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BY MELISSA LAUBER
UMCONNECTION STAFF

In the spirit of holy conferencing, members of the 224^th annual conference confronted a number of potentially controversial issues, including the selection of conference leaders, homosexuality and reproductive choice, with a spirit of openness, theological reflection and authenticity.

The nominations report was presented by Chairperson Delores Oden. The report contained the names of more than 250 persons for the 31 conference boards, commissions, councils and committees.

In the presentation and written report, it was conveyed that there were several important concerns. Some of these included greater diversity among the chairpersons of the conference agencies, more young adult participation, organizing and holding meetings to enable more lay participation and greater gender and racial inclusiveness.

The report either reached or is on the way to reaching these goals. For instance, the membership of every agency is composed of 20 to 30 percent young adults; lay people chair 10 of the 27 committees, board and commissions; 11 African Americans, 14 whites, one Native American and one Hispanic chair these groups; and the leadership is also equally divided between male and female, reported the Rev. Vivian McCarthy.

One area of concern, expressed on the floor during the discussion of the report, was the makeup of the Board of Ordained Ministry.

Some members expressed concern that there was not enough experience being maintained because a number of new people were being appointed to that board.

There were a number of reasons why this occurred, Cabinet leaders explained, including the fact that some board members finished their terms and some requested not to continue.

The conference asked the Cabinet and the executive committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry to review the matter and to report back the next day. Four additional persons were added to the nominations for the Board of Ordained Ministry. They were the Revs. Terri Cofiell, Joye Jones, Susan Spears and Laurie Gates-Ward.

Bishop Schol explained that the first group of BOOM members proposed had between them almost 150 years of service to BOOM. The four additional people added 30 more years, bringing the total to 180 years of experience.

"As we strive to make disciples for the transformation of the world, we don't always get it right. Together, we need to keep working at that," the bishop said. "Great sacrifices are being made to further the work of God. My hope is that we'll continue to work, to come together; and when we stumble, we'll double back and look at that. ... The most important thing we can do is to love God and one another."

In legislative action May 24, annual conference members voted to affirm the continuation of, and require the creation and facilitation of, regional dialogue teams that will explore issues related to the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people within the life of The United Methodist Church.

These teams, said Adam Briddell of St. Lukes's UMC in Washington, who presented the resolution, will affirm the church's "embrace of all hues of humanity," and ensure that ongoing dialogue within the church is with, and not just about, LGBT people.

The resolution, submitted on behalf of 12 individuals and the Reconciling Congregations of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, builds on the success of past dialogue teams, which reported growing in love and understanding by sharing openly and in a covenant setting with those across the spectrum of opinions.

After the success of the original dialogue team, led by the Rev. Karin Walker, the conference mandated that each district create a similar team, so that these results might be replicated.

However, Walker reported, several of the districts were unable to stir up enough interest to recruit members with widely differing views on the church's stance on homosexuality.

This resolution is an attempt to strengthen efforts by conference leadership to become more involved in the formation and functioning of the dialogue teams, Briddell said.

Some conference members, like the Rev. Laura Schulz of Howard Chapel-Ridgeville Charge in Mount Airy, questioned whether the teams should require the membership of transforming members, who believe that "when people mature in their faith, they can opt to put aside their gay lifestyles."

Members voted not to make this a requirement, but to encourage people of every viewpoint to be on the dialogue teams.

The Rev. Peter DeGroote of the United Church in Washington stressed that the goal of the teams is to enable people to talk to each other, so everyone must be invited to the table. "In all of our churches the table stands in front of the cross," he said.

Those who wish to participate in the dialogue teams are invited to contact their district superintendents.

Conference members also voted to encourage local churches to pray for, give financial support to and lend assistance to the operation of pregnancy centers in their area that help pregnant women in the bearing and caring for their children.

The resolution, presented by the Rev. Henry Butler of Damascus UMC in Bethesda, was amended to include concerns raised by the Baltimore-Washington Conference chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action. It acknowledges, in the context of the Social Principles, that reproductive choices are personal and often very complex and that the conference does not seek to exclude from the church any woman because of her reproductive choices.

"We give thanks to God for the spirit of holy conferencing," Bishop Schol said. "Respect, prayerful decision-making, genuine listening, spirited prayer, study and worship all permeated the conference. We lived what John Wesley preached: ‘Although there are differences in opinion ... need it prevent our union in affection? Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion?'"