WMJM Farmer's Market Produces Fresh Fruit
WMJM Farmer’s Market for the Future – November 9, 2019
On November 9 United Methodists from most of the Western Jurisdiction annual conferences as well as a participant from a Central Conference gathered to share some of their hopes and dreams for The United Methodist Church, especially the Western Jurisdiction. The group intended for its work to be shared at the Fresh United Methodism Summit. The group came together via zoom. All who desired to take part did so as full participants. The gathering was promoted by a variety of groups across the Western Jurisdiction. It was hosted by WMJM (Western Methodist Justice Movement).
Small Group Report: Doing a New Thing
A new thing should be:
inclusive of all people
diverse in theology that does not harm others with harm defined by the people on the margins
use scripture seriously but not literally
include United Methodist quadrilateral; social justice; and a global connection that is equitable and not colonial
lighter in structure easier to navigate and make changes, although there are changes to avoid
leadership has to come from people who have been traditionally marginalized
focus on relationships more than structure.
Getting from here to there. How do we encourage/enable leadership from people not allowed/expected to lead? First, we need to continually do personal work: Humility, Patience and being comfortable with the discomfort of not being in control. Recognizing different roles: Some are visionaries, others are good at development and logistics. We need to continue to hear and make room for those who have new ideas, even new ideas with which we are uncomfortable.
There are groups already forming (formed) that are being led by people on the margins. We will support those groups. For example, when we are granted access to voice or decision-making, we commit to ensuring that all marginalized voices are not only heard but involved in leadership.
Explore becoming an autonomous church instead of expecting others to become autonomous. We commit to finding ways to get out of the way of people we want to lead the movement.
If there is another WJ gathering, the planning and crafting leadership team needs to include significant– and hopefully majority – involvement of people from the margins. In addition, we need to keep an attitude of humility in order to avoid becoming what we’re trying to escape. We recognize our complicity in the racist structures and systems we live in and commit to working to lessen the racism, sexism and ableism within ourselves as we journey forward together.
Small Group Report: Annual Conferences in WJ No Longer Being Part of a Denomination Which Has Abandoned Us.
The option for an AC as a whole to depart the denomination can be exercised by an AC on its own. A jurisdiction cannot exercise this option. If the WJ ACs come back together after exiting, jurisdictional boundaries would no longer matter so other annual conferences and/or churches outside the present WJ could join.
However, if we are serious about forming a new church, it is not enough to say we want to become a home for all people. There are significant issues that need to be addressed if we don’t want to keep doing things the same old way. Doing things in a new way is a lot harder than it sounds. Below is a list of some areas that need be addressed. Everything on this list cannot be addressed before departure. But, we could prioritize the list and make progress in 1-3 areas as part of the departure process.
What is the role of bishops and is it a lifetime selection? Do we need bishops?
How do people become pastors/leaders? How do we form pastors rooted in the Wesleyan tradition? Is it necessary to attend seminary in order to become an effective pastor?
How do we form members in local churches in the Wesleyan tradition?
Are seminaries in alignment with forming a movement rather than an institution?
Do we continue with guaranteed appointments? If not, what do we do?
Power analysis – rethinking authority in the 21st century – bring back a sense of movement in the 21st century.
Prioritizing and clarifying some of these areas prior to exit is vital. Conferences will most likely not leave unless they have some idea of what they are leaving to.
Suggestions on how to prioritize among these concerns include one or more of the following:
The first electeds instead of relying on the hierarchical structure of our jurisdiction.
Form a group of people from the margins. (Perhaps those who are helping plan the next jurisdictional summit as described above.)
Form a group of people from the margins and first electeds to work together to discuss/deal with these questions.
WJ delegations for GC 2020 are fairly diverse, especially when all the jurisdictional and reserve delegates are included. Since we have diverse delegations, include the entire delegations in these conversations. (Concerns were expressed that not inviting entire delegations to the summit leaves out some of the best diversity.)
Do those not in leadership now (young adults, POC, etc.) really want this church? Are we burdening them with leadership and something they have little or no interest in having?
Small Group Report: 2020 General Conference Legislation
Pay attention to voices and plans coming out of the Central Conferences (CC) – and what those voices have to say. Legislation developed by US part of the church without significant CC input will be viewed as ongoing colonialism.
There is a Philippines plan that originated with the Philippine bishops which promotes contextualization for the US part of the church.
Proposals coming out of the Connectional Table had significant CC input and are seen as proposals coming from the global church. This includes US as a central conference.
The proposed Global Social Principles which was developed through a process that included significant central conference input.
Central Conferences will have some of their annual conferences in January. These ACs can still submit legislation to the 2020 GC. In recent developments, there is work to craft a plan which would come from central conferences (rather than US groups which did not include central conference participants) for a regionalized denomination with more contextualization in each region. Contextualization is not giving up on inclusion. There is within the African context a move toward full inclusion. Inclusion is something to be done in each regional conference and not imposed. Working with Central Conference delegates on this legislation which is being developed is a way to really move towards inclusion while keeping the church together.
A group of Central Conference leaders which has significant connections with progressive groups has come together to strategize on legislation around 2020 GC. It includes several leaders in Africa, several Africans living in North America, several from the Philippines and several from Europe. Leadership from this group met with Central Conference bishops both individually and as group around the recent Council of Bishops meeting. It is using the following frame for its work:
As United Methodists from central conferences, we seek to build a church that is connected globally, united in mission, respects missional and contextual settings and celebrates diversity, and values honest, genuine, and mutual anti-colonial relationships in order to strengthen our core mission of evangelism and discipleship for the transformation of the world.