Arkansas

2010 Resolutions to Annual Conference

[These resolutions and any resolutions distributed at registration are not official resolutions of the Annual Conference until after they have been voted on at the Conference Session.]
From our structure, 8.c., page 448 and 449 of the 2009 Journal

RESOLUTIONS AS PASSED, FAILED or AMENDED DURING ANNUAL CONFERENCE, click here.

RESOLUTION FOOTNOTES
All resolutions, sponsored or non-sponsored, shall contain footnotes that clarify the source of any facts, quotes, or generalizations made within the proposed resolution. These footnotes shall included enough information to allow the conference some level of confidence that the content of the proposed resolution is accurate and reliable. These footnote shall also include enough information to allow the content of the proposed resolution to be double checked for accuracy. All resolutions not printed in the Pre-Conference Journal must be accompanied by a rationale.

PRE-CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS
Non-sponsored resolutions or petitions, as well as those sponsored by any regular board or standing committee or task force of the Conference, may be included in the Pre-Conference Journal with the approval of the Vision Team.

FLOOR RESOLUTIONS
Any resolution or petition not printed in the Pre-Conference Journal must be signed by at least two members of the Annual Conference, and distributed in writing to the delegates and lay on the table for twenty-four hours before being debated and acted upon. Such items for general distribution shall be prepared and distributed by the sponsoring person or agency at their own expense.

CONCURRENCE / NON-CONCURRENCE
All resolutions that call for a change in the structure or standing rules, must be submitted to a review by the Committee on Review and Research which will recommend concurrence or non-concurrence.

All resolutions that have financial implications, must be submitted to a review by the Council on Finance and Administration which will recommend concurrence or non-concurrence.

All resolutions that have Social Principle implications, must be submitted to a review by the Board of Church and Society which will recommend concurrence or non-concurrence.

RESOLUTION #1
As required by our Standing Rules,
this proposed resolution was submitted to our Board of Church and Society. The board recommends concurrence.
RESOLUTION ON CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Whereas a number of local churches in Arkansas have become concerned about the impact their facilities have on the environment and

Whereas our scriptural understanding is that we are called to be stewards of God’s creation and

Whereas “ The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church” (Para 160) call for us to be concerned about how our lifestyles affect the environment,

Be it therefore resolved that we call on the churches of the Arkansas Annual Conference to:

Evaluate the environmental impact of its facilities
Determine its carbon footprint
Work toward institutional sustainability practices that will reduce each carbon footprint

Rev. Steve Copley, JFON
Doni Martin, Chair, AR Conf BOCS

RESOLUTION #2
As required by our Standing Rules,
this proposed resolution was submitted to our Board of Church and Society. The board recommends concurrence.
RESOLUTION ON HOSPITALITY

Whereas the writer of Hebrews challenges the church to love one another and to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels unaware (Hebrews 13:1-2)and

Whereas throughout scripture and the history of the church, there has been great concern shown for those who are strangers in our midst and

Whereas it is our responsibility as the church to invite those who are strangers to share in the ministry of Jesus Christ (Social Principles Para 163 F),

Be it therefore resolved that the churches and the people of the Arkansas Annual Conference open the doors of the church to those who are strangers, immigrants from many nations and show hospitality to them all, embracing them as members of the family of God (Social Principles Para 162 H)

Arkansas Conference Board of Church and Society
Rev. Steve Copley, JFON

RESOLUTION #3
As required by our Standing Rules, this proposed resolution was submitted to our Council on Finance and Administration. The council recommends non-concurrence. Rational: This concern is already addressed and funded through the minimum salary and equitable compensation programs.
A RESOLUTION TO SERVE THE POOREST COMMUNITIES
OF THE ARKANSAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Whereas we are called by Jesus to serve the poor and destitute (Matthew 25: 31-40); and

Whereas John Wesley focused his ministry on serving the last, the least and lost of his society; and

Whereas there are 175 Census Tracts in Arkansas with over 20% of families at or below the Federal poverty level income, of those, 40 are at 40% or more; and

Whereas there are 40 school districts with 30% or more of their student population at or below the Federal poverty level income; and

Whereas 157 zip codes in Arkansas have average household incomes under $25,000 per year; and

Whereas we are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ; and

Whereas The United Methodist Church has a long history of serving those in need by building and funding schools, hospitals, day care, food & clothing pantries, etc; and

Whereas the poorest areas of the Conference have the greatest needs;

Be it hereby resolved: The Arkansas Annual Conference shall, when the Bishop appoints full time clergy to those communities with the highest poverty levels (according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics), provide those clergy with the necessary financial support for their family needs, housing and transportation. The Arkansas Annual Conference shall also reimburse these clergy 1/5 of their educational debt that is directly related to him/her meeting United Methodist and Arkansas Annual Conference educational requirements, for each year that the clergy person accepts an appointment to serve in these highest poverty level communities.

Submitted by
Rev. Lon N. Hudson, III, Local Pastor
479-200-5347
Elkins UMC / Tuck’s Chapel UMC

RESOLUTION #4
As required by our Standing Rules, this proposed resolution was submitted to our Council on Finance and Administration. The council recommends non-concurrence. Rational: This concern is already addressed and funded through the minimum salary and equitable compensation programs.
A RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO CONGREGATIONS SERVING THE POOREST COMMUNITIES
OF THE ARKANSAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Whereas we are called by Jesus to serve the poor and destitute (Matthew 25: 31-40); and

Whereas John Wesley focused his ministry on serving the last, the least and lost of his society; and

Whereas there are 175 Census Tracts in Arkansas with over 20% of families at or below the Federal poverty level income, of those, 40 are at 40% or more; and

Whereas there are, as of 2005, 40 school districts with 30% or more of their student population at or below the Federal poverty level income; and

Whereas 157 zip codes in Arkansas have average household incomes under $25,000 per year as of 2007; and

Whereas we are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ; and

Whereas The United Methodist Church has a long history of serving those in need by building and funding schools, hospitals, day care, food & clothing pantries, etc; and

Whereas the poorest areas of the Conference have the greatest needs;

Be it hereby resolved: The Arkansas Annual Conference shall require all congregations to set aside a minimum of an additional 10% of all funds allocated, raised or given to build new facilities such as sanctuaries, worship centers, education buildings, family life centers, etc. The expection will be for buildings whose primary use will be to house food/clothing facilities, free meals, daycare, before and after school programs, or for remodeling existing structures.

Submitted by
Rev. Lon N. Hudson, III, Local Pastor
479-200-5347
Elkins UMC / Tuck’s Chapel UMC

RESOLUTION #5
To Affirm the Support of the United Methodist Church
for Universal Access to Health Care

Whereas, the United Methodist Church in 1992 passed a resolution in support of Universal Access to Health Care; and

Whereas, in 2000, the United Methodist Church, reaffirmed the need for passage of a health care plan that provided comprehensive benefits to everyone, including preventive services, health promotion, primary and acute care, mental-health care, and extended care; and

Whereas, in 2009, the United Methodist Church worked to support the passage of health care reform legislation; and

Whereas, with the enactment of legislation our country has moved closer to this goal of providing health care benefits for all;

Now therefore, be it resolved, that the United Methodist Church 2010 Annual Conference of Arkansas hereby reaffirms the position of the Church in support of universal health care for all.

Sponsored by The Imagine Justice Coalition:
Laity - Deborah Bell, Julie Cabe, Liza Godwin, Marie Jordan, Norma Kelley, Freddie Nixon,
Sandra Mitchell, Carol Roddy, Rob Scherer, Nickie Spencer, and Carole Teague.
Clergy - Gail Baldwin, Bishop Kenneth Hicks, Ben Jordan, Jeffrey Kelley, Ronnie Miller-Yow,
Michael Mattox, Bill Robinson, Carol Scherer, Sam Teague, and J.J. Whitney

RESOLUTION #6
Requesting the Judicial Council Reconsider Decision 1032 On Its Own Motion

The Arkansas Conference Petitions the Judicial Council of The United Methodist Church, pursuant to Judicial Council Rule of Practice VIII A, to reconsider Judicial Council Decision 1032 as follows:

The Judicial Council Rules of Practice Provide that, “whenever a decision of the Judicial Council is shown clearly to be in error, or in order to prevent a manifest injustice resulting from the interpretation of a Judicial Council decision, the Judicial Council on its own motion... may, by a majority vote, reconsider any ruling or action taken by it.” [Judicial Council Rules of Practice VIII.A.]

On October 25, 2005, in Decision 1032, the Judicial Council upheld denial by a pastor of membership in The United Methodist Church based on the prospective member’s homosexual status.

Decision 1032 “compromises the historic understanding that the Church is open to all. The Judicial Council cannot interpret something that is not stated in the Discipline. Nothing in the Discipline gives pastors discretion to exclude persons presenting themselves for membership in the Church. (See ¶4 and ¶13[9])” [Henry-Crowe Dissent from JCD 1032, 10/29/2005]

“I find nothing in the Discipline or in the whole of our jurisprudence that suggests that this issue has ever been addressed. The Discipline is silent on the issue... It is the equivalent of ideological legerdemain for the Judicial Council to declare ‘discretion’ where there is none and to grant pastors ‘responsible pastoral judgement’ where the General Conference has not done so.” [Gray Dissent from JCD 1032, 11/8/05]

“The majority’s decision [in 1032] now condones the denial of the fellowship of the church to persons in need of its ministry and guidance who are homosexual. The decision eviscerates our statement that God’s grace is available to all and reduces it to an empty platitude. More tragically, the same Judicial Council charged with giving effect to the intent of the enactments of the General Conference has turned a cold and rejecting ear to its plea that families and churches not reject lesbian and gay members and friends.” [Gray Dissent from JCD 1032, 11/8/05, citing ¶161(g), now §161(f)]

Decision 1032 now even more clearly contradicts Paragraph 225 of the 2008 Book of Discipline, in which the General Conference strengthened the already permissive open invitation to membership in The United Methodist Church. [See, Gray Dissent from JCD 1032, 11/8/05, “The permissive language contained in paragraphs 214 through 225 in an invitation to persons who seek membership.”]

Decision 1032 has been shown clearly to be in error in that it is still true that no provision of the Book of Discipline authorizes or directs denial of membership as permitted by Decision 1032, and because the General Conference increased the permissive invitation to membership by revising ¶225 to state that “A member in good standing in any Christian denomination who has been baptized and who desires to unite with The United Methodist Church shall [emphasis added] be received as either a baptized or a professing member.”

Manifest injustice has and will continue to result from interpretation and application of Decision 1032 to deny persons membership in The United Methodist Church.

The Arkansas Annual Conference therefore requests that the Judicial Council on its own motion and pursuant to its standing Rules of Practice (VIII.A) reconsider Decision 1032, issue a new Decision finding that Decision 1032 is null and void, and direct that any prospective members denied membership in The United Methodist Church as a result of Decision 1032 be granted admission.

Submitted by Harold Hughes, Lay Member, Quapaw Quarter UMC
Carol Roddy, First UMC, Little Rock
Leo Hauser, Pulaski Heights UMC, Little Rock
Elizabeth Minton, Pulaski Heights UMC, Little Rock
Rev. Marcia R. Dodd, Elder, Arkansas Conference
Julie M. Cabe, Quapaw Quarter UMC, Little Rock
Carole J. Teague, First UMC, Conway
Dr. Robert Sherer, First UMC, Little Rock
Rev. Thompson Murray, Quapaw Quarter UMC, Little Rock
William H. Robinson, HUMC
Rev. Ben F. Jordan, (Retired) First UMC, North Little Rock
Marie T. Jordan, First UMC, North Little Rock
Barbara J. Mullins, Quapaw Quarter UMC, Little Rock
_________ N________, First UMC, Conway
Rev. Sam Teague, (Retired) First UMC, Conway

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