Grace Plan – Full Communion ¶431A 2.

5. Indianapolis Plan Partial

6.UMC Next Plan call for Special Session

7. UM Forward NEW Plan

8. Plain Grace Plan – Full Communion ¶431A 2.

9. UMC Next Plan for Separation

10. Trick Question – Part of Book of Discipline – Our Theological Task ¶105

One of my favorite visual images form the Bible is found in Hebrews where we are told we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. It appears that the delegates to General Conference 2024 will also be surrounded by a great cloud of words.

United Methodist layman Frank Holbrook of Martin, Tenn., is a 2020 General Conference delegate from the Memphis Annual Conference. This post is republished with permission from his blog, Plane Grace.