2012: A year for holy conferencing in all the Church

By Holly McCray A special year of holy conferencing has arrived for United Methodists worldwide. The quadrennial General Conference and Jurisdictional Conferences join Annual Conferences on the 2012 calendar. That means this is a special year for you—an outstanding opportunity to expand your understanding about what it means to live out your faith as a United Methodist. You can watch all the conferences online via live...

Prayer Ministry for the 2012 General Conference: National Training Event

Prayer Ministry for the 2012 General Conference: National Training Event in Oklahoma City on Jan. 29-30 at St. Andrew's United Methodist Church Church address: 2727 S.W. 119th St. Oklahoma City OK 73170 405-692-4242 You are invited to come to St. Andrew's and learn how to participate in the...

General Conference delegates begin with Scripture

By Holly McCray The 44-member Oklahoma Conference delegation turned to Scripture during its first preparatory meeting for the 2012 General and Jurisdictional Conferences. Delegation leaders Judy Benson of Frederick and Linda Harker of Norman asked: What Scriptures will provide guidance for who God is calling us to be as a delegation? Among the selections shared Aug. 20 at OKC-St. Luke’s: ...

Oklahoma delegation prepping for 2012 conferences

The 44-member Oklahoma Conference delegation has organized for its work leading up to the 2012 General/Jurisdictional Conferences of our denomination. The members began making plans immediately after the elections concluded, about 9:15 p.m. May 30, at the Annual Conference in Oklahoma City. For the first time in history, the delegation will be led by two women: Judy Benson and Linda Harker, the first-elected layperson and...

General Conference delegates: 18

The Oklahoma Conference will elect 18 people—nine clergy and nine laity—as delegates to the denomination’s 2012 General Conference. That number, which is determined by the secretary of the General Conference, was reported on Dec. 2 to Annual Conference Secretary Joe Harris. They will be chosen during voting on Monday, May 30, 2011, at the Annual Conference in Oklahoma City. Those 18 people also...

What if we Rethink Church?

n What if Church wasn’t just a building, but thousands of doors, each opening to a different concept or experience of church? n What if Church was less about Sunday and more about the other days of the week? n What if Church wasn’t just a place we go, but something we do? An active verb instead of a noun? "Rethink Church" is a new United Methodist welcoming...

Delegates expand knowledge of Church

For more on General Conference 2008 see "Summary of major actions" By Joseph Harris, Director of Communications Exactly 40 years after delegates voted to create The United Methodist Church*, and within 40 miles of where that happened, people from 129 annual conferences gathered at the Fort Worth, Texas, Convention Center for the start of the denomination's 2008 General Conference. Among the nearly 1,000 delegates were 20 lay and clergy members elected from the Oklahoma Conference and two...

General Conference 2008 Summary of major actions

By United Methodist News Service (View more related stories and photos online at http://umns.umc.org and www.umportal.org. ) The 2008 United Methodist General Conference opened April 23 with Communion, using a table created from trees destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. For the next 10 days, delegates heard stirring speeches and sermons offered at a pulpit made from the same trees. Both pulpit and table served as reminders of physical and spiritual storms--and the common faith that links members...

Tal Oden retraces General Conference path since 1964

By Holly McCray The question asked of Tal Oden seemed simple. What is a favorite memory from General Conference? He could not choose one. Oden is preparing to attend his 14th General Conference. He said, "The high points are numerous at every General Conference. There are usually five to 10 major decisions that give the Church direction to improve. It is too important and complex to simplify into a high point." Oden is one of the Oklahoma delegates who will travel to Fort Worth, Texas,...

General Conference 2008

What is General Conference? Internet class is free Take a free online course to get a basic working knowledge of the Church’s legislative process that is followed at General Conference. Go to: http://moodle.umcom.org/moodle/index.php.  The course, "Exploring General Conference" is available through May 31. You can register and access the subject at any time. It is presented by United Methodist Communications (UMCOM), the General Church agency for media communications...

Brothers ready for General Conference

Tom, left, and Bill Junk are brothers and lay delegates to General Conference. By Holly McCray They plan to travel there together, but brothers Bill and Tom Junk don’t expect to see each other much during the 10 days they’ll be at the General Conference of The United Methodist Church, set for April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. They are among 20 Oklahomans elected last May as 2008 General Conference delegates. Both are laymen. Of the group, 10 people are laity and 10 are clergy. Bill...

Delegates count down to General Conference

Judy Benson of Frederick and Bob Long of Oklahoma City lead the 2008 General and Jurisdictional delegation from Oklahoma Conference. By Holly McCray Two months remain before the 2008 UM General Conference convenes in Fort Worth, Texas. The window of preparation and study is rapidly closing for the delegates from Oklahoma Conference—and around the world. As of Feb. 11, the thick volume of petitions to review had not yet arrived for Bob Long, who leads the Oklahoma delegation. The Daily...

New general secretary

Oklahoma church leaders congratulate Erin M. Hawkins, second from right, who was installed Oct. 4 as general secretary for the denomination’s General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR). Oklahoma City hosted the commission’s ceremony and fall board meeting. The UM agency, headquartered in Washington, D.C., monitors and advocates for racial inclusiveness. Shown with Hawkins are, from left, Renee Hoover of Enid, who chairs the Oklahoma Conference CORR; Julienne Judd of Lawrence, Kan., a...