Joining Hands Magazine

East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church WINTER 2012 | Volume 12 | Issue 2

joining hands east ohio

- informed, inspired and in touch.

The Vision of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church is to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ.

“ New Church. we see a

It is a renewed church that is clear about its mission and confident about its future, a church that is always reaching out, inviting, alive, agile, and resilient. We see a church that is hope-filled, passionate, nimble, called of God, and courageous. It is a church that is passionately committed to the doctrine, mission and vision of the Wesleyan movement. This church takes risks to reach new people for Jesus Christ, and it searches continuously for creative ways to help each person grow in grace, love and holiness.

While this church is not yet here, we see a thousand signs of its emerging. We see it in radical hospitality, where spiritually hungry people everywhere are offered a saving relationship with Christ.

We see it as the hearts of people are warmed by the awakening of renewed spiritual presence. We see it in passionate worship, where new generations sense the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

We see it in small groups embodying intentional faith formation.

We see it in pastors who find ways to reach young people and in

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annual conference leaders who dare to try different ways to serve congregations.

East Ohio Joining Hands Winter 2012

Vol. 12 No. 2

East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church Office of Communications Editor/Director of Communications Rick Wolcott wolcott@eocumc.com Graphic Designer Sue Zakovec sue@eocumc.com Subscriptions/Administrative Lois Speelman lois@eocumc.com Under the direction of: The Conference Board of Communications, Rev. Steve Bailey, Chairman Mail: Editor East Ohio Joining Hands 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720

- Council of Bishops, November 2011

Phone: ext. ext. ext.

800.831.3972 118 Editor 105 Graphic Designer 119 Subscriptions

To read the bishops’ letter in its entirety, please visit www.eocumc.com/letter.pdf

Web site: www.eocumc.com Submission of articles is encouraged. The deadline is February 20 for the Spring 2012 issue. Our theme is “Christian Education.”

East Ohio Joining Hands USPS (005-882) is published quarterly by the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church, Office of Communications, 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W., North Canton, Ohio 44720. Periodical Postage paid at Canton, Ohio.

Postmaster: Send address corrections to: East Ohio Joining Hands 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720

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Preparing for

General Conference

By Rev. Dr. Gary George*

S

everal thousand United Methodists from around the world are set to converge in Tampa, Fla, on April 24 for General Conference 2012. The 11-day conference meets once a quadrennium (every four years). It brings together delegates, bishops and other leaders for conversation and prayerful discernment regarding the course and shape of our shared mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

While a great amount of attention, energy and focus will be on the legislative issues, processes and outcomes, General Conference 2012 is occurring in the midst of what many long-time observers sense is a crucial juncture for the movement known as The United Methodist Church. It has become clear that while our church should celebrate the growth we are experiencing in Africa, the Philippines, Vietnam and Laos, we must also humbly and prayerfully confront the reality that stagnation and decline have been the more prevalent reality for United Methodists here in the U.S.

The conversations, prayers and actions that will occur at General Conference 2012 will help to shape the future of our local churches, annual conferences and the mission and ministry we share together.

This issue of Joining Hands answers the question I am often asked, “What are the major issues General Conference faces?” The topics and divergent viewpoints

contained in the articles that follow will provide insight into some of the major issues General Conference 2012 will seek to faithfully address.

East Ohio will be represented at General Conference by seven clergy and seven lay members. These individuals, along with 24 others (12 lay, 12 clergy), who will serve as alternates in Tampa, compose the entire delegation that will represent East Ohio at General and Jurisdictional Conferences in 2012. The delegates were elected by the 790 lay and 710 clergy members in attendance at Annual Conference in June.

Each member of our conference’s delegation is a committed Christian disciple who cares passionately and deeply about the Church’s mission to the world. Before the opening session even begins, our 14 General Conference delegates will have attended five conference delegation meetings, read and reviewed approximately 2,500 pages of petitions (proposed legislation) and reports and consulted with members throughout East Ohio.

Delegates each will be assigned to one of 13 General Conference legislative com-

mittees. The committees consider hundreds of petitions and then make a recommendation to the full session of General Conference as to what action to take with each petition.

Once General Conference begins, delegates will experience long days, short nights, rigorous, sometimes heated, debate and the opportunity to shape the church’s mission and future.

I would like to invite you to be a part of General Conference 2012. Here are some ways you can choose to participate: Pray for the delegates. Your prayers provide a priceless gift and resource.

Learn more about General Conference and The United Methodist Church by reading articles related to the issues and perspectives that are shaping our denomination.

Share your thoughts, perspectives and suggestions by reaching out to our delegates.

There will be a lot of attention given to the legislative activity and outcomes of General Conference 2012. But the greater value of this global gathering of United Methodist leaders, 40 percent of whom come from outside the United States, lies in the opportunity to model what it means to passionately embrace and live out, daily, our calling to be disciples of Jesus Christ. *Rev. Dr. Gary George is Administrative Assistant to Bishop John L. Hopkins and the chairman of the East Ohio delegation to General Conference 2012.

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From the Bishop *Bishop John L. Hopkins is the resident bishop of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church and the chairman of The Connectional Table.

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Things You Need to Know About the

Call to Action

Look! I’m doing a new thing: now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?

I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness.

Isaiah 43:19, CEB

God

is doing a new thing in The United Methodist Church. There is a new church emerging in our very midst. It is happening at the grass roots level around the world. Bishop Robert Schnase describes it like a heat map of ministry.

There are many signs of hope. Picture in your mind a heat map, where clusters of fruitful ministry activity are lighted against a dark background with the most fruitful and vital ministries shining brightest. The heat map of The United Methodist Church would allow us to see bright spots in unexpected places, concentrations of vital ministry and congregations that are thriving. Some would be in urban areas, some in the suburbs and some in the most isolated of rural counties. Africa would be aglow with congregational vitality and mission partnerships, but also the map would draw our attention to an exceptional campus ministry in one area and to a courageous witness for the homeless in another. A flourishing traditional church would light up near a dynamic merger. Some conferences and seminaries and foundations and agencies would glow brighter as they risk genuine innovation to realign with the mission. Lights here and there, bright spots appear in places we never expected. (“Five Practices” Blog 10/5/11)

Vital congregations introduce people to Jesus Christ and invite them to participate in the redemption of the world. The Call to Action is a sustained effort at aligning the church with these “bright spots” of ministry, where the Holy Spirit is at work.

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This call is for every member, local church, annual conference and general agency “to redirect the flow of attention, energy and resources to an intense concentration on fostering and sustaining an increase in the number of vital congregations effective in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” (Source: Call to Action Steering Team Report, p. 8) You can read more about this church wide initiative in the new “Call to Action Study Guide” available online at www.umccalltoaction.org/resources or at www.cokesbury.com/.

Let me share with you some things you’ll want to know about the Call to Action.

