Important Business

Jeffrey N. Leath, 128^th Bishop

 

No one wants to hold a General Conference where the life and health of people are at risk.  We should be sensitive also to those who accommodate our gathering such as hotel and convention center workers.  Changes to a “quadrennial” meeting entail different responsibilities than a modified mere annual session.  The General Conference controls several critical functions for which there are no emergency provisions.  Holding at least a partial meeting as soon as possible, including virtual participation, is of great importance for life after the pandemic.

One proposal for consideration is the convening of the General Conference to address the immediate concerns of Budget and Personnel with a recess to a later date for the deliberations on legislation and other business of the General Conference.  We need to pass a budget.  We need to retire persons who are scheduled to retire, as we elect persons to fill those positions.  We need to assign the bishops so we can go forward in this time of uncertainty and crisis with the surety of what the leadership looks like for the near future.

It may be hard to imagine, but most of our pieces are not as complex as we are made to believe.  There are three foremost components to begin the organization of our business:  The Rules Committee, The Credentials Committee and The Episcopal Committee.  With proper advance preparations, all these elements can be put in place with either a limited number of people meeting in person, or through virtual interaction.

Each of these three necessary groups is made up of less than 80 persons (The Episcopal Committee is the largest).  We can convene; adopt rules to validate our process; and accomplish these minimum tasks of the General Conference in less that three days with live/virtual sessions of three to five hours per day (perhaps a little longer for the election).

The Program Committee can produce a virtual friendly, limited agenda.  Statistics and Finance can propose a quadrennial budget, the Episcopal Committee can do its work.  We may not have all the answers to the details now, but through formal and informal discussions WE can refine the concept with the end of implementing something that is fair and effective.

As I reviewed the comments on my last post (not to mention offline conversations), I learned from what others said, and I noted ideas that convinced me of the value of broader discussions.  On a forum such as this, we should begin to put on the table some of the nuances which must be considered for new, better ways of doing business.  Whether members are just dabbling for entertainment or engaging for progress, this is a site about the General Conference.

This site is not a prayer line.  This is not the site for a virtual vigil during our critical times.  There are other places for that.  I thank God for those other places!  When the storm is over, the ship of Zion needs to be seaworthy.  Let’s use this time in drydock for assessing damage, making repairs and modifying the vessel which will take us ahead in the future and make us the tip of the spear.

None of this discussion precludes the tasks of the Council of Bishops, General Conference Commission or any other official entity of the Church.

God, forgive us of our sins!  God, reform our ways!  God, save the church!

2020 AMEC GenCon Member Discussion Forum

AMEs around the World

A Word of Apology

 

A few of my colleagues have suggested that I misrepresented their collective view on “virtual participation” in the General Conference or other connectional meetings.  I sincerely apologize for my misunderstanding and any distortion of the discussions among the Bishops and the meeting of the General Conference Commission.  Now that we have a better understanding, I will look forward to conversations in the near future.  I also pray the deliberations will lead to studies and draft implementation plans for virtual presence for our global gatherings as we wrestle with this pandemic.

Although the original vision for this blog is the discussion of legislative proposals, the current pandemic as called us to looked a some new church related issues.  To keep the discussion off of a totally public forum, I am privately engage through the blog.

This is the original post on Facebook.

The Rejection of Virtual Gatherings

Jeffrey N. Leath, 128^th Bishop

The Council of Bishops and the General Conference Commission have summarily rejected the notion of a connectional virtual, computer-generated gathering.  The Council of Bishops and the General Conference Commission not only went beyond expressed displeasure with the concept, they also refused to research the issue and the efficiency of holding and conducting virtual meetings.  The failure to even study the possibilities is the most disappointing of their actions.  Is there due diligence for these uncharted times when we ignore options?

All of us have concerns about virtual gathering these days (Zoom, Go to Meeting, and private platforms).  Security. Equal access of all members of the deliberative body.  Mixed participation (some onsite while others are virtual).  The list goes on.  Complexity and novelty is no excuse for disregarding feasibility.

Here is the reality.  The world is already different.  If we do not at least think about new ways of doing business, we will be caught behind the curve in expensive, antiquated processes.  The current social order is a warning bell.  Why are we dreaming and waiting for the return of the “good old days?”

We understand the health interests for our members.  There is special concern for the most vulnerable.  We are also sympathetic to the need for fairness for our international institution.  However, there may be more equity in a virtual gathering than we duplicitously deny.

Where is the fairness of representatives from Districts 14-20 having to spend over $2,000 just to get to a point of entry where they will get the same travel allowance as American representatives to meetings like the General Board?  Where is the justice in observers traveling to any connectional meeting having access by auto, bus, or airplane with unrestricted movement, while persons outside the United States are burdened with the costs (and often the disappointment) of securing visas and forced air travel.

We can maintain our integrity with digital presence, that is, online face-to-face meetings, just as easily as in-person.  Better stewardship of fiscal resources and creative strategies may open new horizons of excellent service.  Can’t we look at it and give it a try?

We are wasting precious time and opportunity.  The Connectional Lay Organization is already using a virtual format for their Executive Board.  Why are we still riding the conference call pony while other institutions, as noble as ours, have jetted into the video age?

By implementation on a smaller scale NOW in anticipation of the inevitable, The Council of Bishops, General Board and Commissions should engage in virtual meetings NOW.  We can learn the technology; iron out the wrinkles, secure the systems; and assess the benefits and the liabilities.

During World War II, international travel among civilians was severely limited, and even during war, the General Conference met.  What if there is no international travel in the summer of 2021?  Will we still postpone the General Conference because of disease and travel restrictions, no matter the extent?

Perhaps, The People need to say to the Leaders, Let’s live in the technological present and consider ALL our options for doing God’s work through our Zion!    Do justice, Love mercy, walk humbly!