Release # 046 {2910} April 24, 1996
DENVER (UMNS) -- United Methodist General Conference delegates wrote a new page in two centuries of Wesleyan history in the United States April 24 when they welcomed with prolonged applause First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Mrs. Clinton, a life-long and active Methodist, accepted the invitation to address the denomination's quadrennial legislative assembly when President Bill Clinton was forced by his schedule to turn down an invitation to speak. The delegates gave her a prolonged standing ovation when she was welcomed to the platform by conference officials.
Bishop Richard B. Wilke of Arkansas introduced the First Lady as a Sunday school teacher, worker with youth, a faithful attender at worship, with her family, and a former chancellor of the Arkansas Area. In Washington, Mrs. Clinton and her husband, a Southern Baptist, regularly attend Foundry United Methodist Church a few blocks from the White House.
Mrs. Clinton's 30-minute speech was about equally divided between tribute to her Methodist heritage as a child growing up in Park Ridge, Ill., and calls for the church to be active in caring for children and other people in need. The speech was interrupted 11 times by applause.
Referring to her youth experience in the church, and that of the Clintons' daughter, Chelsea, the First Lady said all young people need to experience spiritual growth and fellowship. "In today's world, churches are among the few places in society where young people can let down their guard," she said.
"With today's challenges, "we know we need to strengthen the spiritual and moral context of our lives," she asserted, as well as cultivating "a new sense of caring" about responsibilities to the larger society.
The delegates and approximately 2,700 visitors in the plenary hall gave Mrs. Clinton another prolonged standing ovation at the conclusion of her address. Mollie Stewart, Valhermoso Springs, Ala., secretary of the Commission on the General Conference, presented the First Lady with a commemorative General Conference hymnal and a "trinket box" bearing the conference logo.
As the conference began softly to sing "Jesus Loves the Little Children," Mrs. Clinton descended from the platform to spend the next 20 minutes shaking hands with delegates and visitors crowded against barriers under the watchful eyes of the Secret Service. The conference was host to a small reception for invited guests after the address before the First Lady departed for another Denver engagement.
Awaiting Mrs. Clinton's arrival, the Rev. William K. Quick, Detroit, program chairman of the Commission on the General Conference, gave a synopsis of Methodist history related to the White House. There have been five presidents who were Methodists, Quick said, James K. Polk, Andrew Johnson, U.S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley.
In the first of a series of key votes on the church's stance on homosexuality, the delegates voted by a majority of 60.4 percent to retain the present language calling homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching." A proposal from a
legislative committee that the specific condemnation be dropped in favor of a more general statement recognizing differences of opinion on the issue was defeated by 577 to 378.In business April 24, the conference brought to reality a longstanding dream of United Methodist Men by approving an independent agency to advocate their concerns. Since l972 men's work in the church has been under the aegis of the Board of Discipleship.
The new agency will be accountable to the General Council on Ministries and will oversee the coordination and resources, support the denomination's telephone prayer ministry and maintain a "Moving United Methodist" program that tracks members who move to new communities.
Supporters of the move said there would be no additional cost to the church since money designated in Discipleship for men's work will be transferred to the new agency. It has been a longstanding goal of United Methodist Men to become financially independent.
When balloting for the l997-2000 Judicial Council was completed one new member had been seated and three re-elected. The Rev. C. Rex Bivens, Lincoln, Neb., will take the seat vacated by the retiring Wayne Coffin, Oklahoma City.
Sally Curtis AsKew, Elberton, Ga.; Tom Matheny, Hammond, La.; and the Rev. John G. Corry were re-elected. Members of the church's Supreme Court continuing through 2000 are Wesley Bailey, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Evelynn S. Caterson, Absecon, N.J.; the Rev. Susan T. Henry-Crowe, Atlanta; the Rev. Zan W. Holmes Jr., Dallas; and the Rev. Theodore H. Walter, Columbia, S.C.
In an overwhelming vote April 24, delegates authorized creation of a task force to study concerns and ministry needs of Korean Americans. As adopted, the resolution took the place of a controversial request for the creation of three Korean-American missionary conferences.
Late on April 23 the conference approved establishment of a commission to develop a possible plan of union for the United Methodist Church and three traditional black Methodist bodies -- African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, and Christian Methodist Episcopal churches. A report will be made in 2000.
If you want to know how to get more information about this story, call InfoServ at 1-800/251-8140.