Written in deepest friendship, Karen, at General Conference the overwhelming position of African and Korean delegates prevented even a clause stating there is a minority position for full inclusion of all God's creation including GBLTQ. If left to just NA there sadly remans a hugh gulf very likely leading to scism. Those pushing the trial agenda continue to hear the eschatological message of John the Babtizer and Jesus who demonstrated and declared that something has changed and the reign of God has come to us! Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone ----- Reply message ----- From: KarenBueno@aol.com To: <synergi@yahoo.com>, <oe@wedgeblade.net>, <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> Subject: [Oe List ...] Methodist news Date: Sat, Mar 15, 2014 7:14 am Thank you, Marshall. I continue to be active in the United Methodist Church. The article points out that Methodist polity decisions are made by global delegates. If it were only United States pastor and lay people, the debate would be over. What might that indicate to our global ICA work? Some of the African delegates, I understand, say they would not longer be able to do the work of the church if they included LGBTQ people. Karen (Wright) Bueno In a message dated 3/15/2014 2:10:11 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time, synergi@yahoo.com writes: This article may be of interest to those of you who retain a residual interest in United Methodism, as I do on occasion. For those interested in the power dynamics recently in play, I even went so far as to pen an extended commentary on the article (written by a Lutheran lawyer who may have a historical perspective, but who is definitely not a Methodist 'insider'). It's at the bottom of the web page. Update: retired Bishop Talbert has just been formally charged in the Western Jurisdiction today. Marshall http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/sexandgender/7678/methodists_make_... mailing listOE@lists.wedgeblade.nethttp://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net