Petition Text: 22518-GJ-NonDis-O$

Understanding Petition Numbers

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God speaks to us through pain and suffering, calling us to tasks of healing and reconciliation. Our Church and societies are divided by heterosexism. We humbly acknowledge that cultural and religious judgmentalism contributes to disrespect, alienation and violence against persons. We seek to understand God's call to the church to be in mission.

Therefore, before the General Conference meets in 2000 CE, The United Methodist Church will hold a series of five meetings and a U.S. Convocation on "Heterosexism and the Mission of the Church." The purpose of these gatherings will be to:

1) Hear the pastoral and social needs of people both within and outside the church who are affected by heterosexism.

2) Explore how heterosexism adversely affects both the oppressed and the oppressors.

3) Discern how God is calling the Church to respond to these needs.

4) Propose appropriate missional responses to guide the Church in the 21st century:

a) local churches;

b) annual conferences;

c) boards and agencies;

d) UM-related institutions (seminaries, colleges, hospitals, etc.).

To accomplish this, the 1996 General Conference authorizes the General Council on Ministries to form a planning committee of 21 persons representing diversity of geography, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Members of the planning committee will include persons from the General Board of Church and Society, General Board of Discipleship, General Board of Global Ministries (each division represented), General Board of Pensions, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, General Board of Publication, General Council on Ministries, Commission on Religion and Race, and Commission on the Status and Role of Women.

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Petition Text: 22518-GJ-NonDis-O$
1996 United Methodist General Conference