Snippets and Sound Bites from Jurisdictional Conferences
No doubt about it; most United Methodist leadership is "conferenced" out. That may be why there were more procedural errors, angst and snark in this year's U.S. jurisdictional conferences.
At the same time, there were rays of hope, particular in the reports of this year's consecration services for newly elected bishops. Herewith a collection of cyber reports.
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Biggest snafu of the elections: Mathematical errors on a ballot invalidated the original election of Bishop Ken Carter, who made it all the way to the stage before the boo-boo was announced. Twitterverse reported that the graciousness with which he took the error may have contributed to his resounding election on the next ballot. Question: Does this make Bishop Carter twice-blessed?
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Los Angeles Area departed from the traditional formal portrait of a retiring bishop to create an action montage of Bishop Mary Ann Swenson. One wag tweeted: "That's how she has served – always in motion."
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The Rev. Jeremy Smith, author of the trailblazing "Hacking Christianity" blog, is now a minister of discipleship in Oregon. He tweets: "Greater Northwest Episcopal Area is 253,251 square miles…not including Alaska. All Texas conferences combined is 268,581 square miles." Just one example of the unique challenges facing The United Methodist Church in the West.
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Sad note from North Central Jurisdiction: Rev. Melissa Meyers tweeted: "Our council of bishops does not have an African American Female Bishop for the 1st time since 1984."
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Oklahoma Area Bishop Robert Hays apologized to South Central Jurisdiction delegates for two unexpected impediments: street repairs outside Oklahoma City's Cox Convention Center and tryouts for "American Idol" in the adjacent arena. Unfortunately his joke about the latter fell flat with the dozen or so reporters watching proceedings on a large screen in the media room. About "American Idol" contestants, Bishop Hays quipped: "If you see someone who doesn't look like a United Methodist, just walk on by." Almost to a person, the communicators yelled at the screen: "No! Invite them to church!
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Another "American Idol" reference: As elections dragged on in South Central, "RevEduardo" Bousson tweeted: " 'American Idol' auditions are in building next door. We should send our last 2 epis. candidates and let their judges decide for us."
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Think you have it tough in church work? Another bit of wry witness from the aforesaid "RevEduardo:" "It just dawned on me that I have spent so far one month of this year in Methodist conferencing."
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Out of all the South Central bishops, only embattled Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe appeared throughout the conference in purple episcopal shirt with full clerical collar and pectoral cross, even after the delegates affirmed his involuntary retirement.
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Southeastern Jurisdiction is known for its political efficiency, but this seems a bit too slick: SEJ Bishop Young Jin Cho is assigned to his home conference of Virginia. Book of Discipline Paragraph 406 says new bishops are not to be assigned to the area of their membership unless the jurisdictional episcopacy committee has a two-thirds vote to ignore the restriction. Then a majority vote of the jurisdictional conference is needed to concur. Did anyone else note this, and did a two-thirds vote of the jurisdictional conference actually occur? SEJ folks?
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In the "Yes, We Know That Department," there was disappointment from an SEJ delegate: "[Bishop Alfred] Gwinn said death tsunami [in the consecration sermon]. On a retweet, Randall Partin added: "* sigh *" The phrase "death tsunami" was originated by the Rev. Lovett Weems of Lewis Leadership Center at Wesley Seminary to describe the predicted death rate in the UMC. Sounds like everyone has the message now, bishops. Shall we drop that term and find something more hopeful?
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Retired pastor Holly Boardman has been a "cyber-saint" throughout this year's episcopal elections. She has followed proceedings through Internet live stream and Twitter, and prayed for each election and jurisdictional situation. One of her tweets: "I've been consecrating the new #sejumc bishops from my home in Orlando. Praying with live stream & laying hands on my computer screen. :) "
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