According to the DAC website the following people were elected to our delegation to the 2012 General Conference:
Jacqueline Euper (Morrice)
Angela Hart (Detroit)
Wayne Bank (Lexington)
Paul Thomas (Kingsford)
Rev. Joy Barrett (Chelsea)
Rev. Melanie Carey (Ypsilanti)
Rev. Dr. Charles Boayue (Detroit)
Rev. Ed Rowe (Detroit)
Of these eight delegates I am pleased to see six of them were on the slate put out by us (DRUM) and the Methodist Federation for Social Action. This is important because these are the people who will be voting on revisions to the United Methodist Church *Book of Discipline*. This is the denomination rule book and what keeps us as lesser members of our church.
In addition to electing delegates eager to advance the cause of inclusion the DAC endorsed a petition to General Conference to strike the phrase "homosexuality is incompatible with Christian Teaching" from the Book of Discipline and add words to say, "the church is not of one mind about the practice of homosexuality" and affirming 'the call to inclusiveness.'" That was reported to the MFSA website by Rev. Rich Peacock.
Striking the above phrase is critical because the rest of the prohibitions aimed at us (such as barring partnered gay and lesbian pastors and barring the use of our churches for same-sex marriages and commitment ceremonies) are built on this phrase.
Posted by Paul Kinney
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