Text as copied from Conference Communication:
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 second in a series of pre-Conference reflections:
Launching the Emerging Church!
by Janet Forbes
Clergy Delegate to General Conference
St. Luke’s UMC, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Today, my congregation is welcoming participants to the Emerging Church for the Existing Church Conference. This is a learning dialogue sponsored by Leadership Nexus, The Iliff School of Theology, Denver Seminary, and the Emergent Village. As the host congregation, we not only give leadership through workshops, panel discussions, and worship; but, we get to overhear conversations between those who are “learning, leading, loyal radicals” in existing communities and those that are speaking with post-denominational voices about the postmodern birthing of the new church.
I seem to be preparing for leadership at General Conference through these lenses. I have a dream that we graze the horizons of the future, testing, listening, hoping to be a part of what God wants to bless. I go to Fort Worth with a dual citizenship in the existing church and the emerging church!
I will be serving on the Superintendency Committee, focusing on the Study on the Episcopacy that was authorized by the 2004 General Conference. I have chaired the RMC Episcopacy Committee for eight years and bring strong opinions about the needs of the existing/emerging church for Episcopal leadership. I question the scope of the office, the work load, the eight-year tenure, term limits, the tension between general superintendency (serving the whole church) and residential responsibilities (the diocesan model of deployment), evaluation and accountability, and the fiscal realities of the Episcopal Fund. The biggest issue for the Western Jurisdiction will be the petition to reduce the number of bishops from six to five. At such a pivotal moment in the life of the church, when we have lost so many church planting opportunities in the West, how do we staff for growth, not continuing decline!?!!?
We live up to the story we live under! So let’s write a new chapter for a new church.
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
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