Plenary Session Proceedings
Friday, April 26: Morning Session

1996 United Methodist General Conference

Friday Morning
April 26, 1996

BISHOP DAN E. SOLOMON: Sisters and brothers, will you please take your place now? Will you please be seated as quickly as possible? Would you join with me in expressing gratitude to the choir from Latvia as they have come to sing in our midst. (applause) I'm asking you, please, to be seated as quickly as possible. We have a very heavy agenda for the day. I'm going to ask us to go immediately into a time of prayer and discernment. Will you please hear these words as they are being read from the second chapter of Philippians. Even as we're coming, someone has shared a word with me that the growth of the church continues in Latvia. The information I was previously given that there are three churches has already doubled since we've been here. It is now six churches, praise God. Will you hear these words?

Will you simply find someone and share a brief moment of prayer with them as we proceed. May we conclude this prayer time with just hearing again the words, "Breathe on us, breath of God. Fill us with life anew that we may be this day those who in word and deed honor you. Amen."

You may be seated. Let me share with the house the procedure that we'll be using this morning. I want to remind us delegates that we have a very significant day ahead of us. And I want to begin by giving special thanks and inviting you to do the same, to Kathleen Forsberg, who has served as our organist and who will not be with us past this hour. And also to Johnetta Johnson-Page, who has been our pianist and will soon be returning to Atlanta. Won't you join with me in expressing gratitude to these persons. (applause)

Thank you very much. I must--excuse me, the holding of a card is sufficient for getting the chair's attention. I'll come to you in a moment. Now, may I proceed, please? A long time ago in a small rural church, I learned to sing a gospel hymn as a teenager, the truth of which has become freshly apparent to me this morning. It has a verse in it that goes, "Work, for the night is coming." We have gathered here to work this day. I must apologize to you in advance, that my allergies have kicked up aggressively, and my voice is a little scratchy, but I shall be responsive to the promptings of the Spirit and work with you, and we'll do our work. We have so much work yet to do this day, and I'm going to ask for your cooperation in doing that. I would like for us to address the calendar items and move through the morning and take motions of privilege and announcements as we come to the end of the time. However, if there's a matter of such critical urgency that it cannot wait until near the end of our session, then I'll try to be considerate as we approach that. Yes? Would you please go to microphone 8.

WILLIAM K. QUICK (Detroit): (unintelligible) to the church in Latvia, and as you have indicated, there are now six churches. And, Bishop, these are among the connecting congregations of world Methodist evangelism. And since we have been in session here, since the 16th, four new United Methodist congregations have been started, including two new ones in a country where there has been no United Methodist witness, in Macedonia. I'm tremendously grateful to world Methodist evangelism, to the Board of Global Ministries, to the staff of the board, and to all who are helping to open up churches and a witness for United Methodism, not only in countries of the former Soviet Union, but in Africa as well. And we express our appreciation. And I'm especially grateful to announce that this choir will be singing in the connecting congregation in Detroit on Sunday. Thank you, sir, and thanks to the music team that invited them here.

BISHOP SOLOMON: You're very welcome, and we rejoice in all that you have shared with us as it reflects the work of God in this place and, indeed, around the world. Consent Calendar, Sarah Miller, followed by Fitzgerald Reist.

FITZGERALD REIST (Coordinator of the Calendar, Central Pennsylvania): The list of items removed from Consent Calendar appears in today's DCA on page 671. The items which were added verbally yesterday are found as corrections on page 665 of today's DCA. Consent Calendar A06 appears on page 543 of yesterday's DCA. Calendar Item 2001 was removed from Consent Calendar A06. Calendar Items 1900 and 1957 were added.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. This Consent Calendar A06 is before us. If you will vote when the light appears. [730 approved] All right, it is sustained. We turn now to the next item. Yes, would you state your point of order by going to microphone 1, please.

J. LAVON WILSON (Central Illinois): Bishop, my point of order is I have a question on clarification of two Calendar Items on two different Consent Calendars of two different days. In the blue book on page 309 and 310, item 851, number 6c, Native American Awareness Sunday in the general approve regarding church-wide Special Sundays with offering was approved April 24. I notice that in the Consent Agenda today on page 545, Calendar Item 2014, general approve regarding church-wide Special Sundays with offering, D point on Native American. My concern is that the Calendar Item 851 has an added line starting with the "providing supplementary scholarships," etc. My question is, which Calendar Item takes priority, the last Calendar Item which is today, or the Calendar Item on April 24. The policy of the Board of Higher Education and Ministry is to give scholarships per student. I just needed that clarification so that we did not have a conflict in the board.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right we'll turn to the Calendar Committee for a response.

SARAH S. MILLER: Bishop, we'll research this and get back.

BISHOP SOLOMON: With your permission this item will come back before us as we have a response.

MILLER: Thank you so much, Bishop.

BISHOP SOLOMON: You bet. All right. Now then, will you place before us the next Consent Calendar.

REIST: Consent Calendar B06 appears on page 557 of yesterday's DCA. There are no changes.

MILLER: Bishop, I move its adoption.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It is before us, please vote when the light appears. [794 approved] It is approved.

REIST: Consent Calendar C06 is found on page 565 of yesterday's DCA. Calendar Item 220l was removed from Consent Calendar C06.

MILLER: Bishop, I move the adoption of Consent Calendar C06, with the exception of the one noted.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It is properly before us, please vote when the light appears. It is approved. [791 approved]

REIST: I recommend suspension of the rules to act upon Consent Calendars A07, B07 and C07 after 4 p.m. This would allow the normal amount of time for delegates to request removal of items from the Consent Calendar.

