news article
Serving at General Conference
April 17, 2024 / By Shelby Winchell, Director of Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Their bags are packed and they’re ready to go. The Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood, District Superintendent of the Crossroads and Finger Lakes Districts, along with the Rev. Bob Kolvik-Campbell, District Superintendent of the Binghamton and Oneonta Districts, are off to General Conference (GC) in Charlotte, NC. They aren’t serving as clergy delegates, but in the role of marshals, representing Upper New York.
This is the fourth time Rev. Kolvik-Campbell has served as a marshal; first in 2008 in Fort Worth, Texas, again in 2016 in Portland, Oregon, and then at the Special Session to General Conference in 2019, held in St. Louis, Missouri. This will be Rev. Dr. Rood’s first time serving in this role.
“No, we don’t wear silver badges. We are not the law. Our goal is to assist the General Conference in abiding by its rules so that the work of The United Methodist Church can be accomplished for the good of the mission and ministry to the people called United Methodists worldwide,” said Rev. Kolvik-Campbell.
“I attended GC 2019 as a guest to support our Upper New York delegation. We made sure they had good coffee, snacks, and little things like chapstick and tissues. We wanted to make sure they felt God’s love in tangible ways as well as our appreciation. The delegates’ days are long and physically and emotionally demanding. This year I look forward to serving all the delegates, bishops, and other staff as they do important work on our behalf,” said Rev. Dr. Rood.
General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church and security during the two-week gathering is of utmost importance. The Commission on the General Conference of The United Methodist Church relies on volunteers to help enforce strict security measures. All volunteers must apply in advance and are not compensated for their work. Most volunteers work a seven-hour shift daily.
“We’re all in this together. We need to work together in a variety of roles, so that we may hear God’s call and faithfully move forward as United Methodists,” said Rev. Dr. Rood.
Marshals serve several important roles at General Conference, including helping manage the visitor and reserved seating areas and ensuring that only authorized individuals access certain conference sections.
“Some days we will be checking name tags making sure people are in the right place, and on other days we will help the press get to where they need to in the arena. We will be there for legislative committee sessions the first week and the general plenary sessions the second week. On these days, we will have duties assisting with getting people to meals while assisting staff, bishops, and others while filling in gaps where something needs to happen,” explained Rev. Kolvik-Campbell.
United Methodists of Upper New York are encouraged to pray for everyone serving at General Conference. Pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit. Pray for the delegates not only serving Upper New York, but for the delegates from each Conference around the world.
“The Body of Christ is coming together for worship, prayer, conversation, debate, and discernment. I still pray for people from around the world that I met at GC 2012. We have so many diverse gifts and experiences. When we do this work well, we build relationships across the connection and demonstrate what it means to be a follower of Jesus,” said Rev. Dr. Rood.
“What we do, we do for the good of the whole church. We choose this role so that the church can work at its best,” said Rev. Kolvik-Campbell.
General Conference meets on a quadrennial basis and was originally scheduled for 2020, but has been postponed three times due to the coronavirus pandemic. Click here or press play below to watch a video message from Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez about the significance of this year’s gathering, and how, regardless of the outcome, United Methodists of Upper New York should remain focused on loving God, one another, and our neighbors.