Responsively Yours

September 2000
A View from the Balcony

General Conference 2000 convened in Cleveland, Ohio, May 2-12, at the Cleveland Convention Center, an old-style center with the stage at one end of the hall and two levels of balconies around the sides. Delegates were seated on the main floor. Visitors and general-agency staff were seated in the balconies, where steep stairs and ramps proved challenging for many and impossible for some.

It was from this vantage point that I experienced General Conference.

Women delegates numbered 324 of the total 992 delegates, with 212 being laywomen, a decrease of nine from the 1996 General Conference. Women participated in some plenary discussions in the same ratio as their membership, while at other times, men dominated discussions.

There were youth and young adults among the delegates. Some spoke on the floor, a few served as leaders within legislative committees, and many challenged the church with their questions and comments.

Legislation requiring all general agencies to have 20 percent of their membership youth and young adults was defeated by only 15 votes. The young people witnessed to their understanding of the faith as they participated in the conference.

Some presiding bishops attempted to encourage diversity of participation. I observed that women remain seated when attempting to gain the floor while some men stood frantically waving the cards given to delegates to use to be recognized.

Worship services represented the diversity within The United Methodist Church. Music was a highlight with such choirs as the Africa University Choir; Agape Children’s Choir of Estonia; a youth choir from a number of churches; a deaf choir; the Tongan Choir of Mesa, Ariz.; and a praise choir from Copenhagen, Denmark. Some services included liturgical dance.

Bishops gave sermons each morning. For example, Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of the Arkansas Area delivered a powerful sermon centered on John 15 in which Jesus says to his disciples:

"I am the vine, you are the branches."

Bishop Huie challenged the church "to let the vine grower do the pruning" and not to "consider pruning another part of the body of Christ."

Legislation approved by General Conference included:

• Gun control, including the banning of hand guns;
• Support of public education and suggested means of improving it;
• The Charter for Racial Justice Policies;
• Declaration of universal health care as a basic human right;
• Environmental concerns around coal mining, dioxin and water use;
• A statement regarding hate crimes and violence;
• Solidarity with people of Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo who are experiencing civil unrest;
• A call for an end to "partial-birth abortions."

Legislation not approved included the following:

• All changes asking for more open statements regarding homosexuality;
• Formation of a missionary conference for evangelicals;
• The Connectional Process Team report, which proposed guidelines for restructuring the denomination;
• Petitions that asked for change regarding United Methodist Women’s status within local churches.

One decision will impact the membership of future General Conferences. The number of delegates per conference will now be determined by the number of lay members within the conferences instead of clergy members.

This will increase the representation from those conferences with churches with large memberships, while reducing the number of delegates from those conferences with many small-membership churches. It will also influence the number of delegates to jurisdictional conferences and will thus influence the election of bishops.

Dr. Janice Love, a director of the Women’s Division from 1970-1976, was honored at General Conference for her service as a representative to the World Council of Churches from 1975-1998. In her acceptance of the certificate, Ms. Love thanked United Methodist Women and the Women’s Division for serving as her "mothers in the ecumenical movement." This speaks of our commitment to ecumenicity and the role young women have and can assume in the life of the Church.

Thursday, May 11 was spent primarily dealing with legislation regarding homosexuality. It was a difficult day for most of those in attendance no matter what position they held. Attempts to acknowledge in The United Methodist Book of Discipline the disagreement within the denomination around this issue and the divisiveness this has caused failed.

A number of visitors participated in a silent witness around the balcony. Others entered the delegates’ area seeking changes in the church’s position. Their presence gave a visual picture of their hurt and concern.

Has the denomination’s debate on homosexuality ended?

I don’t think so. Though legislation cannot change for four years, people on all sides will continue to share their opinions and take actions in opposition to or support of the denomination’s current position.

There are individuals and groups of people who are wounded and hurting over this issue. Our role as United Methodist Women is to be loving and accepting of all people as was Jesus in his ministry. This is not an easy time for the Church. All of us need to be in prayer and to be open to the guidance of the Spirit.

My view of General Conference from the balcony was at times exhilarating and at times depressing. At times it was hard to view from a distance, and at other times I was happy not to be in the midst of the delegates.

To reclaim and reform the unity of the denomination in the midst of our diversity is going to require all of us. May we be open to God’s guidance and truly walk together in love.

Responsively Yours ,

Joyce D. Sohl
Deputy General Secretary
Women's Division

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