MILLER: Bishop, for the agenda for this morning...

BISHOP SOLOMON: Do you wish to make that motion as a delegate?

MILLER: Yes I do.

BISHOP SOLOMON: That motion is before us, the house understands the motion, I believe. Will you please vote when the light appears. [770 approved] The motion is approved, and you would have to act before four this afternoon to remove items from the Consent Calendar. Before three. Thank you for the correction.

MILLER: May I say something about...

BISHOP SOLOMON: Yes, please. Sarah Miller.

MILLER: For the agenda this morning, we'll be looking at the budget, followed by items related to the local church. We have decided to move the items on homosexuality that were tabled last evening to the first items on the agenda this evening.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Thank you very much. Let me share a word now of the items. I would like us all to have some clarity as to the road map that we are going to be following. And then as we proceed down it, I believe we'll be more comfortable in the approach we're taking. We're receiving this morning the report from GCFA. It comes directly to the floor of the General Conference. We're also receiving the report of the Legislative Committee on Financial Administration. The procedure that we'll be following is to hear the report of GCFA in its entirety. That will be followed by the report of the Legislative Committee on Financial Administration in its entirety, the purpose for which is to allow you as the house have the full picture before you before we proceed to try to perfect the budget for the general church.

Following the two presentations, then we will go back and take the items listed in the particular and specific reports. GCFA's report will be presented first. It will then be followed by a presentation from the legislative committee on Financial Administration. Having those two presentations on a specific report before us, we will then proceed, with the approach being taken that the Legislative Committee will have the right of first amendment should they choose to make it, in regard to the report of GCFA. These alternative proposals then will be before us. And it was the judgment of the chair that both the presenter for GCFA and the presenter for the alternative proposals, if those develop, will have the right of last speech before votes are taken on either amendments or on the report in its specific section of its entirety.

The reason I have tried to outline in this manner the approach that we're going to take is to assure you as a body that there will be ample presentation here from the podium as it relates to the nuances of both of these reports. In no wise is that intended to diminish your conviction as to an amendment that you would like to make. But be aware that the speeches that will be given here will gather up much of the concerns that I believe are already in our minds. And indeed, if we need to have extensive debate, realize that much of the time that debate is going to be about one figure as over against another. We may want to talk about why that needs to happen. But ultimately, it's going to come down to a choice of one figure over another in many instances. I hope you as a house will be aware that this is the procedure we will follow and you'll respond appropriately so we can move through the report as expeditiously as possible. We turn now to the presenters for the General Council on Finance and Administration. We'll hear from them at this time. Bishop Edwin Boulton will be making the introduction of the report.

BISHOP EDWIN C. BOULTON: Bishop Solomon and dear friends in Christ, the first presentation I make is a matter of personal privilege. You, because of your knowledge of the conduct and the doings of the church, are aware that we have a new General Secretary and Treasurer of our denomination who took office effectively the first day of January of 1996, but who in actuality was in office the first of December of the previous calendar year. Those of us in the GCFA have had the privilege of working with this person, and it is my happy privilege, brother chair, at this time to present to you Sandra Kelly Lackore, who is our new general secretary and treasurer of the denomination, and ask that you greet her as I know you would wish to do. (applause)

SANDRA KELLY LACKORE: Thank you, Bishop. It is an honor and a privilege to hold the office to which I have been elected. And I hope to do so to bring credit to the church and the information to you that you so desire. My desire is to serve you, and my staff will do that in whatever way you direct. Thank you very much. (applause)

BISHOP BOULTON: As the President of the General Council on Finance and Administration, I am pleased to present the council's report to the General Conference. In a moment, I will be presenting the members of the council who will make brief introductions and officially bring to you each of the several reports that will come.

In the way of background, as Bishop Solomon has already laid the groundwork for our procedure this morning, I would like you to know that the process that has been followed within GCFA is significantly different than has been the case in our recent history. We spent the better part of two years with our council members visiting and listening to the concerns of the entire church as somehow was caught up and represented in 17 annual conferences. The bottom line recommendation that we have decided upon, have published, have brought to you, and have sought to define and will seek further to define this day, is that report which has euphemistically been called a 0-0-2-2 budget. Beyond that, we, of course, followed the process described in the Book of Discipline, whereby we heard the visions for mission and ministry from our general agencies and people from all over the church. The General Council on Ministries participated with us in the process. I would briefly note that 28 persons, both lay and clergy, spent two and a half weeks in a process of information gathering, discernment, and decision-making around the World Service requests. Thus, the budget recommendations you have before you are the outcome of a listening process that heard both the visionary hopes and dreams of people linked somehow to what is perceived to be the limits in available resources.

One of the decisive factors in the council's decision to have no increase in total apportionments for the first two years of the quadrennium was the conviction that, given the opportunity, the local churches and annual conferences would respond to this budget with an increased devotion and an increased resulting percentage of payment on the askings that we place before them. Another finding from our listening process was that our members want to support our connectional ministry. And so, if you vote in the final analysis as we hope you will to stay within the 0-0-2-2 budget, our shared responsibility will be to go back to our churches and annual conferences and to work fervently to increase the percentage of payment on all that which we believe forwards the ministry of our Lord Christ.

Permit me now to introduce to you the persons who will be presenting the several reports this morning. They are Ellen Brubaker, a clergy member, the West Michigan Conference; Shirley Parris, a lay delegate, New York Conference; William White of the Wisconsin Annual Conference; Sally Brown Geis of the Rocky Mountain Conference; Zedna Haverstock, lay delegate, Central Pennsylvania Conference; Stanley Sager, lay delegate New Mexico Conference; and Tracy Merrick, lay delegate, Western Pennsylvania Conference. Two of these persons are not delegates to this General Conference. Bishop Solomon, I therefore ask the permission of this body that these two persons be granted the privilege of appearing at this dais. They are William White and Sally Brown Geis.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Is there objection from the house? Hearing none, that permission is granted.