The Call to Action is NOT being voted on at General Conference!

It has already begun! The Connectional Table and Council of Bishops affirmed the Call to Action in the fall of 2010. Since its launch on Jan. 1, 2011, the Call to Action has led to: the Vital Congregations Project ( http://umccalltoaction.org/), the Vital Signs Project (http://vitalsignsumc.org/), efforts to recruit younger clergy, reform in the Council of Bishops, the downsizing of agency boards, and many annual conference and local church initiatives. The General Conference has the opportunity to align our 42-year-old denominational structures to support the increase of vital congregations that will transform the world.

The Call to Action is NOT a “topdown” initiative!

The Book of Discipline (¶120) is clear: “Local churches provide the most significant arena through which disciple-making occurs.” Our Constitution (¶33) is equally clear: “The annual conference is the basic body in the Church.” The annual conference is the main vehicle for creating and sustaining vital congregations. The most important changes will not result from legislative action but instead will require different actions and patterns of leadership by each one of us.

The Call to Action is NOT about restructuring general agencies!

Denominations that think restructuring at the top will change the direction of churches out in the field are behind the times. Our “bright spots” for the future are in local congregations that are spiritually transforming people and engaging them in ministry. The general church is being asked to catch up with the re-focusing that is already going on in annual conferences and local churches. The proposed legislation to put most of the program general agencies on one board will align resources, unify staff work and provide holistic strategic planning to support a sustained focus on vital congregations.

The Call to Action is NOT about giving more power to the Council of Bishops!

It is about giving more freedom and responsibility to annual conferences for the basic work of the church. The annual conference, with a resident bishop and key lay and clergy leaders, is ultimately responsible for strategies to increase the number of vital congregations. That is why the Constitution gives the Council of Bishops “spiritual and temporal oversight” of the church. With fewer governance boards, resident bishops will have more time to work and be accountable for the fruits of the congregations in their annual conferences.

The Call to Action is NOT just about churches in the United States!

A unified general program board will provide easier access to agency services for every annual conference around the world. This plan frees up money now used for governance to enable more money for mission, especially in those areas that need it most. The decline in the number of vital congregations in the United States is a concern to the whole church, but the five jurisdictions in the United States are only a portion of The United Methodist Church, which also includes seven central conferences around the world.

Conferences in Africa and the Philippines are leading the way in increasing the number of vital congregations. The Call to Action proposes that $5 million be used for theological education in the central conferences, where the need for new pastors is growing rapidly.

The Call to Action is NOT about changing someone else!

It is about changing us. The Call to Action was begun in confession that we have not done everything we could do to strengthen God’s church. The Council of Bishops is already changing to make way for more accountability of resident bishops. The Connectional Table and its staff are willing to step aside to make way for God’s new thing. If we are going to increase the number of vital congregations, we need everyone to take responsibility. What can you do? Be a “bright spot” for Jesus Christ and his Church today.

The recommendations going to General Conference to support the Call to Action are to: 1) Give more freedom for annual conferences to organize for their particular context 2) Revise guaranteed appointments 3) Create one program board and an oversight council 4) Select an Executive General Secretary to guide program staff 5) Revise role of Council of Bishops’ president 6) Reallocate up to $60 million from World Service and General Administration for focusing on vital congregations.

Read about four more things you don’t know about the Call to Action on page 17 of this Online edition of Joining Hands.

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Photo: © Kuzma | Dreamstime.com

Help Wanted:

Young Clergy

By Peter Chakerian*

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ne topic sure to draw a lot of discussion at General Conference 2012 is: What is being done to minister to high school and college students and going forward, to better recruit young clergy?

“Obviously, that’s something at the forefront in East Ohio lately, and something likely to be talked about in detail,” said Rev. Dr. Jim Skinner, a Stewardship leader and former chairman of the Pastoral Advisory Committee of East Ohio Conference.

“It’s been a focus of our Task Force for Clergy Recruitment, which was established in 2010 with the goal of rethinking how we can bring new leadership,” Skinner said.

“My hope is legislation will be affirmed to set the stage for East Ohio to focus on this task in the decade ahead. It’s an incentive to work even harder. Young clergy is important. We have some but not enough.”

The United Methodist Church has experienced a steep decline in the number of young clergy. A report in The United Methodist Portal/United Methodist Reporter showed that “from 1973 to 2007, the percentage of under-35 clergy dropped from 21.2 percent to below 5 percent.”

At the time of the report only 876 of the denomination’s 17,800 elders were younger than the age of 35. The average age of a UMC elder was 53 years old.

Last year, a study by the Lewis Center

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for Church leadership showed that while the tide is turning, there’s constant need for more young adult clergy — particularly when measured against a widened age gap appearing amid pastoral leaders in United Methodist Churches in the United States.

The study suggested that between 2009 and 2010, “the number of young elders, deacons and local pastors (those younger than the age of 35) increased.”

This trend truly is in its infancy with a lot more work to be done, says Rev. Tim Morrison of Spencer United Methodist Church.

He said that partnership has really laid the groundwork for attraction and retention of young clergy.

“Partnering with West Ohio has helped to expand our efforts because they have been instrumental in helping us rethink our efforts. We’re learning to create a new approach,” Morrison said.

Morrison hopes that a discussion aimed at reworking of the candidacy process takes center stage at General Conference — thereby removing a worldwide chasm that lies in the process between conditioning and ordination.

Morrison said this must be a “vital focus” for the General Conference, citing that there are 35 clergy younger than the age of 35 in East Ohio — a number he suggests replicates across many regions because of barriers in candidacy.

“It took 10 years for me to be ordained – 10 years,” Morrison says. “We just can’t do that. It must be a more streamlined process. There have been efforts — including a Bishop Task Force — to move the needle forward on drawing younger clergy efforts through internships and streamlining that candidacy process.

“We really need to be creating a ‘culture of call’ within the conference, among our young people and in all of our churches, so that kids coming through United Methodist Churches are being identified and asked, ‘Have you thought about ministry as a vocation? I see that gift in you.’ ”

The Council of Bishops is recommending that delegates approve a resolution from the Connectional Table to permit the reallocation of up to $60 million from World Service and General Administration for focusing on vital congregations. A portion of those funds would be invested in recruiting and training United Methodist ministerial students younger than the age of 35. A goal is to fund their seminary education at UM seminaries, thus reducing the student debt obligation.

“This simply has to happen,” Morrison said. “If we’re going to exist in the future, it’s beyond important.” *Peter Chakerian is a free-lance writer who has focused on arts, entertainment, business, features and religion during his 20-year career as a journalist.

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he Council of Bishops has said it is committed to enhancing and increasing the number of vital congregations faithfully witnessing and serving Christ in the 21st century. This has created some excitement and some anxiety. Key phrases such as vital congregations, vital signs, drivers and indicators are being used to discuss ways to identify where God’s Spirit is moving in and through the church.

