Letter to the Editor of the Washington Blade by BWARM Chair, Adam Briddell: "PETITIONS
Contents:
Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference
General Conference 2008
Around the Country
Of Related Interest
BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON ANNUAL CONFERENCE
2006
On Friday, May 26 the resolution to prohibit discrimination in receiving members into UM congregations passed the 222nd session of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference by a vote of 392-352! See story by Melissa Lauber in the Annual Conference's daily publication, "Conference Affirms Open Doors to Everyone" (it is the third story in the document).
Read the "Resolution to Prohibit Discrimination in Receiving Members into United Methodist Congregations" (in PDF). See Bishop John R. Schol's rulings of law in response to two requests for rulings related to this resolution - scroll down to the Second and Third Rulings of Law. Such rulings of law are routinely reviewed by the United Methodist Judicial Council. In October 2006, the Judicial Council upheld Bishop Schol's rulings of law (for the text of the decision, see Judicial Council Memoradum No. 1044).
2005
At the 2005 Annual Conference , a petition passed that called for dialogue with LGBT people, rather than about them, within each district of the Baltimore-Washington Confernece. As a result, Bishop Schol formed a team of people who are exploring how that dialogue might take place in a safe and respectful manner. Read an update on that team after its first five meetings (article from the UMConnection).
Instructions for Petitions to the General Conference, 2008 (PDF)
The due date for submitting petitions is October 26, 2007 (see more particulars in the Instructions).
General Conference 2004: Resolution on Church Unity, Adopted May 7, 2004.
AROUND THE COUNTRY
(Note: Following is a list in progress - in process of updating whether submitted resolutions were approved or not)
2006
California-Nevada Annual Conference - For Petitions to General Conference, see Items 41-48 of the 2006 Annual Conference Reccomendations (PDF), and see Judicial Council Ruling No. 1041 (PDF), Item 53.
Central Texas - Affirmed the Bishops' Pastoral Letter of November 2, 2005.
Desert Southwest Annual Conference - Resoultions (PDF): On membership, see Resolution 21.10. Also see, A Statement of Consience in Reference to the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church Decision 1032, signed by Bishop Minerva Carcaño and six clergy, Pentecost 2006.
Detroit Annual Conference - Resolutions (PDF): "Inclusiveness in the Church," Resolution #10 and "To Prohibit Discrimination in Receiving Members," Resolution #29.
Kansas East Annual Conference - Non-Discrimination for Kansas East Local Churches, Petition 3-C.
Minnesota Annual Conference - Petitions to General Conference, see Items 561 to 569.
New England Annual Conference - Resolutions, including Petitions to General Conference (PDf)(*this is a link to all of the resolutions that were passed, see pages B-142 to B-149): Regarding Judicial Council Decision 1032, RS -203. Petitions to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church from the New England Annual Conference: on receiving members, on issues of discrimination, on amending article IV of the Constitution, on marriage, on human sexuality, on a broader statement of human rights, on qualifications for ordination, on conduct of clergy, to remove the financial restiction clause, to amend chargeable offenses, to amend the definition of family, RS-301 to 311.
New York Annual Conference - Petitions (PDF): Petition No. 2006- 303 "Prohibit Discrimination in Receiving Members into United Methodist Congregations," Petition No. 2006-304 "Clarifying The United Methodist Stance On Discrimination," Petition No. 20016-318 "Urging Purposeful Resolution of Contentious Issues Within the New York Annual Conference"
Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference - "Petition to the 2008 General Conference: To Prohibit Discrimination in Receiving Members into United Methodist Congregations," Action Request H-7.
West Michigan Annual Conference - "Affirmation of Inclusiveness of the Church," Item #11
Wisconsin Annual Conference - Action Item 21 "Resolution on the Proposed Marriage Amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution" (approved) and a motion from the Floor "Respect Resolution to influence positive, considerate tone of mutual respect and dialog about the the proposed marriage amendment and proposed death penalty in Wisconsin" (approved as amended by the deletion of point #1.)
2005
California-Nevada Annual Conference - "Defining the word "status"," Item 26, and "Refusing to define the word "practicing"," Item 27.
2006
Related to the Global AIDS Fund
California-Nevada Annual Conference - United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, Item 19, passed on consent calendar.
Kansas East Annual Conference - Resolution to Support the Global AIDS Fund (PDF), Petition 2-A, approved by the Legislative Committee (2006).
West Michigan Annual Conference - United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, Item #4
OTHER
Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference - Recognition of Bishop's Leadership, Action Request H-17.
**You might also be interested in reading about dialogues, holy conversations, and more happening in Conferences around the U.S. - Visit the growing list of conversations about and with GLBT persons.