Jennifer Kay Smith
in love with creativity & its sourceArchive for general conference
general conference wrap up
The conference voted to suspend the rules, in order to amend the rules, in order to determine if we will be voting to concur with the committees’ reports, or to vote on adopting the petitions themselves. This took an hour.
Matt Kuzma
Haha…made me laugh. Unfortunately, very true.
Ugandan Children’s Choir video intro – their journey to the US
Ugandan Children’s Choir singing at General Conference
I had a fantastic time at General Conference. It was great spending 10 days with my dad. It was fun meeting tons of new Methodist friends from around the world. I was reminded our church is now a global church. The US is not at the center of everything.
It was sad at times that we continue to disagree on some issues. I hope our church works hard to really start listening to “the other side.” If we say we agree to disagree, it seems we shut down and stop listening to the other side because we assume we know their point of view. Keep listening. Keep asking questions.
I know I’m guilty of stereotyping. I’m sorry for any part I’ve played in making someone feel excluded from God’s love.
thursday at general conference
I’ve been scanning other General Conference blogs and they’ve done a great job of summarizing the joys and
struggles of holy conferencing.
Alaska Conference Communications Blog on General Conference
I was posted at the front of the plenary floor today to guard the stage. Halfway through the morning, there was a 15 minute witness/protest. Very powerful time to see bishops come down and stand with supporters of a more open Methodist Church.
It was wonderful to hear Bill Gates Sr. today. He’s going to match whatever we raise on a basketball we’re bidding for to benefit Nothing but Nets. The United Methodist Church is playing a major part in helping to erase malaria on our planet. What’s great is that change is actually happening!
I’ve been meaning to list the people I’ve gotten to interview. Here they are…
Ed McKinney – Western North Carolina
Josh & Christina Hale – Texas
Bishop Will Willimon – North Alabama
Andrew & Nicole Conard – Kansas West
Candy Benson – South Carolina
Molly Simpson – Kansas East
Paul Gravley – North Texas
Kelli Beard – Northern Illinois/Garrett-Evangelical Seminary
Jessica LaGrone – Texas
Ernest Jackson – West Ohio
Rebekah Miles – Arkansas – Professor at Perkins School of Theology at SMU
Sarai Case – Illinois/Garrett-Evangelical Seminary
William & Anna Mandelstamm – Western North Carolina
Nathan Jeffries – Missouri
Jeremy Smith – New England/Oklahoma
Bishop Deb Kiesey – Dakotas
Walter Dry, Sr. – Florida
A.J. Thomas – Western North Carolina
David L. Jefferson – New York
Nico Romeijn-Stout – Pacific-Northwest
Marie Kuch – Pacific Northwest
Molly Vetter – California-Pacific
Nate Nims – Iowa /Drew Theological Seminary
Adam Hamilton – Leawood, Kansas
Dave Beckett - Anchorage, Alaska
Glory to God!!!
sad day
It was a sad day for the United Methodist Church.
There aren’t any words to describe what happened tonight. It doesn’t matter which “side” of the homosexuality issue you’re on. It’s just sad when a fantastic group of people devoted to Christ feel the Holy Spirit move in such different ways.
On a lighter note, we’re up to 25 interviews!! Such amazing stuff is coming out of people’s mouths!