How do we measure and report the signs we see that God in Christ is doing something great in, through and around us?

In traditions dating back to John Wesley, each year every pastor uses Local Church Reporting Forms (LCRF) to report membership changes, worship attendance, giving, spending and a variety of information about church activities. The data collected are summarized in the Conference Journal Statistical Tables and reported to General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA).

Superintendents use the statistics reported, along with the fall consultation forms and the explanations provided with them, as part of a larger conversation about ways and places where it is evident that God is doing great things and lives are being changed. The reports raise questions for further conversation. Where will we focus our time and energy? What areas of the church are

By Rev. Steve Court*

strengths? Which churches our size have a proven track record and can teach us about Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-Taking Mission and Service and Extravagant Generosity? ( http://fivepractices.org/ )

Vital Congregations are understood to be those churches of all sizes that demonstrate growth in several key areas over several years. The results are evident by viewing indicators - measurements used to flag or identify areas and congregations where things are happening. It takes conversation with the local church to understand the reason for the results but the indicator tells us where to look. Once identified, questions and conversations can help discern the behaviors - or drivers - that influence change.

The UMC Call to Action has provided some important insight as to what are and are not critical drivers in our churches.

What would happen if your compass group or neighboring churches noticed that you suddenly had an increase in Bible study attendance? Would they want to ask what happened? Would that be a story worth sharing? What if church leaders in other parts of the conference or in other states noticed? Would this be a way to notice where God is doing something great?

Vital Congregations is also a web site that summarizes statistics local churches can use to help with planning and goal setting. The information collected during this process comes from the year-end reports and has always been printed in the conference journal. It is now available online ( www.eocumc.com/ then click on the Vital Congregations icon in the lower left of the screen). The data needs to be interpreted. It is an important starting point ― not a sub-

stitute ― for conversation. People get nervous when asked to talk about numbers as part of their goals, but numbers have always been part of the Bible’s story – there is even a book named after them!

The web site also provides training and resources to help each church identify and enter “goals” (honest projections). The site uses statistical projections to show what may happen if nothing changes. The goals/ projections entered are set by the local church and reviewed by the superintendent.

They become part of a mutual conversation – regardless of whether the numbers go up or down. That’s right – the projections should reflect honesty about how some areas may decline while we focus on other areas. What would happen if the pastor of an aging congregation admitted that worship attendance will decline in the next three years (due to health concerns) while the church rebuilds a ministry with young families? These “numeric goals” are a way to summarize one part of our plan and understand our mutual struggles.

Have you ever been frustrated because the reports we use have information that is old? Have you ever left a consultation remembering good stories you forgot to share?

Vital Signs is a new e mail based system that will allow churches to capture stories as they happen. Participating churches will receive an e-mail with a link to first enter weekly attendance and other measures and then share a short story or statement about something learned that week. The measures will help to identify signs of the Spirit.

Neighboring churches, compass groups, superintendents and other conferences will be able to read the stories and celebrate exciting things God is doing in our midst! *Rev. Steve Court is Superintendent of the Southern Hills District.

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The Challenge of

Diversity

By Rev. Dr. Chet Harris*

Diversity remains one of the greatest strengths of The United Methodist Church.

Our diversity ranges from the theological to the cultural. We have a rich tradition of reaching people from a myriad of backgrounds and opening our doors to leadership that reflects this respect for diversity. The United Methodist Church defies the litmus test that defines many denominations and non-denominational churches. Our historical tradition guides us into practical personal holiness and active social holiness. Our governing politic is profoundly representative in nature and scope.

I needed to share this view of The United Methodist Church because our diversity, in my opinion, is our greatest asset but also presents our greatest challenge. The issue of human sexuality once again will test the steel of true diversity in our denomination. The risk of making the aforementioned statements may cause some people to believe I openly affirm all manner of diversity. Life has boundaries.

Diversity must have boundaries or we will slide into a libertine view of life.

General Conference 2012 will face the issue of human sexuality, or more precisely, the rights and privileges of people who embrace the homosexual lifestyle.

The possible rewriting of the language in the Book of Discipline, whether in part or whole, will directly impact the life and future of The United Methodist Church.

There are a few points I would like to express in regard to the attempt to change the current language.

First, it is a myth to believe that all we need is more information about the sexuality issue. I am weary of the apologetic approach to the issue before us. Both sides believe they are absolutely right and neither plans to move a fraction toward the other.

Second, it is a myth to believe changing the language will help to grow our denomination. This is simply a “smoke and mirrors� approach to the issue.

Our membership will not suddenly expand by thousands of people who agree with the change in language. Actually, the evangelicals will quietly depart and attend the non-denominational church around the corner. Church growth cannot be the reason to change the language.

HUMA SEXU

Third, our denomination will not magically become two denominations if the language is changed. The day for the possibility of that happening is ancient history. Instead, membership would splinter like bamboo smashed against concrete.

Fourth, it is a myth to believe a vote by General Conference to change the language on human sexuality will change our worldview. This will not happen. Worldview on this level is not an issue impacted by a vote. The entire issue of homosexuality centers on one’s view of Scripture and inspiration.

What is the answer? General Conference cannot give it to us. The answer remains in our ability to dialogue on this issue with a sense of the Holy. This dialogue will not happen on Conference floor with three speeches for and against. If we vote to change the language in the Book of Discipline, we must own the resulting actions of the proponents of both worldviews.

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*Rev. Dr. Chet Harris is in his 21st year at Dueber Church in Canton.

Time

It’s

By Sandy Lutz*

At General Conference 1996, I became acquainted with a woman leading the Global Ministries legislative committees. As we came out of an agenda meeting at 6:30 one morning, she said, “You know, when I get home, my granny is going to ask me what we did here. And I’m going to be real hard pressed to explain why we spent so much time arguing about homosexuality ‘cause she’s going to remind me that Jesus had more important stuff to talk about!” It surely did put things into perspective for me!

When the Study Committee chaired by Bishop James Thomas proposed the Social Principles, there was no pejorative language about homosexuality. That was introduced on the floor of General Conference without study. My own understanding about homosexuality has certainly changed over the years. I grew up in an era of ignorance and prejudice about many things — racial discrimination, discrimination against women and sexual orientation discrimination. We’re still working on all of these. But there has always been that prodding minority that pushes us to be better, more loving, more just, more open to God’s commandment to unconditionally love all God’s children; not just some, but all of them.

AN UALITY

*Sandy Lutz has been an active member of Grace UMC, North Canton, and the East Ohio Conference since moving to Ohio in 1973.

