1. Membership in The United Methodist Church has been on a general decline.
2. Worship attendance and lay participation have a high correlation.
3. Active members generally share more of their resources, including financial support, with their church.
4. As the need for clergy increases, greater reliance will need to be placed on lay participation.
5. Neither lay participation nor attendance is even indexed in The Book of Discipline.
Therefore, be it resolved, that The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church be revised to incorporate the following changes:
Index of Discipline----this reference to be added:
Attendance----¶¶230, 235, 253e
Lay Participation----See Ministry of the Laity
Membership----See Church Membership
Implemented by: Editors of The Book of Discipline
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 20249-CO-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference