| The Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table are asking General Conference to consider separating U.S. United Methodists organizationally from United Methodists in other parts of the world. (See the proposals on p. 437 of Vol. 2, Section 1 of the Advance DCA.) These two proposals would amend paragraphs 9 and 10, Articles II and III, of our Constitution. If these changes are approved, there would still be a General Conference that is international, but the U.S. could organize a separate regional conference to govern itself. The Bishops and Connectional Table feel that this reorganization "is needed to explore how to live more fully into our world-wide nature." Proponents also believe that such a change might be economical, saving on the current high cost of overseas delegates attending meetings in the U.S.
Other motivations could be involved. Two facts are known about the UMC outside the U.S.--(1) It is growing, while the U.S. Church is shrinking; and (2) It tends to be more theologically conservative than the U.S. Church. In 2012, when the Methodist Church of the Ivory Coast will get about 60 delegates to General Conference (rather than the current 2), the theological complexion of General Conference will become markedly more orthodox/evangelical. Jim Winkler, head of the General Board of Church and Society, seemed to acknowledge this trend when he said in a June, 2004 speech, "...if one were to assume that 90 percent of Central Conference delegations (overseas) voted against tolerance on homosexuality and these votes were to be removed from the equation, then the vote by U.S. delegates would have favored a stance that recognized differences."
These proposals for change are loaded with unknowns. They were not initiated by the overseas Church. They would certainly involve more layers of bureaucracy, a present reality that is crippling the UMC. They would necessitate constitutional amendments, basically changing the character of United Methodism.
Since God is blessing the overseas UMC with growth, it would be a shame if we installed some kind of segregated structure that would isolate us Americans from those special blessings. God might be trying to renew the older portions of the UMC through his mighty work in what used to be our "mission fields." If one wants to protect the world-wide nature of the UMC, I believe it would be wise to reject those two proposals that are improperly named "Worldwide Nature UMC, # 1 & 2."
Let's remember John Wesley's bold assertion: "The world is my parish."
Please feel free to pass this message along to other members of your delegation.
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