[RMC News] Countdown to General Conference 6

[Roe, Ben]

COUNTDOWN TO GENERAL CONFERENCE!

The Rocky Mountain Conference Delegation leaves for General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas on Wednesday, April 23.    As a delegation, we have been meeting monthly to build community, pray for each other, and learn together.   Each of the delegates has been assigned to a legislative committee.  Our alternates and guests will be monitoring the legislative processes as well.   In anticipation of our work, we want to share some of our learnings, passions, concerns, and prayers.  Here is the sixth in a series of pre-Conference reflections:

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Manageable Pieces
by Wendy Moffatt
Lay Reserve Delegate
I was taught when faced with a daunting task to break it down into manageable pieces.  Those words have come back to me as I scan over 1,500 pages of petitions and rules in preparation for my participation at General Conference.

The first manageable piece has been building community with the voting delegation.  We just completed our last of 6 meetings since June of last year this past Saturday and I want to thank our delegation leaders Josh Davies and Janet Forbes who have been instrumental in building the team.  The Rocky Mountain Conference has a group of wise, experienced lay and clergy to teach those of us with less experience and I am honored to be a part of it.

I will be in Ft Worth for only 5 days.  My assignment will be attending meetings of a specific legislative committee.  This is the second manageable piece.  Church and Society #2 is the committee I have studied more closely in order to better understand the proposed legislation and be able to report back to the voting delegates.  This committee's issues are about people - the nurturing community and the social community.  I've learned a little more about those who propose legislation hoping to undermine the United Methodist Church as a mainline denomination in the US, specifically attacking our heritage of social justice.  The 2004 General Conference ended up quite divisive due to many of these petitions.  As a church body it is my hope that we are older and wiser and know that remaining united is most important.

I'm looking forward to a first hand experience at General Conference.  Thank you for your prayers.

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Our communications team, Skip Strickland and Olon Lindemood, will be posting General Conference reports from April 23 to May 2.   One of the delegates will write a daily reflection as well.   You may access information during the General Conference at www.GC2008.umc.org    Worship, special addresses, and celebrations will be offered in live video streaming.   You may also track legislation.

We covet your prayers and traveling mercies!   

Grace,
Janet Forbes and Josh Davies


(via Ben Roe
Information Administrator
Rocky Mountain Conference, The United Methodist Church
ben at rmcumc.com  303-325-7046  800-536-3736x146)
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