Conference kicks off with a call to reaffirm baptism
Oregon-Idaho United Methodist Conference’s annual gathering kicked off with a question.
“What was the last time you touched the baptismal waters?” Rev. Kathleen Weber, Crest to Coast District Superintendent for the Pacific Northwest Conference, asked the crowd gathered at First United Methodist Church Eugene on Wednesday night.
Scripture for the service came from Luke Chapter 3, the story of Jesus’ baptism, which happened during challenging socio-economic-political times, much like the times we find ourselves in today, especially as a church, said Weber, who described herself as a cisgender, queer woman who uses she, her and hers pronouns.
She specifically addressed the LGBTQ+ people in the room.
“You are welcomed here. You are valued. You are gifted,” she said. “You are God’s beloved. You belong with us.”
In these trying times, we need to remember our baptisms and the covenant we made to resist evil and injustice. It’s not easy to surrender to grace she said. People can learn from the font and return to it to repent, find hope, grace, inclusion and so much more.
“We need the waters to flow and the heavens to break,” Weber said. “There’s a reason Jesus’ ministries began after baptism.”
Worship concluded with stations for people to dip their hands in water and remember the baptismal call and an offering to support bringing members of the Alaska Conference to the combined Greater Northwest Area annual conference gathering next year in Puyallup.
Late legislative assembly discusses inclusion, disaffiliation petitions
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The 2019 Legislative Assembly met on Wednesday afternoon to review items deferred from their meeting in April and submitted as late items. Six items were reviewed by the assembly. The four deferred items all received major revision, mostly by substitution of entirely new language. Three of these, AR-6, “Directive for Complaint Process and Use of Reserve Funds”; SR-6, “Standing up for Inclusion”; and SR-7, “Standing With United Methodists Seeking Love and Justice For All” are all forward to the Annual Conference with revisions and a recommendation to pass. Action Request AR-7, “Aligning our Apportionments with our Values” was also revised by substitution but did not receive a recommendation to pass.
One of the new items, AR-9, “Study Committee for Disaffiliation and Special Annual Conference Session” received a recommendation to pass after considerable revision. Most of these were to deal with concerns of the Council on Finance and Administration. Action Request AR-10, “Open Door Churches Large Parish Cooperative Ministry” was recommended got passage with not revisions.
The Annual Conference Session will begin reviewing legislation on Friday morning.
Final edits to the items reviewed will be posted to the page www.umoi.org/legislation after editing. |
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Happening today at Annual Conference
Chair yoga: 7 to 7:30 a.m., Wilder room. Hotel Eugene
Walking group: 7 to 7:30 a.m., Meet at Abundant Health table in the Ministry Marketplace, Hotel Eugene.
CrossOver Town Hall, 2:45 to 3:45 p.m., featuring Bishop Elaine Stanovsky and guests. Plenary room.
Memorial Service, 4:30 p.m., Eugene First UMC.
Annual Conference dinner and awards, 7 p.m., Hotel Eugene.