BISHOP BOULTON: Thank you. We now proceed, sir.

ELLEN A. BRUBAKER (West Michigan): Good morning. The World Service Fund report is found in the red DCA, pages 286-290. As you find the page, I would like first of all to call your attention to the first sentences in the introduction. "When United Methodist congregations pay their apportioned askings, they participate in God's work around the world and right in their own parish. The World Service Fund is the heart of our church's ministry together." In the light of these two sentences, I bring you greetings from my brothers and sisters in my home congregation, the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is a congregation that has indeed, throughout its history, paid 100 percent of its apportionments. I would also add that I come from a conference that paid 100 percent of its apportionments last year and in many years. (applause)

Just to say, why do we do that at Aldersgate? Because we believe and are inspired by what is in this report. We cannot go and be everywhere and do everything hands-on, but through faithful ministry of resources we are able to connect all around the world in ministry. And we are also able to connect with each of you who come from so many places and so many faithful congregations.

I would like secondly to call your attention to the general observations that are made in this report, particularly the sentence near the bottom of the first column which reminds us that, because of what our good president has said, our attempt to inspire you through coming in with a 0-0-2-2 budget, you need to be aware that there are many vital ministries which will not happen as effectively as they might in this next quadrennium. I want to say a word. I was a part of the varied team that listened and looked at the programs and budgets of all the boards and agencies. I've done that twice now, and I am inspired by what our boards and agencies are doing in ministry with the limitations of their own budgets and the downsizing that they have done. They are faithful, they are visionary, and so there's pain this year in presenting this budget to you. Nevertheless, as you look at the rest of the ministry described in report number 1, I commend it to you with pride and with excitement and with a passion for the world-wide ministry of our beloved church. Thank you.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. We go to report number 2.

SHIRLEY PARRIS (New York): Thank you, Bishop Solomon. The GCFA report number 2, the Ministerial Education Fund, is found on page 291 of your Advance DCA. And I draw your attention to the preamble of this report, which was established in 1968 and with which we are all familiar. We know the value of the Ministerial Education Fund, and we recognize that it is only by meeting our apportionments in full that the work which is under the portfolio of the Ministerial Education Fund can really be done effectively. In accordance with paragraph 921.1, this report with its recommendations is being brought to you this morning for your prayerful consideration and support.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Thank you. Do we continue?

PARRIS: Yes. The next report that I bring to you follows on page 293, and it is the report of the Black College Fund. And again I draw your attention to the remarks and the layout of this report. And as Ellen said before, it was a painful process having to cut into the budget of the programs which are so desperately needed in our church; but realizing the pain in our local churches, we responded to your thoughts and your directives, really, and we bring our report to you and our recommendations for funding in the hope that you will follow our direction and that you will support the report. This fund, as you know, was started in 1972 and continues to be a source of great pride in our United Methodist Church.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. We'll proceed.

PARRIS: And finally, report number 4, which is on page 294, the Africa University Fund, one of the pearls in United Methodist history. I bring this report to you again with its recommendations for continued support, and I ask you that in all three reports you look not just at the numbers, but at the work that these reports cover, and I commend this and the other two reports for your support and your caring. Thank you, Bishop.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Thank you. We turn now to Sally Brown Geis.

SALLY BROWN GEIS: Bishop, delegates, I bring the Episcopal Fund report, which is report number 5, found pages 297 through 303 in the red book, the Advance DCA. I suppose it is redundant to remind delegates to the General Conference who are well versed in the bureaucracy of the church, that the bishops are not overtly a part of the annual conference budgets. All of the support for the bishops and their offices comes from the Episcopal Fund. The items of note in this year's report are reductions in the yearly episcopal residence support payments and in the yearly payments for the episcopal office support. You have heard my colleagues explaining how hard we worked to get down to the 0-0-2-2 as a total budget figure. As one of the members of the Episcopal Service Fund said when we cut the office support, "I hope this doesn't, in fact, turn into an involuntary tithe by the secretaries who serve our bishops." Because their support comes in that part of our fund. The episcopal resident maximum of amounts have been reduced to the 1995 level, and will remain flat during the quadrennium. The office allowances increases are much less than increased budgets in the past two quardrennia. But these cuts were made to reduce the Episcopal Fund budgets over the next four years. And as you know, the general funds have been drastically restrained to keep within the bottom line. We have made every attempt to hold increases down in the Episcopal Fund as well. We hope we have not limited the bishops from carrying out their responsibilities.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right we turn next to the report dealing with the General Administration Fund. I believe that's on page 304. You be prepared.

BILL WHITE (Wisconsin): I'm a member of the of the Wisconsin Annual Conference which has paid 100 percent of it's apportionments for the last four years. I direct your attention to the Advance DCA, page 304, for the report and recommendations of the General Council of Finance and Administration for the General Administration Fund. Our recommendations on allocations within that fund are found at the bottom of that page. The purpose of this fund is to support those functions of the denomination which are deemed to be administrative in nature as opposed to ministerial or programatic. The groups supported by this fund are the General Commission on Archives and History, Historic Shrines, the Judicial Council, the General Council on Finance and Administration itself, the World Methodist Council, and the National Youth Ministry Organization. The money necessary to pay the expenses of the General Conference in the year 2000 in Cleveland, Ohio, are also included within this budget item. The legislative committee was unanimous in its concurrence with the GCFA recommendation for the General Administration Fund allocations.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, and you have, I believe, the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund report.

