Memorial Day

Fort Bayard

Our very own Don Luhrsen was there to commemorate the fallen and those that are still MIA/POW with the Fallen Comrade Table.

Episcopal Letter from Bishop Bledsoe Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! By now most have heard that at our last Council of Bishops meeting in Chicago we received the final report from the Commission on the Way Forward. I want to express my appreciation and thanks for all of you who prayed not only for the Council, but also for the work of the Commission – “Praying Our Way Forward.” I can truly say we would not have been able to complete our work without the prayers of individuals and the churches. It is important to also realize that the work of the Council was guided by a mission, vision and scope that included the following: To design a way for being the church that maximizes the presence of the United Methodist witness in as many different places as possible, allows for contextual differentiation, and creates as much unity as possible. After receiving the report of the Commission, we as the Council of Bishops agreed to submit all three plans (Traditional, One Church and Connectional Conference) to the delegates of the special called session of the General Conference to be held in February 2019. There was strong support in the Council for the One Church plan and this plan will carry the recommendation of the Council of Bishops. I know there will be many questions surrounding this action. Why forward all three plans if the Council is recommending one? To maintain transparency, we wanted to honor the values contained in all three models and to acknowledge that within the Council of Bishops, there is support for each of the three plans. The Council of Bishops believes the One Church plan is the best way forward for The United Methodist Church. We believe this plan allows for contextualization of language about human sexuality in support of our mission. I will be meeting with the conference delegates to the special called session of the General Conference to talk about next steps and providing information for The Annual Conference. I will also be working with each district superintendent to plan opportunities for me to visit each of the districts to hear your concerns and hopes regarding this recommendation prior to the Special Called Session. My prayer is that we remain focused on our mission while continuing to pray for the leadership of the church as we continue to discern God’s will and plan for the church. I look forward to seeing you at Annual Conference. W. Earl Bledsoe Bishop Council of Bishops Press Release Council of Bishops News Site NM Conference – Way Forward Info

For Immediate Release
May 4, 2018

CHICAGO – United Methodist bishops, meeting in Chicago, engaged in a prayerful process to discern a way forward.  At the conclusion of the discernment process, the Council of Bishops strongly approved the following motion and rationale:

Having received and considered the extensive work of the Commission on a Way Forward, the Council of Bishops will submit a report to the Special Session of the General Conference in 2019 that includes:

• All three plans (The Traditionalist Plan, The One Church Plan and the Connectional Conference Plan) for a way forward considered by the Commission and the Council.
• The Council’s recommendation of the One Church Plan.
• An historical narrative of the Council’s discernment process regarding all three plans.

 Rationale:  In order to invite the church to go deeper into the journey the Council and Commission have been on, the Council will make all the information considered by the Commission and the Council of Bishops available to the delegates of the General Conference and acknowledges there is support for each of the three plans within the Council.  The values of our global church are reflected in all three plans.  The majority of the Council recommends the One Church Plan as the best way forward for The United Methodist Church.

Guided by the mission, vision and scope document, the bishops agreed to recommend the One Church Plan. This plan provides conferences, churches, and pastors the flexibility to uniquely reach their missional context while retaining the connectional nature of The United Methodist Church.

The One Church Plan allows for contextualization of language about human sexuality in support of the mission; and allows for central conferences, especially those in Africa, to retain their disciplinary authority to adapt the Book of Discipline and continue to include traditional language and values while fulfilling the vision of a global and multicultural church.

This plan also encourages a generous unity by giving United Methodists the ability to address different missional contexts in ways that reflect their theological convictions. The One Church Plan removes the restrictive language of the Book of Discipline and adds assurances to pastors and Conferences who due to their theological convictions cannot perform same-sex weddings or ordain self-avowed practicing homosexuals.

The Council’s discernment process was guided by the over-arching desire to strategically help the General Conference do its work and to honor the General Conference’s request for the Council to help the church find a way forward.

“With convicted humility, bishops want to be pastors and shepherds of the whole church in order to maximize the presence of a United Methodist witness in as many places in the world as possible and with as much contextual differentiation as possible,” said newly installed Council of Bishops President Ken Carter.

The bishops expressed deep appreciation for the diligent work that the 32-member Commission on a Way Forward did in formulating the three plans: the Traditionalist Plan, the One Church Plan and the Connectional Conference Plan.

While the bishops recommended the One Church Plan, they affirmed that the Connectional Conference Plan and the Traditionalist Plan held values that are important to the life and work of the church and will be included in the final report to the Special Session of General Conference that the bishops have called for Feb. 23-26 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Bishop Carter, who served as one of the moderators of the Commission, said the bishops are adopting a spirit of collaboration with the Commission, and an attitude of respect for the delegations who will take up this work on behalf of the whole church.

“The Council’s prayerful deliberation reflected the diversity of the global denomination on the matter of homosexuality and many other matters.  The Council affirms the strength of this diversity and our commitment to maintain the unity of the church,” Bishop Carter said.

Full details of the plans and accompanying legislative proposals will be released as soon as final editing of the entire report is completed and translated into the official languages of the General Conference.  It is estimated this will be no later than July 8.

In a video recorded after the meeting, Bishop Ough explains the Council of Bishops’ decision to recommend the One Church Plan as a way forward for The United Methodist Church. Watch the video here.

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Media Contact: Rev. Dr. Maidstone Mulenga
Director of Communications – Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
mmulenga@umc-cob.org
202-748-5172

The Way Forward Article Link