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    United Methodists of Upper New YorkLiving the Gospel. Being God's Love.


    news article

    Petition and Resolution Results at the 2018 Upper New York Annual Conference

    June 5, 2018 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

    Discussion and voting for the petitions and resolutions brought to the 2018 Annual Conference session began in the afternoon plenary on June 1 and continued through the June 2 morning plenary.

     Here are the results of each resolution.

    UNYAC2018.1-on Guidelines for GC 2019 Delegation, not supported

    This resolution called the Upper New York Conference delegates attending the Special Session of General Conference (SSGC) in February 2019 to use the biblically-based values of grace, dignity, justice, relationship, and solidarity (with the oppressed) to guide their work.

    This resolution also called for the delegation attending SSGC to work toward a resolution at GC that would end all forms of discrimination against LGBTQIA+ persons and embrace all persons regardless of gender or sexuality.

    This resolution also called for persons who do not embrace all individuals and refuse to remain in a connection with a UMC that does not discriminate against LGBTQIA+ to be granted a gracious exit without punitive action.

    UNAYC2018.2-on Sexual Abuse, Harassment, and Misconduct, supported with amendment

    This resolution called all clergy and laity within the Upper New York Conference to receive training on how to stop and prevent others from engaging in sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, misogyny, as well as how to create appropriate boundaries/relationships between women and men.

    This resolution also called that such training be mandatory for the Bishop, all members of the extended cabinet, all executive/professional level Conference staff, the Conference Lay Leader, Associate Lay Leader, the Conference Secretary, Conference Chancellor, all persons serving under appointment, and all persons serving on the Conference Leadership Team, the Board of Ordained Ministry, on each District Committee on Ordained Ministry, on each District Leadership Team, the Conference Council on Finance and Administration, the conference Trustees, the Conference Committee on the Episcopacy, all church employees within the annual conference, and members serving on committees that may touch on matters addressed in these trainings, including the Safe Sanctuaries Committee, the Commission on the Status and Role of Women, the Social Holiness Team, and the Committee on Investigation.

    This resolution also called for the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW) to be invited to provide sexual ethics training in 2019.

    This resolution was supported with an amendment to lines 33-35 on page 83 to state “Bishop Webb will select members from the body to attend…”

    UNYAC2018.3- Methodist Heritage, Methodist Doctrine, Biblical Truths, and Sexual Ethics Going Forward, not supported

    This resolution called for the Upper New York Conference and all its member churches, clergy, and laity consider a four-book study over this next year that will help us to turn back to a deeper Methodist understanding of our heritage, a deeper commitment to United Methodist beliefs and doctrine, a better appreciation of what the Bible really says on the topic of sexual ethics and marriage, and from there, more easily see the way forward that God wants us to see as possible.

    This resolution also called for the Conference to promote the four-book study on their website. The four books are:

    • The Way of the Wesleys – A Short Introduction; by John Tyson; Wm. B. Erdmann
    • Top 10 United Methodist Beliefs; by Don Adams
    • What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality; by Kevin DeYoung
    • Same-Sex Attraction and the Church; by Ed Shaw

    UNYAC2018.4-Rules and Agenda Changes for Enhanced Order of Floor Discussion and Debate on Motions, Motion to refer to Rules Committee, supported

    This resolution called for rules to be changed or added to the proposed organizational motion submitted for consideration at future Upper New York Annual Conference sessions starting in 2019 (see pages 89-90 of the Upper New York Conference 2018 Annual Conference Journal Vol. 1 for the proposed changes).

    UNYAC2018.5-Lead Resolution, supported with an amendment to test water as well

    This resolution called for the Upper New York Annual Parsonage Report be revised in 2018 to reflect a church’s last date of lead testing and the question “Is lead present?” with boxes to check “yes” or “no” and if “yes” is checked, list the locations of the lead.

    This resolution also called for the UNY Conference to determine the cost of “Lead-based Paint Liability Insurance Coverage” through Church Mutual and at the appropriate time, but no later than Annual Conference 2019, an offer for the inclusion of this coverage to UNY’s insurance policy for local churches be shared with the Conference at-large.

    UNYAC2018.6-Expansive Language, not supported

    This resolution called for the Upper New York Conference to commit itself to use language and imagery about God and humanity in ways that are faithfully inclusive of the variety of humanity and the myriad of understandings of God in all publications and media, meetings, petitions and resolutions, songs, prayers, and more.

    This resolution also called for the members of the UNY Conference to covenant to treat each other with the utmost kindness and respect.

    UNYAC2018.7-Parental Leave, supported

    This resolution called for a member of the Cabinet, a member of the Committee or Equitable Compensation, the Benefits Office of the Upper New York Annual Conference, and a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry’s Executive Committee collaborate with the Conference Communications department to create a readily available resource which can be distributed and easily accessed through the Conference website by laity, clergy, and Conference staff. The resource to be provided will provide education on Parental Leave requirements as outlined in ¶355 of the 2016 Book of Discipline, education on the NYS Paid Family Leave Act, how they differ, and how they might be used in conjunction to best serve our churches.

    UNAC2018.8-Funding Ecumenical Inter-Faith Leaders, supported

    This resolution called for the Upper New York Conference, at least every fourth year, [beginning the very first year when there is not yet a major presenter already engaged] provide a major presentation [or focus on sacred texts by a significant leader of a differing non-Christian faith during Conference Sessions, including settings for total and smaller group dialogue with the presenter.

    This resolution also called for time made available during each year’s Annual Conference gathered sessions for brief greetings by leaders of differing Christian perspectives and different faiths.

    UNYAC2018.9-Location of Annual Conference, not supported

    This resolution called for change of location of Upper New York’s Annual Conference beginning in 2020 based on region. Specifically, this resolution called for Annual Conference sessions to be held once every four years the Albany region and the Buffalo/Rochester region with sessions during the three intermittent consecutive years remaining in Syracuse.

    UNY2018.10-Non-Binary Gender Resolution, supported

    This resolution called for the Upper New York Annual Conference Statistician and the Director of Connectional Ministries to work with the General Council on Finance and Administration to add a “non-binary” column to the membership gender section of the statistical tables to allow the reporting of members who do not identify as male or female, beginning with the 2018 statistical report.

    UNY2018.11- Statistical Reporting, withdrawn

    This resolution called for Table 3, Line 52t of the Statistical Report for Upper New York Annual Conference local churches to be amended to request reporting only the income used to pay the expenses reported on Table 2, lines 41a-47 Local Operating Expenses. Further, Line 53, pertaining  to benevolent and mission giving  to include to  instruction  to  report “income used to  pay Ministry Shares, pension and health billing, and other  connectional support billing.”

    This resolution also called for the Ministry Shares apportionment formula be published in a clear, complete and transparent manner, and be affirmed by vote of the Annual Conference, every year.

    TAGGED / Annual Conference 2018


    With more than 100,000 members, United Methodists of Upper New York comprises of more than 675 local churches and New Faith Communities in 12 districts, covering 48,000 square miles in 49 of the 62 counties in New York state. Our vision is to “live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be God’s love with our neighbors in all places."