WHITE: Correct, Bishop. Report number 7, the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund, is found in the Advance DCA at pages 305 and 306. Their recommendations are contained on page 306. The fund amounts within the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund are recommended to this General Conference by the GCFA and were developed after we considered recommendation developed by the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns after their consultation with the Council of Bishops. The groups supported by this fund include the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, and the Consultation on Church Union. In addition, this fund provides for travel costs for United Methodist representatives to ecumenical organizations. United Methodist financial support for the 1998 World Council of Churches assembly will also be paid from this fund. Those expenditures include travel and related expenses for Christians from third world countries. The legislative committee reviewing the Interdenominational Cooperational Fund unanimously concurred with the GCFA recommendations.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Thank you very much. We'll go to the next presenter. It's my understanding this report will be found on page 320, dealing with report number 12.

STAN SAGER (New Mexico): I'm glad to be here this morning. The report which I present is indeed report number 12 on page 320 of the red book. I don't want you to conclude, because of the fact that report number 12 follows report number 7 given by Bill White, that GCFA doesn't know how to count; it just worked out that way this morning. While you take a look at that report, I'd like to make a couple of observations.

One is that the work of the General Council on Finance and Administration is performed by fifty-six very dedicated staff members, whom we on the board have come to love and respect. They work in three offices: one in Evanston, Illinois, which is the principal office of the organization; there are smaller offices in New York and in Nashville to enable the staff better to work with agencies that are housed and located in those cities. There are forty-three board members from across this church. They are scattered from Henning Bjerno, who lives in Copenhagen, to Barbara Shaffer in the great northwestern part of the United States. Staff and the board endeavor to make the General Council on Finance and Administration a "user-friendly" organization. If you find it to be otherwise, I hope you will let Sandra Kelly Lackore know; she will fix it.

The budget, as it appears on page 320, does not conform to the 0-0-2-2 figure which we asked of all agencies. In an effort at self-control, it was held at 0-0-1-1. I lay it before you, Bishop and members of the conference. It is my understanding that the legislative committee has concurred with this particular budget.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, thank you very much. We'll be prepared then to move to report number 8. You, as the delegates, would want to turn in your red DCA to pages 307-308, and that will prepare you to participate in their hearing and receiving of this particular report. This report, I believe, is now before us.

ZEDNA HAVERSTOCK (Central Pennsylvania): Thank you, Bishop Solomon. I, too, am proud to stand here this morning, to say that I am a member of an annual conference who paid their general church apportionments in full in the calendar year of 1995. The report that I am dealing with is report number 8, and as the bishop said, it will be found in your red DCA beginning on page 307.

The General Council on Finance and Administration, just as most of our annual conferences do, do continually look at the way we apportion the budget of our general church, but with the considerations during this past quadrennium, the report number 8, which you have before you, proposes no changes in the apportionment formula now in use.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, thank you very much. We turn to report number 9, Ellen Brubaker. Turn in your DCA to 309, and you will be prepared.

ELLEN BRUBAKER (West Michigan): The report is 309-311 with some material on page 315 that will report to you the Special Sunday offerings for this quadrennium. All I can say to you about Special Sundays with offerings, is that once again, with our partner relationship with GCOM, we did take a look at the Special Sundays, wondering if they should be reduced, increased, or changed. As you see before you, we have continued these vital ministries, and we regard them as opportunities for giving that inspire various persons in our churches. And so, the report is before you.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, thank you very much. We are moving on to the next presenter, Bishop Boulton.

BISHOP BOULTON: Bishop Solomon and friends, when it comes time for you to take action on reports 10, 11, and 14, which appear respectively on pages 1059, 1060, and 1061 in your red book, and in the blue DCA, page 334, we are recommending that at the time motions are in order, that these three reports be adopted in a single action, largely because the legislative committee is recommending concurrence with all three of these reports. I respectfully submit them to you.

BISHOP SOLOMON: They are before us. You may proceed in the manner that you have guided in that respect. All right, we move on.

TRACY MERRICK (Western Pennsylvania): Brothers and sisters in Christ, would you turn to report 15. It is found in the blue DCA on page 660. You'll note that this is a replacement from a previous report which was published yesterday. While you're locating that, I'd like to share a couple of comments with you. You'll note that there are thirteen sections to this report, representing various petitions referred to GCFA at this conference. These items in this particular report are petitions which will be included in line items already in the budget at the 0-0-2-2 level. You'll notice, as you review the report, that some of the items involve reductions, and that was common across the process as we developed the budget in total. A number of the items refer to mission initiatives, and were rolled into the budget primarily in the World Service area, as indicated in your Advance DCA. Information regarding the Mission Iniatives Fund is specifically described on page 287 of the Advance DCA. In each case of the petitions reported in this report, there's information regarding the petition, the location of the original petition, whether it was in the Advance DCA or the white book, and also, where the petition was located in the blue book.

I encourage you to look at the last page of the report, which is page 663. And there's a summary of the actions that we're recommending in terms of dollars, what the original request was, what the legislative committee may have indicated, as well as what we are recommending. At the appropriate time, we will be willing to take questions concerning this report.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Thank you.

