Editor’s Notes: Recovering from General Conference

It’s been pretty quiet here at UMR in the days after General Conference 2016.

The fact is that it’s a grueling event for everybody — delegates, support staff, and media. There are too many 18 hour days, too many missed meals, and simply participating in the meeting can wear on your mind and soul — even without the tension of protests, rumors of division, and all the parliamentary wrangling. It was an exhausting event for all.

Then, once it was all over, many of us had to rush back to pick up the pieces of jobs and ministries left behind. I flew back on Saturday to preach at the kick-off of our congregation’s capital campaign the next day (yes, we would be happy to receive your donation!). I had church meetings on Monday and Tuesday night, services on Wednesday night, and ended up at the funeral home ministering with a family in the death of a former church member who I dearly loved. Life continued on during the two weeks after General Conference, and those of us who went are running to catch up.

So, we haven’t focused too much attention on the UMR side of our lives in the past week.

The good news is that there are many great folks who have been writing in the wake of General Conference, wading through what WAS done and helping us to understand that in fact many things DID happen — both good and bad (depending on your perspective). Here are a few of the articles that have been in my sight as I recover from General Conference 2016 (click on the titles to read):

General Conference 2016 — Bishop Bill McAlilly

I found Bishop McAlilly’s overview of what happened at General Conference helpful in providing a big picture overview of the conference. It certainly isn’t comprehensive, but it’s worth a quick read.

Three Worship Changes from General Conference — Taylor Burton-Edwards

Taylor IS the worship guru from to organization formerly known as GBOD (Discipleship Ministries) and as usual offers information on three changes to worship issues for the next quadrennium. The deacons are the winners here in the simplification of the process allowing for sacramental authority, but non-ordained folks better take off their stoles (read the post).

4 Areas of Focus and New Geographical Structure for Southeast Asia

Global Ministries staff have done a great job outlining some of the missional work of the UMC affirmed by the General Conference.

United in United Methodism by Kevin Watson

Kevin asks some interesting questions about the appeals:I also have a growing concern that appeals to unity in our current moment are often superficial and act as a kind of opiate to numb us to reality.

Click on the title above to read these articles….

Jay Voorhees

The Rev. Jay Voorhees is the Executive Editor of The United Methodist Reporter and the Chief Creative Officer for CircuitWriter Media LLC which operates this site and MethoBlog.com. Jay is an ordained elder in the Tennessee Annual Conference. Jay has written on life and the practice of faith in The United Methodist Church at Only Wonder Understands since 2003.

The United Methodist Reporter wants to encourage lively conversation about The United Methodist Church and our articles in the belief that Christian conversation (what Wesley would call conferencing) is a means of grace. While we support passionate debate, we cannot allow language that demeans or demonizes others, and we reserve the right to delete any comment we believe to be harmful or inappropriate. We encourage all to remember that we are all broken and in need of Christ's grace, and that we all see through the glass darkly until that time we when reach full perfection in love. May your speech here be tempered with love, and reflection of the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. After all, "There is no law against things like this." (Galatians 5:22-23)