How Methodists raise money sitting down -- UM Reporter 5-16

Greetings, e-Readers!

General Conference is over, but you wouldn’t know it here in our newsroom. We’re still carried along by the momentum, and still churning out stories from the big quadrennial event. There just isn’t enough room on our pages for all that’s happened, so you’ll keep hearing about it for a while.

We have some late-in-GC happenings, including the wrap-up on how much money was raised through the auction of a basketball that Bishop Bickerton used in his Nothing But Nets presentation. William Gates Sr. (yes, Mr. Microsoft’s dad) even stopped by and chipped in a matching gift. Proving that the UMC can get good stuff done even during all the sitting, and sitting, and sitting...

Our print edition is catching up with our online stories: the “silent witness” by those advocating for full inclusion of LGBT persons in the church (you didn’t think we’d ignore it, did you? It’s the only thing the secular media bothered to report!), and Rebekah Miles’ commentary on the consequences of sleep deprivation at General Conference (we give a hearty “amen” to that one, Beka!) Plus, a commentary by delegate Ken Carter on why Robert’s Rules of Order may not provide the best framework for holy conferencing.

Plenty of other stuff happened, too. Did you know the UMC is only a few Lutherans’ votes away from being in full communion with the ELCA? A UMNS report will let you know more about what that means for the two denominations. Plus, Bill Fentum gives a reader’s digest version of GC decisions and Mary Jacobs compiles the best sermon snippets (to help us see why Amy Forbus declared General Conference “the land of standing ovation sermons”).

All this, and more. Enjoy!

Blessings,

Robin Russell, Managing Editor