BISHOP BOULTON: Now, if you will turn to report 16, which is a hand- out you found on your desk this morning, entitled, "General Council on Finance and Administration, Report 16, Focus 2000." The four items referred to in this report are items that are not going to be included in the 0-0-2-2 budget at the level recommended by GCFA. I'd like to give some background concerning this. As you've heard so far this morning, GCFA listened, and we listened, and we listened, and proposed a budget which we thought was reflective of what we'd heard. It took a lot of wrestling, and we included what we knew at the time that the budget was prepared. There were a lot of reductions in this budget, if you look at it in detail, you will realize that. In reviewing the referrals of the four items that we have in this report, we realized that they would impact our boards and agencies in the church greatly if we tried to include these in the budget as well. And we probably would not have any contingency funds available to us. But consistent with our process throughout this quadrennium, we wanted to be sensitive and listening to this body.

And therefore, we're proposing a new fund that will incorporate these four petitions, for they are exciting new ministries. This would be similar to the Mission Initiatives Fund, which was proposed and adopted by the last General Conference. Again, there are some reductions, and you'll note those, but we wanted you all to have the opportunity to decide the validity of a new fund. I would urge you to look at the fourth page of this particular report, as well. It's the one that's printed horizontally, and I would like to explain a couple of items so that you understand the context.

You'll see the four proposals and the fundings spread across the four years of the coming quadrennium, and the total amount in the right hand column, the fifth number down, $4,760,000. The next line below that represents the total budget as proposed by GCFA and represented in the Advance DCA on page 285, 284 and 285. You'll notice there, 0-0-2-2 with a total of $503,500,000. The revised total including the proposed $4,760,000 is the bottom line on that sheet. You'll note that the annual increases are zero percent, zero percent, 2 percent and 2 percent. The reason for that is that we have initiated the dollars in the first year and the largest increase occurs then, with slight increases, across the quadrennium, from that point. This represents a 2.5 percent increase over the 1996 level multiplied by four.

Again, at the appropriate time, we'll be willing to take questions. We submit this report for your consideration. Thank you, Bishop.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, I'm going to return to Bishop Boulton for an additional matter.

BISHOP BOULTON: Brother Chair and friends, I refer you once again to the report I brought a few moments ago with reference to reports 1011, and 14. I'll give you just a moment to regather yourselves around those three reports. The word of explanation that I want to make is that, if you should adopt the proposal that I brought then, namely, that those three items would be dealt with in omnibus fashion, rather than singularly, then it will be our purpose to report that Calendar Item 1811, Calendar Item 1811, in the blue DCA, page 461, which contains an amendment to GCFA report number 13, would be appropriate as that is already on the Consent Calendar. Thank you very much, sir.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, thank you very much. Our procedure is to turn to the legislative committee, and we're going to ask Cashar Evans Jr. to lead us in the presentation of the entirety of their report.

CASHAR EVANS (North Carolina): I'd like to call on Lovett Weems to present report number 1, 2, 3; thank you.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right.

LOVETT H. WEEMS JR. (Missouri West): Bishop Solomon, colleagues, I've been asked to present the budget approved by the Financial Administration Committee. It is somewhat different from the General Council on Finance and Administration budget. The committee's recommendation is found in the blue Daily Christian Advocate, page 462. Before presenting the details, some background may be helpful to understand the committee's changes.

First, the committee had great appreciation for the work of GCFA. The council and staff did a remarkable job over many months in preparing a budget under challenging constraints. We respect the difficult decisions made by GCFA. Indeed, as you will see, the committee's budget follows the GCFA budget in many respects. Second, the committee appreciated the work and cooperation of the GCFA staff, and especially the direction being provided by the new General Secretary Sandra Kelley Lackore. While the staff helped the committee with calculations on the revised budget, all changes made to the budget are the work of the committee. We were fortunate to have a gifted and strong Financial Administration Committee. I believe we all shared two values: one was for fiscal restraint; there was a sensitivity to the financial pressures on many United Methodist churches and conferences today. The other value was that United Methodism not only maintain a vital mission and ministry, but to expand our witness on behalf of Christ. However, committee members differed on which of these values required priority in the next four years. As different votes were taken, it became clear that a majority of the committee desired, indeed would insist upon, two things. First, there must be more equity within the budget. Second, the bottom line figures must not exceed the 0-0-2-2 formula. And just to make sure everyone is clear about what that means, using the 1996 apportionment figures as the base, the increase in 1997 for the bottom line would be zero percent; 1998, zero percent; 1999, 2 percent; 2000 would be 2 percent.

The budget before you on blue DCA, page 462, reflects an attempt to honor both of these values. Let me go over the changes. About two- thirds of the way to the right there is a column called "Amended Report." This column permits you to compare the quadrennial totals for this budget with the GCFA budget totals in the column to the right of it. The next column to the right entitled, "Change from GCFA Report" shows the dollar changes. Now, please go to the last two columns on the right. These columns are very important to the committee. These percentages represent the increase in each fund's apportionment over what it would have been if the 1996 apportionment had stayed the same for the next four years. I would like to work from the bottom up on the last two columns. You will notice that the bottom line stays the same. This maintains the 0-0-2-2 formula for a 1.6 percent growth over the quadrennium from 1996 apportionment levels. Moving up, Africa University is unchanged from the GCFA figure of $10 million which is part of an overall $20 million goal of which $10 million will come through an apportionment. The next two funds, Interdenominational Cooperation Fund and General Administration Fund, are unchanged from the GCFA budget. There is a reduction in the Episcopal Fund of between 0.04 percent and 0.05 percent over the original GCFA increase of 4.5 percent for the quadrennium.