I wonder why when over a third of the elected members of General Conference do not agree with the pejorative language in the Book of Discipline and “beliefs” about homosexuality (starting with homosexuality as being incompatible with Christian teaching and leading into not permitting ordination of gays and not allowing our churches or pastors to be open to offer the blessing of union for committed homosexual couples), we spend hours and hours of valuable conference time and energy designing precise wording that is so opposed to the inclusiveness that Jesus taught and practiced.

I wonder, particularly, when I see a young man from our congregation raised in The United Methodist Church and feeling so strongly the call of God to full-time pastoral ministry now pursuing a doctorate in another discipline because in our fear and prejudice we consider him unacceptable because of his homosexuality. Would he have chosen that orientation, if he had had a choice? I wonder how we can do the mental gymnastics we do to excuse our exclusion of so many of God’s children when medical science and psychiatry and families and friends can find no reason to condemn those who are born to a different sexual orientation.

I am convinced the church is wrong when I listen to friends who are fearful for gay children and their employment, when I talk with a gifted family member who could never be open with his own mother and share his special friends with her, when I talk with a friend who has close relationships with professionals who are gay and knows the gifts they bring to God’s world but believes in an interpretation of scripture that won’t permit him to share his joy as an Elder with particular others.

The language as it exists is cruel to so many. I am convinced that someday it will change but — what of those who are being hurt now? Can’t we have the grace to agree to disagree and say “we are not of one mind but we are committed to doing no harm while we come to some kind of agreement?” I pray that we can. Won’t you join me in praying for and asking our delegates to do justice by voting to eliminate the pejorative language about homosexuality in the Book of Discipline? It is time we make The United Methodist Church a place of love, justice and liberation for all of God’s children.

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end human trafficking

S

By Deanna Bottar*

ometimes being “the heart of it all” isn’t such a great thing for the state of Ohio.

Ohio is the third largest human trafficking center in the country – people profiting from the control and exploitation of other people. Often they are women forced into the sex trade or children forced into pornography, but anyone forced into labor against their will, such as domestic or farm workers, is a victim of human trafficking.

Ohio is both a destination for human traffickers and a hotspot for luring victims.

Data released last year by the state show that about 1,000 American-born children are forced into the sex trade in Ohio every year and about 800 immigrants are sexually exploited and pushed into sweatshop-type jobs here.

Some call it modern day slavery.

The East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church wants to call it a thing of the past.

A resolution passed at Annual Conference in June called for a conferencewide push to contact Ohio governmental agencies to encourage new legislation and to uphold legal action against human traffickers. The resolution asked the Church and Society committee to work in partnership with the East Ohio United Methodist Women

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and the Commission on the Status of Women of East Ohio Conference to advocate for this cause.

“People need to understand these are kids being kidnapped off our own streets and at high risk are the teenagers that are being lost in the system – foster care, young girls just lost in the system. Boys too. Kids (are) falling through the gaps,” said Belinda Wing, chairwoman of the Church and Society committee in East Ohio.

Thus far there aren’t deep wells of financial support for education or prevention or for the training of law enforcement, teachers, pastors, parents or first responders.

“We are trying to expose our conference to this,” Wing said. “And that’s our hope, that we can support some legislation. They need to create laws; they need to create funding sources. It will be very long-term, very detailed work.”

Encouraged already with the United Methodist push is State Rep. Teresa Fedor, D-Toledo.

“The Methodist church community stepped up right away,” she said. “They started networking and first of all becoming knowledgeable about human trafficking and educating and advocating for the necessary laws to be passed and policies to be put in place.”

Fedor has been in the thick of it for nearly six years as her city Toledo has struggled mightily to tackle the hotbed of human trafficking it has become. Senate Bill 235 passed during the last General Assembly, making human trafficking a standalone felony in Ohio. And language in a previous bill created the Ohio Human Trafficking Commission to study the scope of the problem in Ohio and make recommendations. But that is only a beginning, she said.

“Trying to accomplish legislation, we needed to really build a wide base of support through some of our relations that would likely be good partners in joining the effort,” Fedor added. Among the first to get involved were United Methodists.

Fedor, a former teacher, believes the education system needs to be integral in “catching” kids before they fall prey. But when education fails, churches can be an essential safety net – through education, outreach programs, legislative support, awareness campaigning and advocacy.

Like drug rings, human traffickers operate in small groups or in complex large ones. Often, they are transient, moving from one town to the next.

“Mostly these women are taken from state to state,” said Marlene Carson, founder of Rahab’s Hideaway, a rescue organization in Central Ohio for victims of human trafficking and prostitution.

Carson was a victim of human trafficking for a decade. She knows it from the inside, and she knows what support victims need. She also knows how these women are controlled – at first emotionally and soon physically. The victim finds herself away from home, detached from family, selling herself to support someone else’s drug habit or worse.

And the victims’ backgrounds stretch across socio-economic strata, ethnic and religious identity. Some come to her drugaddicted, most turned to drug use to cope with the violent and frightening environment they were trapped in, she said.

“A lot of work can be done purposefully and meaningfully to have a great effect on stopping this heinous crime,” Fedor said.

She sees bountiful potential in the work the United Methodists are undertaking.

“It’s taking a look at the risk factors and trying to minimize them and also deal with the demand issue, educating their community and elected officials. Are the churches involved in educating the children in their churches?” Fedor said.

Read Marlene Carson’s story of survival on page 18 of this online edition of Joining Hands. *Deanna Bottar is a free-lance writer who grew up in Simpson United Methodist Church in Canton.

Reflections on the

Study of Ministry

By Saranne P. Nelson-Olin*

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he United Methodist Church is in trouble. We are stewards of a past glory, holding on to 19th and 20th century habits while challenged to meet the needs of a 21st century world.

The United Methodist Church claims thousands of congregations founded in a horse-and-buggy culture. But as the culture has continued to change rapidly many of these congregations find they cannot keep up. As a result, we find our denomination aging and declining.

General Conference 2008 charged several commissions to address these issues. The Study of Ministry Commission produced “Report and Recommendations,” a 30-page document that proposed changes to the Book of Discipline.

My response here addresses briefly what I feel are the most troubling recommendations because they lack a Biblical, theological base and because of the danger that they could cause unintended consequences.

Candidacy The document attempts to “streamline” the candidacy process by making it easier for a person called into ministry to be ordained, allowing for fewer requirements as well as an earlier ordination. The words “nimble” and “flexible” are used to describe the proposed system, however, it sounds to me more like “expedient.” What seems to be lost is any reference to a system that is “faithful” or “holy.” The unintended consequence is that the system may “work” better, but not wiser or more reverent. Another unexpected consequence is that easier en-

trance into the church’s “set-apart” ministry will not allow time to address the complexity and rigor of ministry itself.

Ordination

The most alarming recommendation to me is the commission’s treatment of the rite of ordination.

