GC delegate: the fine line

Being both a lay delegate to General Conference and a member of the news staff of the United Methodist Reporter, I'm walking a special kind of tightrope as we go into General Conference.

As an occasional writer for the paper (really, I'm no journalist; that's why they call me the "digital community builder"), and a full-time employee, I can be considered part of the media. I thought it might be helpful to lay bare the line I'm walking:

- During GC2008, my primary role is as a delegate. I don't know whether it matters to our readers, but I'm taking a fair chunk of vacation time to serve in this capacity.

- I'll be blogging General Conference, along with several others from the Methoblogosphere. And while it's a way of sharing a perspective that is mine only, it will appear on my employer's blog.

So, there may be parts of the building where I don't know whether to wear my delegate badge or my press pass, but I can assure you that on the floor of General Conference, it's no contest -- the delegate badge has it. I've been a United Methodist and a Christian far longer than I've been a news staffer, and a news staffer didn't get elected to the delegation. A United Methodist layperson did.

On Sunday, my congregation surrounded me in prayer, spiritually and physically -- the laying on of hands and everything. I go forward carrying the weight of those hands, and feeling their support, too.

Next time I blog here, it'll be from Fort Worth.

(I'll let you know how the cookies are.)