Resolutions
Resolution 2019-01
“To Rebuild, Reclaim the Christian Community: ‘Church’”
This resolution calls for encouraging Conference members to actively model care and compassion for people who are often overlooked and marginalized in our society; to combat bullying, racism, xenophobia, greed, the hoarding of privilege and power, sexual assault and the detention of minor immigrants, separating them from their families; to support all efforts to build relationships among people, instead of building walls among diverse ethnicities and cultures; to celebrate the joy of difference God created, instead of denying and judging. In pursuing this end, local church units should commit to building a true "community" through personal and public activities such as reading Scripture, praying, and seeking to discern God's guidance in our individual lives, striving towards true discipleship, and transforming our communities by our example and participation in relationship with others.
Submitted by: East Ohio Methodist Federation of Social Action, East Ohio Reconciling Ministries Network, East Ohio Board of Church & Society, and East Ohio United Methodist Women
The motion was approved.
Resolution 2019-02
“Culture of Call Sunday”
This resolution calls for all worshipping communities to celebrate a Culture of Call Sunday, or series of Sundays, at least once a year, possibly on or around Pentecost, lifting stories of callings to various ministries, including but not limited to, Ordained, Consecrated, Licensed, and Lay Ministry within The United Methodist Church; and that each congregation encourage their members and friends to prayerfully consider how God is calling them to serve in the life of the Church and the wider community.
Submitted by: East Ohio Conference Spiritual Formation Committee, East Ohio BOM Executive Committee
The motion was approved.
Resolution 2019-03
“Maintain Unity through the Structural Realignment of The United Methodist Church”
This resolution calls for the East Ohio Annual Conference 2020 General Conference delegation to work in favor of a structural realignment of the United Methodist Church that creates an expression of Wesleyan Methodism that allows both traditional and progressive understandings of LGBTQ+ Clergy and same-gender weddings to co-exist within the Church; and that the East Ohio Annual Conference notify the Council of Bishops that the stipulations of the Traditional Plan represent neither the spirit nor the practice of mutual love and shared mission of our annual conference.
Submitted by: Rev. Dan Bryant, Rev. Karen Oehl, Tim Beck, Rev. Andrew Call, Rev. Joe Burkhardt, Rev. Kimberly Arbaugh, and The Young Clergy Network
The motion was not approved.
Resolution 2019-04
“Educate and Inform the Conference Concerning the Need for Reform of Post Release Sexual Offender Laws such as Public Registries and Residency Restrictions”
This resolution calls for the East Ohio Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church to encourage the Board of Church and Society to investigate how the conference could best respond to the issue of the need for reform of post release sexual offender laws including: How to best educate United Methodists, whether and how to interact with lawmakers about reforms; and any recommendations of the Conferences Board of Church and Society be brought to the 2020 Annual Conference for review and/or action.
Submitted by: Dennis P. Brinton
The motion was approved.
Resolution 2019-05
“A Healthy Way Forward”
This resolution calls for the East Ohio Conference to acknowledge the need for a healthy way forward that is characterized by dialogue, mutual respect and understanding, and multiple viable pathways; and that the East Ohio Conference make known and embrace four tenets developed by the diverse leadership and constituency of UMC Next: 1) We long to be passionate followers of Jesus Christ, committed to a Wesleyan vision of Christianity, anchored in scripture and informed by tradition, experience and reason as we live a life of personal piety and social holiness. 2) We commit to resist evil, injustice and oppression in all forms and toward all people and build a church which affirms the full participation of all ages, nations, races, classes, cultures, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. 3) We reject the Traditional Plan approved at General Conference 2019 as inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ and will resist its implementation. 4) We will work to eliminate discriminatory language and the restrictions and penalties in The Discipline regarding LGBTQ persons. We affirm the sacred worth of LGBTQ persons, celebrate their gifts, and commit to being in ministry together.
Submitted by: Joy Parker, Dr. Martha Banks, Jason Hockran, Rev. Dianne Tobey Covault, Kelsey Orosan, Rev. Dan Bryant, Connor Prusha, William Jones
The motion was not approved.