Ordination, like marriage, is a sacred and transformational rite. Candidates take vows before God and witnesses. Hands are laid upon candidates. Both the church and the ordinands commit themselves to the ministry of Jesus Christ.

However, if an ordained provisional

“guaranteed appointment.”

Historically, when elders vowed obedience to the church, it was a “covenant” relationship. Elders promised to go where sent, and were assured that there would be a place for them. Under the proposed recommendations, elders vow to go where sent, but if there is no “missional” appointment forthcoming, they may be placed on leave.

I see at least two unintended consequences: 1) our brightest and best will find employment elsewhere, and 2) those clergy who remain in the system will be fraught with anxiety and stress in trying to meet elusive expectations.

The Bible and Theology What the document does not appear to reflect is that God works in mysterious ways. The ministry of the believers is a holy and inexplicable calling. The Bible boldly proclaims how God is active “missionally” in spite of and even because of the ineffectiveness of patriarchs, prophets and apostles.

This proposed legislation on ministry seems a Photo: © Sebastian Czapnik | Dreamstime.com futile attempt to “solve” what ails the church. member does not perform adequately, not Instead, can we proclaim a jubilee year on only is provisional membership discontinlegislation? Let’s then spend that time reued but ordination is also surrendered. The flecting on how set-apart ministers and indirecommendation throws the baby (ordinavidual congregations can, with honest selftion) out with the bath water (conference awareness and self-assessment, focus on membership.)

The unintended consehow The United Methodist Church can truly quence is that the sacredness of ordination be in mission for the 21st century. is lost. *Saranne P. Nelson-Olin is a retired

Itineracy and Guaranteed Appointment Another recommendation of the commission is that while full itineracy will continue for elders, there will no longer be

elder in the East Ohio Conference.

She is a former Superintendent of the Wooster/Firelands District.

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More Questions,

than Answers

hen I was asked to write an article about the Study of Ministry Commission’s recommendations to General Conference 2012, I was told that my thoughts on the report would be “insightful.” My first thought was that the homonym of that word could also be true: Anything I say about the proposed changes to “guaranteed appointment” has the potential to not only provide insight but also to incite.

Given the controversy surrounding even the rumors of proposed action and the large number of encouragements and admonitions I have already received in preparation for General Conference, I am not sure that writing what I think about the changes proposed in the Study of Ministry report constitutes a rational choice. Nevertheless, I will do my best.

My honest first impression is that I have more questions than firm opinions at this point.

Part of the proposal would eliminate commissioning altogether. The process would move straight to ordination once the educational and review requirements have been completed.

But it would still be ordination to provisional membership and that provisional status would last a minimum of two to a maximum of eight years.

So there is acknowledgement that ordination is an appropriate step for deploying pastors and the process toward full connection is shortened.

But how will that meaningfully change the status of new pastors? What will happen to those pastors already commissioned and at provisional status now? How will placing seminary students in their final year under the care of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry help guide them more appropriately than their district committee?

There are many other proposals in the report, but what generates the most interest is the sections dealing with stability of appointment, what many people commonly refer to as

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guaranteed appointment.

The unfortunate reality is that we will have to change our appointment system sooner than later, simply because there are a decreasing number of churches that can afford a full-time pastor, particularly an elder in full connection. Costs are increasing and membership is decreasing. My hope is that by addressing the problem now we may have some influence over the way it happens, but there are still many questions about what is being proposed.

Will pastors willingly accept the alternative of “transitional leave” if no appointment is offered? Is there potential that less than full time appointments could be used as a punitive measure rather than as a realistic best match of pastor and local church? If these changes are approved, who among us is most vulnerable?

Those are among the questions I will be exploring over the coming weeks as I study and prepare for General Conference.

My hope is that whatever changes occur, we can build on our ability to make appointments that are good for our pastors and good for our churches. My assessment is that a bright future depends on our ability to help our cabinet and bishop know our churches and our pastors better by freeing them to be in stronger connection locally with less administrative burden. Without that critical step, we cannot have meaningful renewal whether we change our position on stability of appointment or not.

Please continue to pray for wisdom and guidance for our delegation as we wrestle with difficult matters and the future God is calling the church to live. *Andy Call is a seminary student and the Associate for Music and Discipleship at Westlake United Methodist Church.

Illustration © Jezperklauzen | iStockphoto.com

W

By Andy Call*

Spirit

Facilitating the

By Rev. Curt Bissell*

I

t is no secret that since the merger of 1968, The United Methodist Church has been in slow and steady decline. It has led us to live in an earthly realm defined by stinginess, apathy and scarcity. We look at the world and live in fear. And yet, Colossians 3:2 beckons us to “Set your minds on things that are above, not on the things that are on earth …” (NRSV).

God is calling us to live in a heavenly realm defined by generosity, love and abundance. As we consider our future as The United Methodist Church at General Conference 2012, I hope we pursue that heavenly realm.

One of the recommendations for consideration at General Conference is the elimination of guaranteed appointments.

I am not supportive of this change, if it is simply to slow the rate of our decline.

However, if the vision is, as stated in the recommendation, to create “a more nimble system that responds to missional needs,” then I fully embrace the change.

Make no mistake, institutions cannot touch lives, change regions or transform the world. Only fully devoted Christ followers, effective pastors and visionary leaders can restore the movement of United Methodism.

As the current system stands, it often hinders positive momentum in the local church.

I believe that a reformed institution can help facilitate and sustain a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit throughout our entire denomination. Eliminating guaranteed appointments has the potential for good because it promotes accountability and strives for excellence.

Serious accountability for both laity and clergy was integral at the inception of the Methodist movement. We now fail in this regard. Accountability for clergy is virtually non-existent. We continue to shuffle a significant number of ineffective clergy (15 percent to 35 percent, according to some sources) through the system.

Although a system to remove ineffective clergy from ministry exists, the process is cumbersome and infrequently utilized.

This approach contradicts the mantra of successful organizations: “Hire Slow, Fire Fast.” We have half of the philosophy right. Of course, eliminating guaranteed appointments does not mean we will fire fast, but it does mean we can more effectively transition people out of ministry.

In talking with other young clergy in the denomination, through the Young Pastors’ Network with Church of the Resurrection and Ginghamsburg Church and Connex: a Connection for Excellence in East Ohio, I discovered that most — if not all — young clergy favor the elimination of guaranteed appointments. While there were many side discussions surrounding the complexities of this topic, the final consensus is that we need greater accountability built into our system.

Some questions around accountability include: How will effectiveness be defined and who will define it? Will ineffective churches be held accountable if they fail to be missional and who will hold them accountable?

Will ineffective bishops be held accountable and transitioned out of the Episcopacy and who will do that?

These are future discussions beyond the scope of General Conference 2012, but I believe important questions in the conversation as we move into the future.

Greater accountability can build trust.