The next three funds are revised to bring all three to a 1.3 percent growth for the quadrennium over 1996 levels. Our concern was to bring a bit more overall equity. It seemed to the committee that too much of our austerity was coming in two funds: the Black College Fund and the Ministerial Education Fund. These funds represent so much of our hopes and dreams for the future, for students at schools supported by the Black College Fund, and students at our seminaries, to know that we adopted a 0-0-2-2 budget, but for them and their schools it would only be 0.05 percent, .8 percent, would send the wrong signal. In hard times it is important for everyone to know that struggles are shared struggles.

You will find the detailed breakdown for the World Service line item on the next page, blue DCA, page 463. Some funds there remain the same, and some are reduced. By action of the committee, mission initiatives were not decreased. Also, no line item is reduced more than 0.05 percent from the original GCFA recommendation, except for the contingency which goes down by 0.06 percent.

Now, back to page 462. This is not the budget that any one of us on the Financial Administration Committee probably would have prepared originally. Some wanted a lower budget, some higher. But the amended budget is not really a compromise. It did not emerge from negotiation. We hope that, in good Wesleyan style, this is a third alternative, in which the strengths of two options are honored, while the most significant drawbacks are avoided. The final and most important, perhaps, thing I can say about this amended budget is that it comes to you with a unaminous vote of the Financial Administration Legislative Committee.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right.

WEEMS: Bishop, with that introduction I believe we are ready for report number 1.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Does this complete the overview of the legislative committee report in its entirety?

WEEMS: Yes.

BISHOP SOLOMON: The chair is going to do this. In just a moment we're going to adjust the time for the break, so that we'll be able then to proceed on addressing these two reports in the manner that you as the house choose. I want to clarify, or at least help us to be together as I understand it. And that is that the GCFA report brings in, as has been stated, the 0-0-2-2 budget. This report brings the same bottom line figure, but with some changes in the internal portion of the budget. That will be up to you to decide on. The third dimension of this is the GCFA report is bringing the recommendation that the almost $5 million that has been recommended by our actions here at this conference, be treated in an apportioned fashion, but as a special Focus 2000 line item, and you, as a house, will then be asked to decide how you want to handle that recommendation as well. Let's be clear. Those are the three items that are before us when we return from our break. I'm going to suggest to us that we will be in session promptly at 20 minutes until 11. You are in recess.

BISHOP RUEDIGER MINOR: Would you please turn in your hymn books to page 848 and let us begin together? Shall we pray Psalm 130? All right.

ANTON ZAKHARCHENKO: [interpreted from Russian] Dear brothers and sisters, I would like to remind you of the tragic event which happened in Ukraine exactly ten years ago. April 26, 1986, a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power station. Many people died. Many became crippled in body and spirit. And people are dying from the results of the radiation in the countries of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia even now. Unfortunately, the majority of the population in those countries has already forgotten this tragedy. Therefore, as a representative of the Russian United Methodist Church, I call upon you to remember those who died in the catastrophe at Chernobyl. The Chernobyl accident has been a warning that we may produce our own apocalypses now. Think of the astonishment of the people in the former Soviet Union that have been living in Biblical illiteracy as they write in the Book of Revelation. I read from the 8th chapter: "The third angel blew his trumpet and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on the third of the rivers and on the fountains of water." The name of this star is Wormwood. Did you know that the word for wormwood in the Ukrainian language is Chernobyl? "A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the water, because it was made bitter." Let us pray, that God will show favor and forgiveness, pardon and restoration. Shall we conclude this moment and pray together with the words of Psalm 85? Page 806 in your hymn book.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Amen. Thank you for leading us in this time of memory that we may be people of vision and faithfulness in days yet ahead. Turn now to Bishop Edwin Boulton for the beginning motion as we proceed.

BISHOP EDWIN BOULTON: Mr. Chairman the understanding that GCFA has is that we have now laid before you and this house the entirety of our report. I would like to ask only that everyone remember that report number 16 will be dealt with as a separate item.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. The motion is before the house properly, and we are on report number 1 which is the World Service report. You'll find it on page 286, coming from GCFA, and we'll turn to the legislative committee for the right of first amendment.

WEEMS: Just so we will all be clear on these next votes that we're taking, if you will look in the blue DCA, page 462. The two columns, one entitled "Amended Report" and one entitled "GCFA Report," both end with the same bottom line. But remember, if you want to vote on these next petitions in such a way to give the result of a 0-0-2-2, budget, you need to decide which of these columns you want to follow. So if you want to follow the amended report, then in cases where the legislative committee has a substitute or an amendment for the GCFA recommendation, you need to vote for that substitute, when the figures are the same, then obviously to vote for that. If, on the other hand, you prefer the GCFA column, you need to vote for the GCFA recommendation and against the legislative committee's substitutes at each point where there is a difference, because if you choose one figure from one column, and then another from another column, you can do that, but we cannot assure that that will result in a 0-0-2-2 budget.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. I think that's clear.

WEEMS: Report number 1, blue DCA, page 461, Calendar Item 1810, and this refers, as Bishop Solomon has pointed out, to the red DCA, page 286, Petition 21111. The committee recommends concurrence as amended. The committee proposes an amendment by substituting the figures on pages 462 and 463 for the World Service Budget found on page 290 of the Advance DCA.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It's properly before us. Does anyone wish to speak to it? I see a delegate on this side. Please go to microphone 9.

ARNOLD A. RHODES (Western Pennsylvania): I rise to speak against the amendment. I received the report of CFA. In our decision making, sometimes its easier just to give everyone the same increase or decrease. However, CFA has studied, has heard the responses of local churches and annual conferences, they have seen the response that persons and local churches have made to the World Service apportionments, and the other apportionments of the church, and have brought forward to us, I think, a fair and reasonable recommendation. Therefore, I would be in nonconcurrence with the amendment.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Yes, you may speak. Please go to microphone 3. Are you speaking for the amendment. A question?

