Annual Conference Dialogues Continue

In the November 10 briefing, Consultant Marilyn Winters reported that the dialogues with annual conferences that the General Board of Global Ministries conducted during the 1992-1996 Quadrennium marked the first time that the general secretary of a churchwide agency--in this case Dr. Randolph Nugent--had met with representatives of virtually every annual conference in The United Methodist Church. These earlier dialogues, she said, were largely responsible for changing the mind of the church about moving the GBGM out of New York.

A new series of dialogues, begun this fall, is revealing different attendance patterns owing to new annual conference structures, leadership, and staff. For example, more than half of the conference council directors are new for the 1996-2000 Quadrennium. The current dialogues have been more program-driven than the previous ones, Winters noted, with the GBGM's programs on shalom communities, prison ministries, and restorative justice receiving strong support. Participants--who are given a video, a compact disc, a brochure stating the GBGM's four goals, a list of executives to contact, and current issues of the Board's mission magazine, New World Outlook--have also been highly enthusiastic about Board Treasurer Stephen F. Brimigion's helpful presentation on GBGM finances.

Ms. Winters shared the following description of the aim, scope, and process for the dialogues now under way:

REGIONAL DIALOGUES

AIM: A mutual sharing of perspectives on program opportunities by the General Board of Global Ministries and Mission Churches/Conferences (a continuation of the dialogues conducted in the 1992-1996 quadrennium).

SCOPE OF DIALOGUES: Time Line: September 1998-December 1999

• 1 day in the United States and 2 days beyond the U.S.
• There will be 15 dialogues in the United States and 8 dialogues beyond the United States: Africa (2), Europe/Russia (2), Asia (2), the Caribbean and Latin America (2).

Suggested Attendance Pattern:

• Bishops
• General Board of Global Ministries Directors
• General Board of Global Ministries General Secretary
• General Board of Global Ministries Cabinet Members
• Conference Council Director
• Conference Board of Global Ministries Chairperson
• Conference Secretary of Global Ministries
• Conference UMW President
• Conference Cabinet Person Assigned to Conference GBGM
• Youth/Young Adult

The conference attendance patterns will need to guarantee the participation of 1/3 women and 1/6 youth/young adults.

The Process: