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<div>Sorry, folks, but I accidentally misspelled Rev. Bryan Bucher's name! For good reason (I suppose), one of his ancestors dropped the "t" from the family name.</div><div>Marshall</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>
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On Thursday, December 13, 2018, 3:18:45 PM EST, W. J. via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
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<div><div id="yiv9631370373"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml><o:OfficeDocumentSettings><o:AllowPNG/><o:PixelsPerInch>96</o:PixelsPerInch></o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><div><div>I wasn't there @ the UMC's disastrous 2016 General Conference. But here's an account from <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://um-insight.net/perspectives/why-i-m-not-afraid-of-the-gracious-exit/">Rev. Bryan Butcher</a>, who was. Turns out that where we are as the UMC is entirely due to (you guessed it!) our colleague George Howard. Who, like Superman, managed to stop the runaway train with his bare hands. Plus a lot of clout!</div><div><br></div><div><p style="margin:0px 0px 12.899999618530273px;padding:0px;color:rgb(69, 69, 69);font-family:Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:16.899999618530273px;line-height:30.757999420166016px;">"But you don't have to be an actuary to understand United Methodist math. <b>Barring an appeal from the most trusted and respected American United Methodist in all of Africa (thank you George Howard)</b>, the era of Book of Discipline "fuzzy enforcement" would have been over. Parts of the A&W Plan, which is essentially the new "Accountability Option", were speeding toward consideration on the floor of General Conference, while the previous forms of the "Local Option" and the more-complicated-than-algebra "Autonomous-Affiliated-Jurisdictional-Or-Whatever-It-Is Option" languished in committee. <b>Only George's motion, which swung enough African delegation votes after Adam Hamilton's motion failed, stopped that train from reaching the station.</b></p><p style="margin:0px 0px 12.899999618530273px;padding:0px;color:rgb(69, 69, 69);font-family:Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:16.899999618530273px;line-height:30.757999420166016px;">"Which brings me back to the subject of United Methodist math.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 12.899999618530273px;padding:0px;color:rgb(69, 69, 69);font-family:Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:16.899999618530273px;line-height:30.757999420166016px;">"In 2019 virtually the same delegations from all the various conferences from around the world will convene in St. Louis <b>to take up what George Howard's motion delayed for three years.</b> At that gathering the same three options - accountability, local, and the other one - will finally come up for vote. Only this time, the progressive wing of the denomination is more defiant and the conservative wing is more organized and determined.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 12.899999618530273px;padding:0px;color:rgb(69, 69, 69);font-family:Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:16.899999618530273px;line-height:30.757999420166016px;">"The math will be the same."</p></div><div><span><span style="color:rgb(69, 69, 69);font-family:Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:16.899999618530273px;">I don't know whether even George Howard can stop this runaway train. In time. This time around. Next February.</span></span></div><div><font color="#454545" face="Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif" size="3"><span style=""><br></span></font></div><div><font color="#454545" face="Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif" size="3"><span style="">Marshall</span></font></div><div><br></div><div><span><span style="color:rgb(69, 69, 69);font-family:Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:16.899999618530273px;">If you're at all interested in the Methodist Meltdown, read more from Bryan Butcher here:</span></span></div><div><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/a-way-forward/six-things-united-methodists-need-to-do-now-if-their-pastor-/">https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/a-way-forward/six-things-united-methodists-need-to-do-now-if-their-pastor-/</a><span><span style="color:rgb(69, 69, 69);font-family:Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:16.899999618530273px;"><br></span></span></div><div><br></div><div><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/a-way-forward/why-centrist-and-progressive-clergy-need-to-have-the-talk-wi/" class="yiv9631370373enhancr_card_5487650956">Why Centrist and Progressive Clergy Need To Have "The Talk" With Their Lay Leaders</a><br></div><div><br></div><div id="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5benhancr_card_5487650956" class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5byahoo-link-enhancr-card yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bymail-preserve-class yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bymail-preserve-style" style="max-width:400px;font-family:Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;position:relative;" data-url="https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/a-way-forward/why-centrist-and-progressive-clergy-need-to-have-the-talk-wi/" data-type="YENHANCER" data-size="MEDIUM"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/a-way-forward/why-centrist-and-progressive-clergy-need-to-have-the-talk-wi/" style="text-decoration:none !important;color:#000 !important;" class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5byahoo-enhancr-cardlink"><table border="0" class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-wrapper yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5byahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="max-width:400px;"><tbody><tr><td width="400"><table border="0" class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5byahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width:400px;border-width:1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(224, 228, 233);border-radius:2px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-primary-image-cell" background="https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/59LwaeKAiocdVIXoknVdjA--~A/Zmk9ZmlsbDt3PTQwMDtoPTIwMDthcHBpZD1pZXh0cmFjdA--/https://um-insight.net/downloads/6274/download/wca-nov-meeting-2-kulah-690.jpg?cb=41f81c2839e08a867f097f2094cab3f2&w=-1.cf.jpg" bgcolor="#000000" valign="top" height="175" style="background-color:rgb(0, 0, 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style="background-color:transparent;border-top-left-radius:2px;border-top-right-radius:2px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;min-height:175px;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><v:rect fill="true" stroke="false" style="width:396px;height:175px;position:absolute;top:-18px;left:0;"><v:fill type="pattern" color="#000000" src="https://s.yimg.com/cv/ae/nq/storm/assets/enhancrV21/1/enhancr_gradient-400x175.png"/><v:textbox inset="0,0,20px,0"><![endif]--><table border="0" class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5byahoo-ignore-table" height="175" style="width:100%;min-height:175px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-richInfo2" style="text-align:left;padding:15px 0 0 15px;vertical-align:top;"></td><td class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-actions" style="text-align:right;padding:15px 15px 0 0;vertical-align:top;"><div class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-share-container"></div></td></tr></tbody></table><!--[if gte mso 9]></v:textbox></v:rect><![endif]--></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td><table border="0" align="center" class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-info yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5byahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:#fff;position:relative;z-index:2;width:100%;max-width:400px;border-radius:0 0 2px 2px;border-top:1px solid rgb(224, 228, 233);"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:16px 0 16px 12px;vertical-align:top;border-radius:0 0 0 2px;"></td><td style="vertical-align:middle;padding:12px 24px 16px 12px;width:99%;font-family:Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;border-radius:0 0 2px 0;"><h2 class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-title" style="font-size:14px;line-height:19px;margin:0px 0px 6px;font-family:Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(38, 40, 42);">Why Centrist and Progressive Clergy Need To Have "The Talk" With Their L...</h2><p class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-richinfo-primary" style="font-size:12px;line-height:16px;margin:0 0 4px 0;color:#979ba7;">Bryan Bucher</p><p class="yiv9631370373ydpd6960c5bcard-description" style="font-size:12px;line-height:16px;margin:0px;color:rgb(151, 155, 167);">Centrist and progressive United Methodists need to plan, as the Wesleyan Covenant Association has, for the possi...</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></a><div class="yiv9631370373loadingSpinnerContainer" style="width:100%;min-height:100%;"><div class="yiv9631370373D_F yiv9631370373F_n yiv9631370373gl_C yiv9631370373ab_C yiv9631370373H_6MGW yiv9631370373o_h"><div class="yiv9631370373W_6MGW yiv9631370373H_6MGW yiv9631370373D_X yiv9631370373ah_1PEzoz"></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span><span style="color:rgb(69, 69, 69);font-family:Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:16.899999618530273px;"><b><br></b></span></span></div><div class="yiv9631370373ydp63c5cc1ayahoo-style-wrap" 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