 | | Bishop Hee-Soo Jung |
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then , death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." ~2 Corinthians 4: 8-12
The 2012 General Conference has drawn to a close. This quadrennial meeting of the United Methodist Church sets our vision, direction, budget and defines church law for the next four years to come.
As I take stock of the last two weeks, first, I offer my gratitude and appreciation for the witness and service of so many members of the Northern Illinois Conference during these many days of General Conference proceedings. The Northern Illinois Conference can be proud of the lay and clergy delegates who were selected by you to represent us.
I celebrate the leadership that they provided along with the many volunteers and staff from our conference who assisted in a variety of ways. Through their faithful words and actions your voices were heard. You were a strong presence at General Conference 2012.
During the deliberations of this General Conference and through new forms of social media, the eyes of many were upon our denomination. Our General Conference gathering is important because it helps to define for us and for others who we are as The United Methodist Church. Only the General Conference can speak on behalf of The United Methodist Church. This is not merely a rule of our denomination but a reminder of the solemn work to which we are called during our time of Holy Conferencing.
There is much to celebrate in the proceeding. There were signs of hope at General Conference. We were a "United Nations" gathered under the banner of the church. This year, delegates from Africa made up 40% of our voting body. Additional delegates from Asia, Europe and across the globe reminded us of the unique position we hold in history as the church becomes a truly global community representing Christ around the world.
Our time together included worship, legislation, witness and fellowship. United Methodists took responsibility through acts of repentance for the treatment of Native American and other indigenous peoples. We bridged old wounds recognizing full communion with Pan-Methodist denominations. We talked a great deal about accountability, affirmed our mission, lowered our budget and agreed to streamline the committee structures of our general agencies.
In the midst of strong debate and genuine struggle, I grieve for those who came to the conference praying for reform in the struggle to embrace diversity and move away from condemnation based on sexuality. It is difficult for us to let go of firm beliefs without fearing that we are betraying our beliefs. Yet, faith is a journey and not a fixed position.
To those harmed by actions of this General Conference, I offer my prayers and support. We are a broken and fallible people who do not always follow the rules set forth by John Wesley to "Do Good, Do No Harm, and to Stay in Love with God'. Each of us stumbles on our journey, but may we always treat one another with love and compassion, harboring hope - grounded in faith.
Abiding in the hope of Christ Jesus,
your servant,
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung
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