Petition Text: 20772-IC-NonDis-O$

Understanding Petition Numbers

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Whereas, the General Conference of The United Methodist Church has taken previous actions toward being inclusive of all persons for whom God has demonstrated love and care through Christ and the Church in the Social Principles and by promoting programs for sensitizing and encouraging the Church at all levels of organization to serve the needs of persons with handicapping conditions; and

Whereas, The United Methodist Church has established a tradition of inclusion and outreach to all persons through Commissions on Religion and Race, the Status and Role of Women, and a Commission on Aging in the West Virginia Annual Conference, among others; and

Whereas, The United Methodist Church through various boards and agencies, such as Global Ministries and Discipleship, have promoted programs independently for persons with handicapping conditions; and

Whereas, there are over six hundred members of the clergy in addition to thousands of lay persons with handicapping conditions within The United Methodist Church;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the proposed commission initiate a course of study of programs of inclusion already at work on the Annual Conference and local levels in The United Methodist Church and in other denominations. Programs determined to be of merit would then be promoted and administered through the proposed commission to all levels of The United Methodist Church; and

Be it further resolved, that this commission instruct the General and Local Church in the strategic incorporation and utilization of persons with handicapping conditions. This shall be accomplished through the development of comparable commission on the Annual Conference level so that projects may be specifically geared to the needs of those with handicapping conditions already within the Church and those that may be potentially included within the religious community, and so that these projects may be a concerted effort by the General and Local Church to this end; and

Be it further resolved, that the aforementioned commission is necessary to make church members aware of the need to accept, include, and respond with Christian love to the special needs of persons with handicapping conditions. This commission shall therefore be called The General Commission on the Inclusiveness of Persons with Handicapping Conditions.

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PETS Creator: John Brawn

Petition Text: 20772-IC-NonDis-O$
1996 United Methodist General Conference