2011
MOTION:
RATIONALE:
ITEM #GC115 SUBJECT: MOTION:
ITEM #GC116 SUBJECT: MOTION:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
215
Mark Thompson, clergy member West Michigan Reconciling United Methodists / Michael McDonald, Chair Church Council of Kalamazoo First UMC / Molly W. Williams, Chair Deborah E. Search Willoughby, member of Kalamazoo First UMC Jonathan Richardson, member of Kalamazoo First UMC Susan E. Paul, member of Kalamazoo First UMC David Lundquist, lay member, Kalamazoo First UMC Methodist Federation for Social Action / Susan Hagans, Chair
DISCIPLINE ¶341.6 – Offer the Blessings of Christian Marriage to Homosexual Couples. Not considered I move that the Conference Secretary submit the following Petition to the 2012 General Conference on behalf of the West Michigan Annual Conference: Amend ¶341.6 as follows: 6. Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches. Homosexual families bring blessings to our churches. United Methodist clergy have conducted union services for these families since our denomination’s formation. This double standard impedes pastoral care and fulfillment of the clergy covenant. This discrimination undercuts evangelism to all God’s children and our efforts to recruit and maintain qualified clergy. Petitioners are the same for Items #GC106, #GC108, #GC110, #GC112, #GC113, #GC114, #GC120, #GC122, #GC123 and are listed in the chronological order in which they were received: 1. Mark Thompson, clergy member 2. West Michigan Reconciling United Methodists / Michael McDonald, Chair 3. Church Council of Kalamazoo First UMC / Molly W. Williams, Chair 4. Deborah E. Search Willoughby, member of Kalamazoo First UMC 5. Jonathan Richardson, member of Kalamazoo First UMC 6. Susan E. Paul, member of Kalamazoo First UMC 7. David Lundquist, lay member, Kalamazoo First UMC 8. Methodist Federation for Social Action / Susan Hagans, Chair DISCIPLINE ¶341.6 – Unauthorized Conduct. Not considered I move that the Conference Secretary submit the following petition to the 2012 General Conference on behalf of the West Michigan Annual Conference: Delete ¶ 341.6 Unauthorized Conduct and renumber the following paragraphs as needed. ¶ 341. 6 Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual union shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches. RATIONALE: This paragraph is now in conflict with ¶340.3 (a) since a growing number of states now allow for marriages between people of the same sex. One hundred years ago, the church decided that sex is not just for procreation, so it is morally permissible to practice birth control; thus we have recognized that marriage is for more than procreation. Therefore, there is no longer any physiological reason to prevent same-sex unions. Finally, the pain and suffering caused by denying loving, caring, faithful partners the full rights of spouses is no longer morally supportable. John W. Fisher, Pastor, South Haven First UMC of the West Michigan Annual Conference DISCIPLINE ¶413 – Review of Complaints Against Bishops. Amend ¶413 by addition of the following sentences: “The decision of the jurisdictional supervisory committee concerning a complaint shall, on request of the complainant, be subject to review by a committee composed of the first three alternates to the United Methodist Judicial Council. This shall include a face-to-face meeting between the complainant and the Judicial Council
LEGISLATION
ITEM #GC114
SUBJECT:
LEGISLATION