Trust can foster connectionalism. Connectionalism can nurture excellence. Excellence can create a more nimble and flexible organization. Flexibility can respond to the movements of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit can lead us to a future with hope:

To bring heaven down to earth.

To touch lives.

To change regions.

And to transform the world. *Rev. Curt Bissell serves Brimfield Faith United Methodist Church.

Female photo © iStockphoto.com/Daniel Laflor Male photo © iStockphoto.com/Chris Pecoraro

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United Methodist Women

By Dr. Maggie Jackson*

Directors of the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries are requesting to break away from GBGM. Although each would become separate entities, the two would remain missionally together.

The goal of the proposal is to create more flexibility to grow in mission. The new structure would strengthen the ties between United Methodist Women (UMW) members, their national structure and the worldwide ministries they support. The flexibility would allow local organizations of United Methodist Women (currently called “units”) at the church, district and conference levels to determine what officers are needed to implement their specific mission projects.

The minimum required offices for each unit would be: president, secretary and treasurer.

The proposal would create United Methodist Women, Inc., an organization that would operate autonomous of The United Methodist Church. The current 50-member board of Directors would be reduced to 25.

UMW jurisdictional meetings would select 20 of the members. The remaining five would be named by a special nominating committee to ensure diversity of age, race, language, physical ability and working status. The board would oversee the organization’s chief executive and be responsible for managing program policies and finances – including budget, investments, property and financial policies.

The 25-member Board of Directors would also sit on the Program Advisory Group. Joining them as voting members would be the five UMW jurisdictional presidents, a representative from each annual conference not already represented on the Board of Directors, representatives from Global Ministries and other United Methodist agencies as

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well as the deaconess and home missioner community.

Also represented on the 70- to 80- member Program Advisory Group, but without vote, would be UMW regional missionaries, the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women and the federation’s North America region. Involving women from every annual conference in UMW leadership would promote fuller participation.

By moving from a division to an agency, United Methodist Women would be able to advocate more strategically on behalf of women, children and youth within The United Methodist Church. The change in status would help to broaden priorities across the church by allowing UMW to work directly with other agencies through the General Secretaries’ Table.

A more flexible UMW would allow mission teams to organize as they see fit to fulfill the purpose and do the work according to the needs of their respective members, churches and communities.

The directors of the General Board of Global Ministries have already voted in favor of this request. If the proposed changes are approved at General Conference in April, they would go into effect January 2013. *Maggie Jackson, Ph.D. is Director, Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries and a delegate to General Conference 2012.

aboutUMW United Methodist Women is the largest denominational faith organization for women with about 800,000 members. Its mission is fostering spiritual growth, developing leaders and advocating for justice.

Members raise up to $20 million each year for programs and projects related to women, children and youth in the United States and in more than 100 countries around the world.

Below: Harriett Olson (center), Women’s Division top executive, speaks to directors at the division’s spring meeting in Stamford, Conn. She is flanked, from left,

by Carol Van Gorp, staff executive; Emily Innes, division vice president; and Inelda Gonzalez, division president. Directors voted to officially change the division’s name to United Methodist Women, Inc., and to separate structurally from the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. A UMNS photo by Cassandra Zampini, Women’s Division.

2012

General Conference

Delegates

Clergy

Lay Rev. Dr. Gary George Assistant to Bishop Hopkins 2012 Delegation Head Previous GC Delegate: 2000, 2004, 2008 gary.george@eocumc.com

Jessica Vargo Conference Treasurer/ Director of Administrative Services Montrose Zion UMC/West Akron Regional Ministry Previous GC Delegate: 2008, Delegation Head vargoj@eocumc.com

Rev. Armando Arellano Pastor, Henrietta UMC Previous GC Delegate: None armandoarellano1964@yahoo.com

Allen Laferty Home Builder Crestline First UMC Previous GC Delegate: 2008 adlaferty@yahoo.com

Rev. Dr. Valerie Stultz Canal District Superintendent Previous GC Delegate: 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 vstultz704@aol.com

Jerry Rinehart Quality Engineer Mt. Pleasant UMC Previous GC Delegate: 2000, 2004, 2008 jerry.rinehart@pccairfoils.com

Rev. Cindy Patterson Assoc. Pastor, Northampton UMC Previous GC Delegate: None cindy@numchurch.org

Andy Call Associate for Music & Discipleship Westlake UMC Previous GC Delegate: None acall@westlakeumc.org

Rev. Dr. David Baker Senior Pastor, Cuyahoga Falls First UMC Previous GC Delegate: None darthurbaker@gmail.com

Iris Andrews Professional Volunteer Union Avenue UMC Previous GC Delegate: 2000, 2008 irisa865@yahoo.com

Rev. Orlando Chaffee North Coast District Superintendent Previous GC Delegate: None ochaffee@aol.com

Dr. Maggie Jackson Professor & MSW Director Celebration UMC Previous GC Delegate: 2000, 2004, 2008 mag.jackson@csuohio.edu

Rev. Dan Bryant Mahoning Valley District Superintendent Previous GC Delegate: None dbryant485@sbcglobal.net

Jane Ruggles Retired Ashland: Christ UMC Previous GC Delegate: None gruggles@zoominternet.net

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RESOUR

CES ed

form STAYin

www.umvitalcongregations.org

This one-stop shop is filled with useful information on how your church can become a vital congregation in the life of The United Methodist Church.

Learn the 16 Ministries/Strategies of Highly Vital Congregations.

Discover the Best Practices of Vital Congregations and how your church can set and achieve goals.

www.gbhem.org This issue of Joining Hands contains many thoughtprovoking articles on topics that affect millions of United Methodists worldwide. Listed here are websites you may use to further educate yourself on subjects discussed on the previous pages of Speak Now.

www.umc.org/gc2012

Learn about the role General Conference plays in the life of The United Methodist Church. Find out how General Conference works, who serves as delegates and how they are chosen. Get the inside story on legislative committee assignments and discover what items are on the General Conference 2012 agenda.

www.umc.org/calltoaction

Educate yourself on the Challenge facing The United Methodist Church. Read The Steering Team Report, the Towers Watson Report on Congregational Vitality and the Apex Report on Operational Assessment. Watch Lovett H. Weems, Jr address the Financial Leadership Forum. This presentation to United Methodist Bishops and representatives from U.S. conferences focused on the issues of denominational sustainability. Read Bishop Robert Schnase’s “We See a New Church” blog posting, study Connectional Table Recommendations and view The Call to Action Study Guide.

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The General Board of Higher Education & Ministry site offers information on General Conference 2012 legislation to consolidate 9 of the denomination’s 13 general agencies into a new United Methodist Center for Connectional Mission and Ministry. This is the place to go to also read the Study of Ministry, learn about the role of a potential setaside bishop and review other proposals that have the endorsement of the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table.

