General and Jurisdictional Conferences Rescheduled for 2021

Asbury Communications General Conference, United Methodist Church (UMC) May 28, 2020

Dates have been set for the rescheduled General and Jurisdictional Conferences. The dates, with links to more info on the conferences, are as follows:

General Conference: August 29 – September 7, 2021

Jurisdictional Conference: November 10-12, 2021

General Conference 2020 Listening Sessions – UPDATE

Asbury Communications General Conference March 13, 2020

The listening sessions scheduled for General Conference have been moved to be offered online ONLY via the Zoom video conferencing. More information to come.

General Conference 2020 Listening Sessions

UPDATE:

The listening sessions scheduled for General Conference have been moved to be offered online ONLY via the Zoom video conferencing. More information to come.

The text below is the original message as-shared:

——————-

The following is a letter from Judy Ehninger, Co-Chair of the Eastern PA Delegation to UMC General Conference 2020. To view this message as a PDF, including contact information for delegates, click here.

Dear Asbury Family,

Greetings from the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Delegation to General and Jurisdictional Conference, 2020.

Many of you have asked how you an learn more about the upcoming General Conference in May 2020. Here are three ways you can prepare for General Conference:

1. 1. Go to https://www.resourceumc.org/en/churchwide/general-conference2020 and read news and other articles. Eventually all proposed legislation will be posted there.

2. 2. Pray for our Eastern Pennsylvania Delegation. A list of our delegation members with email addresses is found on the back of this page. This roster is also posted on our conference website epaumc.org. If you would like to send an individual note of encouragement or ask a question, please do so. I am available to answer your questions as best I can.

3. 3. Plan to attend one of the General Conference 2020 Listening Sessions hosted by the delegation.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020 – 7 pm to 8:30 pm

Church of the Good Shepherd UMC

1500 Quentin Road, Lebanon PA 17042

Thursday, April 2, 2020 – 7 pm to 8:30 pm

Downingtown UMC

751 E Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown PA 19335

In addition to this in person meeting, a Zoom Conference Call number and instructions will be published in the NEWSpirit and District e-newsletters and on the epaumc.org web site

Saturday, April 4, 2020 – 10 am to Noon

Simpson House,

2101 Belmont Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19131

Monday, April 20, 2020 – 7 pm to 8:30 pm

Epworth UMC

3245 Oakland Rd, Bethlehem, PA 18020

Judy Ehninger, Co- Chair EPA Delegation.
March 1, 2020

General Conference 2020 Information Sessions

Asbury Communications General Conference, United Methodist Church (UMC) January 8, 2020

Information from Judy Ehninger, co-leader of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Delegation and Asbury member:

Preparation for General Conference 2020.

May 5 – 15, 2020 Minneapolis, MN

“…AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD”. PSALM 46:10

Every four years, United Methodists from around the world assemble and connect in worship, prayer, Communion, fellowship — and the legislative work that shapes our shared life.

The 2020 General Conference will be a referendum on the legislation passed at the 2019 Special General Conference. While many of our church affirm the decisions made in St. Louis, February 2019, we must realize that this has come at great cost to others. Multiple petitions and resolutions have been submitted for review and action by the delegates of the General Conference.

To inform and prepare Asbury members regarding the proposed legislation coming to General Conference, 2020, Judy Ehninger, co-leader of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Delegation will be holding information discussion sessions in Room 217 on Sunday evenings, January 12,19, and 26 from 6:30-8:00 PM. Sessions will also be scheduled in March and April.

Please attend one of these sessions and learn more about the issues and procedures of the UMC General Conference.

Please contact me with comments and for any clarification.

In His Service, Judy

Information on General Conference 2020 Proposals

Asbury Communications General Church News, General Conference, United Methodist Church (UMC) January 6, 2020

The issue of human sexuality has been a much-debated topic within the United Methodist Church (UMC). This year’s General Conference, which sets the policy and direction of the UMC, will continue to explore how the denomination will move forward despite differing theological viewpoints. The most recent proposal, which is expected to be considered at the May 2020 General Conference, has recently received a lot of media attention because the proposal would result in a split of the denomination. The proposal, entitled “Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation,” however, is only one of five plans to be considered and voted on at General Conference.

At Asbury, our focus is to be a welcoming community that seeks to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ as we seek to change lives and transform communities. You can view information about the most recent proposal as well as the other plans below:

• Eastern PA Conference news article on and summary of “Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation”

• Summary of Indianapolis Plan, New Expressions Worldwide (N.E.W.) Plan, UMC Next Plan, and The United States as a Regional Conference

• Comparison Tables of Indianapolis Plan, New Expressions Worldwide (N.E.W.) Plan, UMC Next Plan, and The United States as a Regional Conference

If you have any questions, we invite you to reach out to Judy Ehninger, an Asbury member who is also a Lay Member of Annual Conference. Also, watch for dates for opportunities to discuss this and other General Conference resolutions.

Draft of 2020 UMC Social Principles

Asbury Communications General Conference, United Methodist Church (UMC) November 20, 2019

The following is a note from Judy Ehninger, Asbury Lay member to Annual Conference and Delegate to General Conference 2020

“The Social Principles are prayerful and thoughtful efforts on the part of many General Conferences to speak to complex and controversial issues in the global community. Studying The Social Principles provides opportunities to examine your own theology and ethics and to practice discipleship.

Since its founding, the United Methodist Church, has spoken to the issues of the day as an expression of the Wesleyan commitment to social holiness. The 2020 Revised Social Principles continues this tradition. “After an eight year journey and a deeply United Methodist process of revision, the General Conference is called to approve a document with a strong theological grounding and a more focused, succinct, and globally meaningful form. Creating a teachable document that the whole church can use.”
– Quote from the General Board of Church and Society.

The Social Principles revision has been worked on by an international committee from the General Board of Church and Society elected in 2012. There was a brief update issued in 2016. The GBCS is the Social Justice arm of the UMC.

This document will be studied by legislative committees at GC 2020 and fiddled with before being brought to the floor and voted on. It is certainly a compromise statement. I encourage all to read it and see where they agree/disagree and where their churches agree/disagree. This will will be torn apart and glued back together before it comes to the floor. It is not legislation but a guide for Christian living.

This discussion may be overshadowed by the debates over the traditional language and prohibitions in the Book of Discipline and plans to restructure the church.

Please contact me with any questions or comments.
– Judy

Note that the full text of the draft of the Social Principles can be found on the UMC Church & Society website.

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