E-news: General Conference Coverage

General Conference 2012

The United Methodist Church's top legislative body, the General Conference, will gather until May 4 in Tampa, Florida. 988 delegates from around the world are setting policy and direction for the church. General Conference meets every four years and is the only entity that speaks for The United Methodist Church.

Delegates consider legislation at the 2012 United Methodist General Conference in Tampa, Fla. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.

We are nearly mid-way through the second week of General Conference, and there are plenty of ways to stay up on the latest news and information:

Follow Along

You can watch sessions live at umc.org and follow the conversations happening on Twitter there. Keep up with what you're watching with the daily schedule.

Track Legislation
Want to learn more about proposed legislation or want to track the status of a particular petition? This page is very helpful and a great tool to use while watching business sessions.

News
General Conference is being covered extensively by several people and platforms - follow the stories, blogs, and multimedia pieces here.

Conference director of communications, Laura Allen, is working with United Methodist News Service to produce a daily podcast/radio style program during General Conference. Listen to her work here.

On the Go?
Keep up with General Conference when you're away from a computer. Download the GC2012 application for iOS or Android.

The West Virginia Perspective

We have a space for local coverage of General Conference at wvumc.tumblr.com. You can contribute

West Virginia Conference delegates during a Tuesday afternoon business session. A WVUM photo by Adam Cunningham. Click here for more photos from General Conference.

too! Please read our how-tos, and check out our digital community guidelines , which are modeled on the three simple rules of John Wesley.

Bishop William Boyd Grove uses opera glasses to view a delegate speaking at a distant microphone during the 2012 United Methodist General Conference in Tampa, Fla. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.

We're working on a few stories from delegates and other West Virginians in Tampa.

Rev. Bill Wilson is coordinating the monitoring ministry with the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, and the General Commission on Religion and Race.

Bishop Grove has been sitting "second chair" during plenary sessions a good bit during General Conference 2012. We'll be talking with him tomorrow to hear what it's like to be the bishop his colleagues trust for advice and counsel on parliamentary procedure and the rules of order.

Bishop's Bike Ride to Conference: The UMCOR 150

Every year, on the Saturday before Annual Conference, a group of riders pedal their way from Charleston to Buckhannon. The purpose: fun, fellowship, and fundraising for a worthy cause. This year, they ride for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and there are several ways to support their effort!

text-to-give - We're partnering with UMCOR to offer a text-to-give option. When you text UMCOR to 80888, a $10 donation will go directly to UMCOR (the charge will appear on your next cell phone bill).

online giving - We're also partnering with the United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia to provide online giving here. You can donate with a credit card or bank account.

checks - Checks can be mailed to the United Methodist Foundation at P.O. Box 3811, Charleston, WV 25338-3811.

Support a rider - If you know a rider in your church or community, support them with a pledge in support of the ride.

Or, use these promotional materials in your church or ministry to help spread the word!

Contact JF Lacaria for more information at 800-788-3746 ext. 27.

Mission Centered Ministry

Doug Anderson at Annual Conference in 2011.

At last year's Annual Conference, Dr. Doug Anderson quoted John Wesley in his evangelism presentation: "For the sake of souls, I preach in the fields." Anderson defines relational evangelism as "helping people develop their ability, capacity, and confidence to share their faith in Jesus Christ."

He returns to the Conference in May, with stops in four churches around the state:

May 21 - Trinity United Methodist Church

34 Jones St., Piedmont, WV 26750

May 22 - LIFE UMC (St. Paul's campus)

1564 Mary Lou Retton Dr., Fairmont, WV 26554

May 23 - Oak Hill United Methodist Church

250 Main Street, Oak Hill, WV 25901

May 24 - Dunbar United Methodist Church

1401 Myers Ave., Dunbar, WV 25064

Click here to register for a workshop in your area

What you'll learn in this workshop:

What are the factors that cause congregations to make decision and plan ministries that reflect personal preference and comfort rather than the mission of Jesus Christ?
How do you develop spiritual leaders that can help a congregation stay centered on the mission?
How could a 21st century class meeting help your congregation develop its mission more fully?

Register Early for Annual Conference

Online registration takes just a few minutes at wvumc.org/conference, where you will also find information about Annual Conference at West Virginia Wesleyan College June 6-9, 2012. This year, you must register for Conference to receive your workbook in the mail. You can also download a copy of the workbook online today.

If you have questions or are unsure if you've already registered, please contact Judi Kenaston, Conference Secretary.

Golden Cross Offering May 6

United Methodist Churches are encouraged to take up an offering on designated Golden Cross Sundays each year. In the United Methodist Church, Golden Cross supports the health and welfare ministries of each annual conference. In West Virginia, those ministries are GlenWood Park Retirement Village and Burlington United Methodist Family Services. Use this bulletin insert in your church.

You can also request free giving envelopes for your Golden Cross Offering. Contact Karen Thaxton, Central Services Coordinator, at 800-788-3746, ext. 24.

Other Announcements

Click here for information on how you can sponsor a crib for Mother's Day, attend one of the remaining Celebration of Mission Events, or register for a disaster response training. We update this list between editions of the e-news, bookmark the link so you can check out the latest announcements at your convenience.