1. General conference 2019 Outcomes and Update

2. These plans were reviewed by the Judicial Council in October last year
Brief Review
Three plans to deal with same sex issues were developed by a team within the UMC
These plans were reviewed by the Judicial Council in October last year
The General Conference met Feb to discuss the plans and choose a course of action
Numerous other petitions were brought forward at the General Conference (GC)

3. Plans being considered
Changes to pension plan
Changes to same sex language in the discipline
Traditional Plan
One Church Plan
Connectional Plan
Simple Plan
Disaffiliation petitions (exit plans)

4. Short answer, the Traditional Plan passed
So what happened?
Short answer, the Traditional Plan passed
One Church plan was not moved forward for consideration from committee on Monday
They tried to bring it up again on Tuesday and substitute it for the Traditional Plan as the “choice”, voted down again
Simple plan failed to advance from committee
Connectional Plan failed to even be considered
Pension plan was modified
Two exit plans were approved

5. Traditional plan passed by 56% to 44%
The actual vote
Traditional plan passed by 56% to 44%
461 to 359 votes
Voting was by secret ballot, but by self-reported information the following can be determined

6. By the numbers
Over 40 African Delegates could not attend due to visa issues and could not enter the country

7. So that’s all good, right?.....

8. Here’s What really happened
Delegates exhibited some of the most un-Christ like behavior imaginable
Delegates were name-called, shamed and insulted
False accusations were made
Deceptive tactics were used by one group to get their way, regardless
Losers proclaimed their intent to continue openly defying the Discipline
Losers are now threatening to withhold money to foreign churches (Africa)

9. Details of the Vote
A number of the Traditional Plan elements were deemed in conflict with the UMC constitution
Delegates supporting Traditional Plan were prepared to amend the plan to fix these issues
Opponents used parliamentary procedures and delay tactics to prevent this from happening
Result, the plan still contains elements previously deemed unconstitutional

10. This takes place April 23-25 of this year
What does that mean?
Motion was made and approved to refer the Traditional Plan to another Judicial Review
This takes place April of this year
Any element ruled unconstitutional will be stripped from the plan
New plan takes effect January 1, 2020 with any unconstitutional elements removed

11. What was ruled Unconstitutional
Specific investigation of ministry candidate’s behavior related to homosexuality
Bishops must certify Board of Ministry members comply with Discipline regarding same sex issues
Global accountability group to enforce compliance among Bishops
Both exit plans submitted separately from the Traditional Plan

12. The Good News, what will stay
New definition of practicing homosexual that will be easier to enforce
Exclusion of openly homosexual candidates for ministry
Penalty for ministers conducting homosexual weddings
1 year suspension for the first offense
Revocation of credentials for second offense

13. What will stay, continued
More accountability of Bishops for complaint resolution
Can’t dismiss complaints unless it has no basis in fact
Complainant must be informed of decisions
Rights of churches to appeal decisions
Members of Board of Ministry must affirm they will uphold the Discipline
New Bishops must affirm that they will uphold the Discipline

14. That was the good and bad - now the ugly
First hand accounts of delegates who supported the Traditional Plan were disturbing
These are taken from statements made by Cara Nicklas, David Watson and Chris Ritter
They spent time with African delegates, Traditional Plan supporters and the other delegates

15. From the New York times, Feb. 26 2019
Soon after the vote, protests erupted in the center of the arena where the conference had been held — a former football stadium known as The Dome. Some delegates began singing church songs and chanting, “We’re queer,” and “This is our church!”

16. Statements from the Conference
Tactics were used to intentionally confuse African delegates because of the language and translation issues
Accusations of monetary influencing (bribes) of African delegates were made from the floor
Accusations of WCA influencing Africans with free breakfast
Moderators selectively picked who spoke and did not stop them from violating stated rules of decorum

17. Ugly gets uglier
Presiding Bishops aided stall tactics by starting late, taking long breaks and allowing pointless speeches under pretense of “points of order”
One delegate tried to shame Traditional supporters by asking all of the One Church supporters to stand
Traditional Plan and its supporters were compared to Ebola, viruses, haters, murders

18. Nothing changes in 2019, current Discipline is the law of the land
What happens next
Nothing changes in 2019, current Discipline is the law of the land
Liberals have declared their intent to openly defy the current Discipline and the Traditional Plan modifications
April Judicial Review
Wesley Covenant Association will meet and likely start forming a new denomination

19. What about the exit plans?
Likely the 2 separate exit plans approved at General Conference will be ruled Unconstitutional
Traditional Plan exit plan will likely remain
Some of the liberal churches are making noise that they will leave, that remains to be seen

20. Congregations larger than 50 could withdraw from the denomination
Exit Clause Details
Annual conferences could withdraw from the denomination by majority vote
Congregations larger than 50 could withdraw from the denomination
Upon a 2/3 majority vote of their church and:
By a 2/3 majority vote of their annual conference
The only payment would be to cover the congregation’s share of their annual conference’s unfunded pension liabilities

21. Where does that leave us?
Nothing has changed for 2019
There is another normally scheduled General Conference in 2020, and the One Church people will be back again
Judicial Review will establish the final rules in April
By January 2020, an exit plan may be available
American UMC leadership still resisting traditional Biblical teaching