Learn more about human trafficking and its impact on communities nationwide:

www.polarisproject.org

This online warehouse contains a wealth of information about human trafficking on American soil.

www.notforsalecampaign.org

Download the Free2Work bar code scanner to your Smart Phone to see how your favorite brands relate to human trafficking and labor abuse issues.

www.notforsalefilm.com

Host a screening of the film “Not for Sale II” that tells the stories behind human trafficking in the U.S. and abroad.

1-888-373-7888 is a confidential 24 hours a day, 7 days a week hotline for anyone seeking help or information on human trafficking.

www.eocumc.com/joininghands

The online edition of Joining Hands contains the chilling, first-hand account of Marlene Carson’s life as a human sex slave and her efforts to stop others from being victimized. Additional articles on the Study of Ministry, the Church’s stance on human sexuality and more are just a mouse click away.

4

More Things You Need to Know About the

Call to Action

The Call to Action does NOT replace our mission and Four Areas of Focus!

Our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world is embedded in our United Methodist way of life. The same is true of our focus on developing leaders, starting new congregations, engaging in ministry with the poor and improving global health.

The Call to Action will NOT reduce diversity within The United Methodist Church!

The world is becoming more diverse and so should our church.

We cannot continue to lump people into large ethnic categories and ignore their particular identity and heritage. The Call to Action recommends that we have fewer people involved in governance and more in ministry without reducing our commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. The fruits of a more aligned general church will result in more diversity at the grass roots level.

We should be encouraged that more than half of the new churches started in this quadrennium across the United States have been racial/ ethnic and multi-cultural congregations. Our strategy for diversity everywhere must be to increase the number of congregations that are reaching younger and more diverse people.

From the Bishop *Bishop John L. Hopkins is the resident bishop of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church and the chairman of The Connectional Table.

The Call to Action is NOT to save money!

We are not a church driven by scarcity. We live in God’s abundance. The recommended budget total of $603 million is actually only a 3.46% decrease (-.87% per year) from what has been apportioned this quadrennium. The Call to Action is recommending a $60 million (10%) shift of general church funds to support the annual conferences and local churches as they focus on vital congregations. However, placing the program general agencies under one board will undoubtedly lead to costsavings and synergy in the coming years.

Although General Conference is responsible for the entire church, it actually makes decisions for less than 2% of our financial resources. Most of our resources are at the local church level. However, annual conferences send to the general church an average of 26% of what they apportioned to local churches. In addition, fewer than 23% of annual conferences paid 100% of general church apportionments in 2010. Unless we make some bold changes to focus resources on more vital congregations, we will soon face hard choices. (see Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr.’s projection of the coming “Death Tsunami” at umccalltoaction.org/thechallenge.

The Call to Action is NOT from a small “rump group”!

By our Discipline, only the General Conference, the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table are given “general oversight” responsibilities for The United Methodist Church. They are ultimately responsible for representing the whole and not just the parts of our church.

General Conference delegates represent their fellow annual conference constituents. Bishops represent the whole church, their region, and their respective annual conference.

The Connectional Table, with well-balanced diversity, represents every region, agency, racial/ethnic caucus and age-level.

From 2005-2008, work was completed to define our identity and mission. During this quadrennium, 20092012, the emphasis is on aligning resources for the future of our church. While bishops and conference leaders are responsible for the alignment of most resources in our church, the General Conference is responsible for alignment at the general church level.

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k c a B g n i t h Fig

By Deanna Bottar

e. Empty heart.

A young girl lost. Broken hom ng girl eptance – everything a you “I was looking for love, acc saw I son per ng wro e slightly. “Th needs,” she says, pausing needed it.” al and was entangled in a physic He was a pimp. Soon she into a girl ng you the t transformed emotional relationship tha her owner. prostitute and the pimp into nity to body, her soul and her dig For 10 years, she sold her was she e aus scary places bec nameless people in often ily fam or ans t financial me captive to his “care.” Withou and y ntit ide her a life that stole support, she was mired in blanketed her with harm.

She was a slave. the free. And now she’s doing But Marlene Carson broke day. ry eve n in similar situations same for countless wome in ay, a nonprofit organization She founded Rahab’s Hideaw g kin ffic the victims of human tra Central Ohio, to help heal ed es five homes in undisclos and prostitution. It operat begin and bus that provide refuge locations throughout Colum the process of rebuilding. e y have no identity. They hav “They are very broken. The to how ily. And they don’t know no support system, no fam said. connect with family,” Carson by support including donations Together with community dist – many of them United Metho individuals and churches – n to a safe space for these wome Rahab’s Hideaway creates ir the s, learn job skills and find make meaningful connection zat ani ion 2 is to partner with an org way back. The goal for 201 se services. so youth can also receive the e. She long it took her to break fre Carson doesn’t forget how turn. fear, not knowing where to remembers her anger, her But slowly, she found help. said. t helped me get out,” she “For me, it was a church tha ld a bui to me for s nth three mo “It took me three years and to m the get to m, the , to trust relationship with that church .” me get out trust me. But they helped

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HUMAN SEXUALITY Change

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By Joy Watts*

Is Needed

hen our daughter came out, I was in total shock. I was scared to death for her.

Bullying! The church saying homosexuality was incompatible with Christian teaching! I fell into depression. Why would we tell anyone Andrea was gay? Then, we saw these words on her wall: Don’t let the people who dwell in fear and hate govern how you live. She was braver than we were.

My re-education began. I learned homosexuality is not a choice. The American Psychological Association states homosexual orientation is as natural as heterosexual orientation, and that it is inappropriate and dangerous to tell a homosexual to attempt to change his or her orientation. I went to hear Jeremy Marks, a well known leader in transformation ministries - which claimed to change people’s orientations. He quit after 14 years because he did not know one person whose sexual orientation had truly changed! Our daughter had said, “Why would I choose to be gay? It’s so much harder. God must have made me this way.”

As a Sunday school teacher, youth director, UMW officer and a preacher’s kid, my life centered on God and church. But did I, and my beloved United Methodist Church, have it wrong? I stopped my constant prayer for my daughter to be changed and let God change me.

From Bible studies and books on theology, I learned that Sodom and Gomorrah was about gang rape, not homosexuality. That Ezekiel 16:49 tells us the sin of Sodom was pride and not helping the poor. That “abominations” included eating shellfish! That at the time of the Bible, there was no concept of homosexuality as an orientation, nor any understanding of loving, committed same sex relationships. And, that if you were given a book entitled Everything Jesus Said About Homosexuality, it would be BLANK! What did Jesus say? “Love the little children.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” By love, I didn’t think Jesus meant discriminate against them!

I met prominent United Methodists and other Christians who plainly stated homosexuality was not a sin. I held young adults in my arms who, weeping, said the church’s position was killing them. I met vulnerable, religious teens who had attempted suicide.

