2004
General Conference
Archive


Day 1 - Tuesday, April 27

Day 2 - Wednesday, April 28

Day 3 - Thursday, April 29

Day 4 - Friday, April 30

Day 5 - Saturday, May 1

Day 6 - Monday, May 3

Day 7 - Tuesday, May 4

Day 8 - Wednesday, May 5

Day 9 - Thursday, May 6

Day 10 - Friday, May 7



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Day 1 - Tuesday, April 27

Bishop Carder

EPISCOPAL ADDRESS: The New Creation and the Church's Mission

Bishop Kenneth Carder
Mississippi Conference


PLENARY SESSION (includes debate below on proposal to have bishops chair legislative committees)


DEBATE re: proposal to have all legislative committees chaired by bishops


UPDATE on delegates unable to get visas to travel to U.S.

James Perry, chair, Commission on the General Conference


LETTER to the General Conf. from First Lady Laura Bush

Read by Kenneth Chalker, Commission on the General Conference



Day 2 - Wednesday, April 28

REQUEST for a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council

Regarding the UM Discipline's language: 'the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.'

Motion made by Fred Haustein, a clergy delegate from the Arkansas Conf.


Gloria Holt

LAITY ADDRESS: One in Spirit, All in Ministry

Gloria Holt, pres., UM Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders
N. Alabama Conference



Day 3 - Thursday, April 29

Bishop Ntambo

SERMON: The Fear of the Lord

Bishop Nkulu Ntanda Ntambo
North Katanga Area
(Democratic Republic of the Congo)


PLENARY SESSION (includes GCFA report below, as well as nominations for the Judicial Council and University Senate)


Sandra Lackore

GCFA REPORT

Sandra Kelley Lackore, chief exec., General Council on Finance & Administration



Day 4 - Friday, April 30

Renita Thomas

SERVICE OF APPRECIATION FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO REMAINED IN THE DENOMINATION DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF RACISM


Bishop Thomas

RECOGNITION OF BISHOP JAMES S. THOMAS FOR HIS ROLE IN ELIMINATING SEGREGATED STRUCTURES WITHIN THE DENOMINATION



Day 5 - Saturday, May 1

PLENARY SESSION

  • Transcript (PDF file -- includes presentation of Judicial Council declaratory decision below.)


Carolyn Marshall

JUDICIAL COUNCIL ISSUES DECLARATORY DECISION (Decision 984)

Regarding the UM Discipline's language: 'the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.' (decision requested here)


Maxie Dunnam

REQUEST for a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council

Regarding implications of Judicial Council Decisions 886 and 984 with respect to the case of The Rev. Karen Dammann.

Motion made by Maxie Dunnam (president, Asbury Theological Seminary), a clergy delegate from the Kentucky Conference.


ITEM supporting 'laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman' (Petition 40369) (NOTE: This item passed without debate.) (transcript is on p. 5 of this PDF file)

Bishop Mary Ann Swenson (Los Angeles Area), presiding



Day 6 - Monday, May 3

MORNING PLENARY SESSION


AFTERNOON AND EVENING PLENARY SESSIONS



Day 7 - Tuesday, May 4

MORNING PLENARY SESSION (includes Judicial Council elections, announcement of Judicial Council decision 985, and debate on altering paragraph 161G of the UM Book of Discipline)


AFTERNOON AND EVENING PLENARY SESSIONS (debate on additional items related to homosexual practice)

  • Transcript (PDF file - includes remainder of Tues. morning session.)

Delegate
Tshibang Kasap 'Owan
North Katanga Conf.

Clergy delegate
Janet Elligner
Wisconsin Conference

DEBATE re: Paragraph 161G in the UM Book of Discipline (Petition 40553) ('... the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.')

(transcript of debate begins on p. 10 of this PDF file and concludes on p. 4 of this PDF file)

Bishop Bruce P. Blake (Oklahoma Area), presiding


DEBATE re: rights of same-sex couples (Petition 40454) and equal rights/'heterosexism' (Petition 40576) (transcript of debate begins on p. 6 of this PDF file)

Bishop Bruce P. Blake (Oklahoma Area), presiding


DEBATE pertaining to Paragraph 304.3 on moral standards for clergy (Petition 40457) (transcript of debate begins on p. 11 of this PDF file)

Bishop Bruce P. Blake (Oklahoma Area), presiding


DEBATE re: amending Paragraph 304.3 to note disagreement within UMC over moral standards for clergy (Petition 40701) (transcript of debate begins on p. 15 of this PDF file)

Bishop Bruce P. Blake (Oklahoma Area), presiding


DEBATE re: amending Paragraph 304.3 to alter the phrase "not to be accepted as candidates" to "not to be certified as candidates" (Petition 40018) (transcript of debate begins on p. 17 of this PDF file)

Bishop Bruce P. Blake (Oklahoma Area), presiding


Carolyn Marshall

JUDICIAL COUNCIL ISSUES DECISION ON DAMMANN CASE (Decision 985)

Regarding implications of Judicial Council Decisions 886 and 984. (decision requested here)


DEBATE pertaining to Paragraph 2702.1 on chargeable offenses for clergy (Petition 41181) (transcript of debate begins on p. 28 of this PDF file)

Bishop William Oden (Dallas Area), presiding



Day 8 - Wednesday, May 5

MORNING PLENARY SESSION

  • Transcript (PDF file - Wed. morning proceedings begin on page two.)

MORNING SESSION (cont'd), AFTERNOON AND EVENING PLENARY SESSIONS

LATE EVENING SESSION

  • Transcript (PDF file - Wed. is concluded in transcript under May 6.)


DEBATE pertaining to whether the Church should have the right to appeal a decision made by a church trial court (Petition 40991) (transcript of debate begins on p. 6 of this PDF file)

Bishop Joe Pennel (Richmond Area), presiding



Day 9 - Thursday, May 6

PLENARY SESSIONS


DEBATE re: decreasing/increasing the number of bishops in the UMC (Petition 40939) (transcript of debate begins on p. 5 of this PDF file)

Bishop Janice Riggle Huie (Arkansas Area), presiding


Pro-homosexuality
demonstrators
stage protest

PROTESTERS DISRUPT CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FOR MORE THAN 20 MINUTES, CALLING FOR UM CHURCH TO COUNTENANCE HOMOSEXUAL PRACTICE


DEBATE re: the pension plan for UM clergy (Clergy Retirement Security Program - Petition 40325) (transcript of debate begins on p. 34 of this PDF file)

Bishop Gregory Palmer (Iowa Area), presiding


REQUEST for a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council regarding the constitutionality of the new pension plan (transcript is on p. 37 of this PDF file)


DEBATE re: reaffirmation of UM doctrinal standards (Petition 40706) (transcript of debate begins on p. 53 of this PDF file)

Bishop Ernest Lyght (New York Area), presiding


REQUEST for a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council regarding the constitutionality of the resolution on doctrinal standards (transcript is on p. 59 of this PDF file)



Day 10 - Friday, May 7

PLENARY SESSIONS


ONE-MILLION-MEMBER PROTESTANT METHODIST CHURCH OF COTE D'IVOIRE (IVORY COAST) ADMITTED TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE UMC (transcript of debate begins on p. 3 of this PDF file)


Delegates sing
'Blest Be the Tie that Binds'

REMARKS BY DR. BRUCE ROBBINS AND DR. BILL HINSON

Plus proposal and passage of 'unity' resolution

Bishop Joe Sprague (Northern Illinois Area), presiding