PAT STROMAN (Central Texas): I have a question, Bishop, and possibly an amendment. Those line items on page 463, under program reports. They reflect the same numbers basically as 1996. Now, we voted last month when we were here to reduce the size of the boards, it seems like last month anyway. Why do those figures not reflect the 3 zero percent reduction in meeting costs that I was told we would see?

BISHOP SOLOMON: We will turn to the committee for a response.

SANDRA KELLY LACKORE (general secretary): It was GCFA's understanding in the budgeting process, that because GCOM and the agencies that GCOM represents, that those figures were considered in the budget request that they put forward. That's what GCFA was told.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right.

STROMAN: Then I have a motion. I move that the 13 agencies affected by the downsizing of the membership, have their meetings' budget reduced by a 3zero percent figure, plus 10 percent for inflation, from their 1992-96 budgets. And if I have a second, I'd like to speak to it.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It is seconded. You may speak.

STROMAN: The budget for the meetings for the '92-'96 quadrennium was $11,579,741 and some change. Less 3zero percent, pulls that down to $8,105,819. Adding back 1zero percent will give $8,916,496. That's about three million dollars in savings that will almost pay for the new programs. That will get us back up and it doesn't seem to me to be a very honest thing to say that you're bringing in a zero budget, when you're actually bringing in a larger program budget, you just cut off your meeting budget.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Is there, yes, you may speak. Go to microphone 2 please. Are you speaking against the amendment?

BETH CAPEN (New York): I think I'm speaking against the amendment, but perhaps this is more of a question. My guess is that the meeting costs, particularly in the Board of Global Ministries, is quite high, but my question is, hasn't the Board of Global Ministries already decreased their membership in line with the actions that we've taken, and if so, wouldn't that decrease already be reflected and taken into consideration? And if the answer to that question is yes, then I would speak against this amendment.

BISHOP SOLOMON: The chair is going to turn to our GCFA.

LAKORE: I would defer that to the Board of Global Ministries, Bishop.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Is there someone from Board of Global Ministries that wishes to speak? Yes, I see, microphone 2, please.

RANDOLPH W. NUGENT JR. (New York): The budget of the Board of Global Ministries has already, in this area, been decreased by half. That's what the reduction in the reorganization has done. Furthermore, in the report, I think it's number 16, the GCFA has recognized that and has even said that because of that reduction, other costs can be assigned to that reduction. So the response to Beth Capen's question is, yes, it's in the budget already, at a reduced rate.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. I think that is a matter of information, and not a speech against. We're back on the amendment. Does anyone else wish to speak? I think we're ready to vote. Yes, please go to microphone 3.

JO EVA MCCLELLAN (Kansas West): Before I can vote intelligently, I need to have an explanation of why the episcopacy line item was increased so much more than any of the others in the committee's report, please.

BISHOP SOLOMON: May I inquire, as the chair, are you speaking of an inquiry in relationship to the Stroman motion to reduce the meeting expense, or do you want to defer that until we get back into the World Service report itself?

MCCLELLAN: I will defer that. I thought the other question had been taken care of.

BISHOP SOLOMON: That's all right. We'll come back to you. We're on the Stroman amendment, now, and we'd like to move on to vote on that. Yes, you may go to microphone 4.

SUSAN KERN KESTER (Peninsula-Delaware): I rise to speak against the amendment. I chair the finance committee for the Commission on Communications. For two years we've been looking at our budget. We've been eliminating things that we think we no longer should do, and putting in things that we think we should try new projects. To arbitrarily cut our travel budget and meeting budget, at this point, would be to not recognize what we had already done. I urge the conference not to do something like this that might have adverse effects beyond their knowledge on the individual agencies.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Now I'm going to turn to the legislative committee presenter, and to GCFA for any concluding comments. I think the house is ready to vote on this amendment.

WEEMS: I'd urge defeat of the amendment. The understanding of the legislative committee is that these budgets include meeting expenses but many other things. Those expenses have been reduced, but what we're asking the program boards to do is just what you've done in many of your local churches and many annual conferences. Your budgets have stayed flat, but within that some things have gone up that you felt important to do, and you have paid for them by reducing other things. That's the kind of fiscal management we're asking of the program agencies.

BISHOP SOLOMON: I've been advised that GCFA doesn't see a need to make a comment. Would you please vote when the light appears? [Results: yes, 274; no, 589] The amendment is defeated. We're back on the main motion, and that is the legislative committee recommendation that World Service be identified as per the figures you have on page 462. There is a card in the very back. Would you please go to microphone 15?

SUE SHERBROOKE (Pacific-Northwest): I was a member of that legislative committee, and I have to admit that since we adopted this report I have had a conversion experience. The committee's recommendation was the result of articulate, impassioned pleas from people who know a lot and feel strongly about MEF and the Black College Fund. We did not hear equally effective presentations on behalf of other funds. I respect the process that volunteers on GCFA use to hear and balance competing claims among other very worthy causes. Secondly, most apportioned funds received support in 1995 at 83 percent, 88 percent, 91 percent. It seems to me that the committee's amendment seeks to make up for lower payout less than 81 percent in MEF and Black college, seeks to make up this lower payout rate by raising MEF's asking at the expense of funds that are better supported.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Now the chair is very aware...because I was not clear where our speaker was headed until she was on into the presentation she was making, that she was speaking against the amendment. There has already been one speech against the amendment. I'll be fair about it, and we'll allow for two, in sequence, for the amendment if that happens to be the case. There's a card over here on my far left. Please go to microphone 5.

