At the 2011 Detroit Annual Conference and West Michigan Annual Conference delegates were elected for the 2012 General Conference and 2012 Jurisdictional Conference.
The 2012 General Conference will take place in Tampa, Fl. from April 24 to May 4 and the North Central Jurisdictional Conference will run from July 17-21 in Akron, Ohio.
The conference will work to set policy and direction for the church, as well as handle other business of the global and national church. General Conference is the only entity that speaks for The United Methodist Church.
West Michigan Conference General Conference Clergy Delegates
Rev. Laurie HallerAge: 56 Church: Grand Rapids District Superintendent
# of times elected: General Conference — 4
The Grand Rapids District Superintendent said the United Methodist Church is at a crossroads where “God is calling our denomination to be a world leader in spreading scriptural holiness, creating a truly global church, and becoming a catalyst for shalom for people of every nation and religious faith as well as the created world.” She said she believes General Conference will include passionate debate about: strategies to revitalize declining congregations, a clarification of the relationship of the UMC in Africa, the Philippines and other countries, a hard look at guaranteed ministerial appointments, the possible reduction of certain boards and conversations about social principles regarding human sexuality.
Age: 54 Church: Cornerstone United Methodist Church (Caledonia)
# of times elected: General Conference - 4
The West Michigan Conference Director of Connectional Ministries said his time spent in large cities, small towns, a university town and in a Native American congregation will help him represent the diverse nature of the West Michigan Conference. Heisler said it is critical for the conferences to address the best ministry foci and leadership structures for moving forward globally in a way that makes local congregations the “most significant area for making disciples.”
Age: 52 Church: Milwood United Methodist Church
# of times elected: General Conference - 1
Bigham-Tsai has years of experience related to justice, peace, racial reconciliation and issues of equity from her service on the conference Board of Church and Society and from her time as the director of the Grand Rapids District Peace with Justice Community.
At conference she expects critical debates on sensitive issues including human sexuality, immigration and racial justice, as they pertain to the inclusiveness of the United Methodist Church. “I would hope that we would not pit evangelism and social justice against one another, but would see both as part of the social and personal holiness to which all disciples of Jesus Christ are called,” she said. She said it is also important to grapple with how to live out the church’s mission statement in a time of diminishing resources.
West Michigan Conference General Conference lay delegates
Age: 56 Home church: Grand Rapids Trinity United Methodist Church
# of times elected: General Conference – 1; Jurisdictional Conference - multiple
VerVeer Guy has long been involved in community ministry programs in Grand Rapids and currently she serves with United Methodist Women and the General Board of Global Ministries. She said that regardless of what issues are discussed she hopes the overpowering theme of conference will be creating an understanding that all are worthy of God’s grace. She believes integrating that love into the structures of the church is essential to being better servants.
Age: 72 Church: Milwood United Methodist Church
# of times elected: General Conference – 4; Jurisdictional Conference -5
The West Michigan Conference lay leader wants her passion for missionaries to shine through at conference. “In the past few years our church has decreased the number of missionaries and this defeats our purpose,” she said. “We should be about sharing God's Word and growing our churches, not closing them.” Dahlman believes a vital issue is figuring out how the North Central Jurisdictional Conference will be reduced by one bishop, as mandated by General Conference.
Age: Unavailable Church: Trinity United Methodist Church (Grand Rapids)
# of times elected: Unavailable
The executive assistant and office manager for the West Michigan Conference is very involved in ministry in Haiti as the co-founder of Haitian Artisans for Peace International (HAPI). She believes that “all means all” inclusiveness in the denomination is an important discussion to have because it is a key issue in attracting and retaining young people. Mossman said that her stance is that being exclusionary in any way harms people and creates obstacles for creating disciples of Jesus Christ. “Wesley’s criteria for evaluating issues boiled down to 3 simple rules,” she said. “Do no harm, do all the good you can, stay in love with God.”
Also:
A glance at the Detroit Conference delegates elected for the 2012 General Conference
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