Where was the official United Methodist Church during my struggle?

Continuing spiritual violence: upholding bans on money use, ordination, and gay marriage (both clergy performing them and churches being used), and retaining the soul-piercing incompatibility statement. The majority grew smaller each time, but its vote distorted Jesus’ message of love.

I have since enriched my life with many wonderful, talented gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender friends, and, let me add, despite our Discipline, friends in Christ! East Ohio with the larger UMC has thrown away its share of these people, including very gifted present and future clergy— denying their call from God and forfeiting their gifts. All have a story of pain linked to the church. Because of Mark, Marjorie, Leland, Jennifer, Sue, Amy, Harry, Beth and all the Andreas and little children yet to come, I will not stop imploring our church to remove its discriminatory language and move to full inclusion.

I am joined by thousands of United Methodists, including African American scholars, retired bishops, and 1,100 clergy who have all signed statements. Like the persistent widow, we will not give up. We know straight parents will continue to have gay kids and that being gay, just like being straight, is a gift from God! We refuse to let our children believe they stand outside the love of Christ. Jesus would not throw them away.

Please pray for change and courage, as we work as a church to more clearly fulfill our Master’s call. *Joy Watts is a lifetime United Methodist who serves on Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) Board of Directors and the East Ohio Conference Commission on Religion and Race.

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No Easy Answers

By Rev. D. Lynn Snider*

T

he “law of unintended consequences” describes the fact that whenever an organization takes an action to solve a problem, that choice will produce other unexpected effects which may work against reaching the intended goal. While I agree that some United Methodist clergy suffer from a lack of competence, (and many more suffer from a lack of confidence), I am concerned that The Commission on the Study of Ministry’s proposal to address this problem by removing “security of appointment” could cause serious negative unintended consequences in at least four areas.

First of all, this change would redefine the basic philosophy of the itinerant system.

Since 1956, this system has been based on a “carrot and stick” approach in which clergy in good standing traded freedom of choice about their appointment for the promise that they would always have an appointment. If the carrot is removed, people will try to avoid the stick. Human nature would drive competent pastors to stay in healthy appointments where they feel secure, leaving the less-skilled clergy to serve our more struggling congregations.

Since United Methodism is merely one of many channels through which one can live out a call to ministry, making our itinerant system less attractive could also have negative consequences on new clergy recruitment. This will become a crucial issue within the next decade, during which more than half of our active clergy will probably retire.

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More seriously, this change could have very negative effects on clergy morale.

The present language of the proposed legislation gives each bishop the power to assign a clergy person to a part-time appointment, recommend them to the Board of Ordained Ministry for transitional leave or initiate a complaint process based on incompetency not less than 90 days prior to Annual Conference. Any of these changes would have very traumatic effects on a pastor and that pastor’s family.

Since it is an unavoidable truth that half the people you know are below average, the appointment season could become a time of intense anxiety in the lives of struggling clergy or those who are serving struggling congregations. Pastors could begin subconsciously to make decisions based on how they could better assure their reappointment in the short run rather than on what might be best for their church in the long run. Since I believe “low morale” is a much bigger drag on our collective ministry than “incompetence,” this new sense of uncertainty could serve to make a bad situation worse.

Finally, there is the issue of simple Christian virtue. Pastors have a very refined and specialized skill set that is not easily transferable to other areas of employment.

Few of us could arrange a “soft landing” with no more than 90 days of notification that we would be unemployed and possibly homeless. While our parishioners also face such traumatic dismissals, they don’t like it, or like the people who do it to them.

Churches will not respond well to or feel positive about administrators who cause great harm to a pastoral family at least some of them will have come to love.

I believe that we could increase overall clergy effectiveness by developing a serious program to encourage and re-energize demoralized pastors, coupled with a clear, transparent and humane process of transition for those who actually do need to move into other areas of service. The Study of Ministry seems to be recommending a much more draconian and destructive path, and I fear adoption in its present form could leave our denomination much less capable of fulfilling the mission and ministry to which Christ calls us.

*Rev. D. Lynn Snider serves Chagrin Falls United Methodist Church.

speak now!

THREE ORS AST P AL LOC

n I h g Wei

T

By Daniel Baer, Derek Kubilus and Jonathan Priebe*

he United Methodist Church, by all metrical analysis, appears to be a church in decline. All around we see local churches shrinking, merging and closing. The social influence of United Methodism is waning. Young people are spending their time and energy elsewhere. All of which has obviously caused a great deal of fear and insecurity within the church. Lay people are afraid their church might disappear in their lifetime and pastors are left scratching their heads, wondering what it is they’re doing wrong.

Out of this church culture of fear and the reports, like “Call to Action,” it has generated a growing movement within the denomination to end “guaranteed appointments” for Elders. This move would broaden the power of bishops to deny appointments to pastors deemed “ineffective” using a measure referred to as “updated performance qualities and vital indicators.” But in this culture of fear, we three young clergy are skeptical of this idea and its inevitable recommendation to General Conference. We believe that it will only increase the sense of unease that many of us have already felt.

This proposal would add more insecurity for pastors, who are asked to move anywhere at any time, at the prayerful discretion of the cabinet and the Bishop. Sometimes those appointments are great matches and sometimes not. Guaranteed appointment assures each pastor that they itinerate with some security, knowing that they won’t lose their job and their home if it happens that an appointment just doesn’t work out. How many pastors, especially young pastors entering the ministry, would be willing to itinerate without a guarantee of appointment?

All this increased insecurity seeks, paradoxically, to illicit faithfulness from fear, and moves the hierarchy’s posture toward Elders from one of sacred trust (one of the strengths of the UMC) to instead one of suspicion. The end of guaranteed appointment will increase, rather than ameliorate, the fears and insecurities of the itinerancy. In our opinion, the challenges we face dictate more trust in UMC pastors, lay leaders and churches, not suspicion.

Please hear us out, the UMC now needs more Spirit-filled, experienced and well-trained clergy.

But we believe that the church’s current clergy and lay leaders may in fact need renewal rather than removal. So, rather than creating a system for more effectively dismissing clergy (for whom there may or may not be replacements over the next decade as baby boomers retire), perhaps we can find ways to invest denominational time in the Spiritual formation of our current clergy and lay leadership.

What if we used 25 percent of our time at annual conference to hone our clergy and lay leaders’ skills for discernment, for themselves and their congregations, and also made the time for them to do that work together? We could find ways to decrease the amount of time spent on business and use that time together for building relationships and collectively seeking God’s will for our churches. This is one way we could respond to the challenges facing the UMC with more trust and investment in all of our local church and denominational leaders. *Daniel Baer, Derek Kubilus and Jonathan Priebe are licensed local pastors in the East Ohio Conference seeking provisional membership in 2012.

Derek Kubilus

Jonathan Priebe

Daniel Baer

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