DALE JONES (Kentucky): Bishop and members of the conference, I wish to offer a motion, and if there is second I would like to speak to it.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Please state your motion.

JONES: I move that the General Conference refer report number 1 along with reports number 2 through 7 from GCFA and report number 16 to the General Council on Finance and Administration, with directions that the total annual and quadrennial totals of these eight apportioned funds be the totals represented in the 0-0-2-2 proposals, the specific numbers to be determined by the General Council on Finance and Administration in connection with the General Council on Ministries.

BISHOP SOLOMON: The chair is going to rule your motion as out of order, the reason being that GCFA report is before us in its entirety, and what they are presenting reflects, in fact, the deliberations that have been undertaken that are consistent with your request. It is the responsibility of this General Conference to vote on this budget; we cannot make a reference. All right? May you turn to number 3.

RUTH HUBER-HOHLS (Central Texas): Thank you Bishop Solomon. We have heard a number of impassioned pleas on behalf of a wide variety of particular groups of people, and all have been in order, and we care for everyone. However, I think there is one group that is feeling forgotten, that the church has, in fact, gotten up and walked away from them and does not look back. There's a group that's feeling very disconnected, that's not here to hear all the rest of this. And those are the people in the local churches, the people in our pews. And I appreciate the effort that GCFA and this legislative committee are each making to try to hear those pleas.

It's unfortunate that the Local Church legislative committee reflecting those concerns will not be heard until this afternoon and, in fact, after the budget has been adopted. I appreciated what Shirley Parris said, and I believe it's true. The people in our churches want desperately to feel a part of our mission, they want desperately to meet the cause of mission in the name of Christ. But my friends, they do not feel that we're hearing them, and I want to submit to us, we must hear or we will be leading and no one will be following.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, there is the opportunity for one more speech for on this particular amendment. I go to the mid section on the far side. Would you please go to microphone 6?

FRANK E. TROTTER JR (Baltimore-Washington): Bishop, I speak in favor of the committee report. I feel we had a good discussion and a fair one, but I think the body needs to know that we did feel there was the need of equity among the line items, and that the hit was coming at the expense of two of the most vulnerable line items: the Black College Fund and the Ministerial Education Fund. As a whole committee, we felt the church needs to take ownership of its seminaries and ownership of reaching out in terms of scholarship assistance to the Black College Fund. I encourage the members of the body to support the committee report to increase these line items in fairness to the whole budget.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, we turn now to the report of the legislative committee. You may speak, followed by GCFA. All right, GCFA, do you wish to speak? We've had two speeches for and two speeches against. The amendment is before us, which is the committee report. Please vote when the light appears. The legislative committee amendment to the primary report prevails by a vote of 656 to 204. That becomes, as it were, then the substitute for the report number one. If you will make that the substitute for the report number one, will you vote when the light appears? Or you may vote not to do that, of course. [773 approved] All right, that becomes adopted as report number one. We go to report number 2.

WEEMS: This is found in blue DCA, page 333, Calendar Item 1050. And it relates to the report in the red DCA, page 291, Petition 21112. The committee proposes an amendment by substituting the following amounts of the annual apportionments found on page 291 of the red DCA. 1997: $27,036,000; 1998: $27,036,000; 1999: $27,476,720; the year 2000: $28,001,280, for a quadrennial total apportionment of $109,550,000.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. That is before us. We did not have the opportunity to hear GCFA make any further comment on their report prior to that, but we will give that opportunity when we come back to this. This is an amendment, in essence, to the GCFA report. Is there someone who wishes to speak on either side? Then I believe it is before us. We'll turn to the committee. You've already made your statement. Would GCFA choose to make a statement? All right. It is before us. You understand, I believe, what you're voting on. Please vote when the light appears. [783 approved] Yes, you have adopted Calendar Item 1050, and we turn now to the next report.

WEEMS: Blue DCA, page 333, Calendar Item 1051, which refers in the red DCA to page 293, Petition 21113. The committee recommends concurrence as amended as follows. The committee proposes an amendment by substituting the following annual apportionment amounts as found on page 293. 1997: $17,800,000; 1998: $10,780,000; 1999: $10,952,488; 2000: $11,169,512, for a quadrennial total of $43,682,000.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It's properly before us. I recognize the delegate in the back. Please go to microphone 8.

WEEMS: Excuse me, Bishop, there's a misprint. OK. What's printed in the blue DCA, page 333, Calendar Item 1051 is incorrect. The figures that should be included are those that are on blue DCA, page 462 for the years 1997 through 2000 for Black College Fund. Those are $10,780,000 in 1997-1998; and in 1999: $10,952,000; and $11,170,000 in 2000.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Thank you, and I believe that was what was being called to our attention a moment ago. It's before us. Does anyone wish to speak? Does GCFA wish to make a comment? I think we're ready to vote. Would you please vote when the light appears? [830 approved] And you have approved Calendar Item 1051. May we proceed?

WEEMS: Cashar Evans will present.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Thank you.

CASHAR W. EVANS JR. (North Carolina): The legislative committee accepts the report of GCFA. And that is found in, it's Calendar Item 1052 in the blue book. Red book, pages 294-296.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Have agreement between both of the committees. I would sense you are ready to vote. Please vote when the light appears. [881 approved] You have approved Calendar Item 1052. May we proceed?

WEEMS: Report number five is found on blue DCA, page 333, Calendar Item 1053. It refers to the red DCA, page 297, Petition 21115.

The committee recommends concurrence as amended by substituting the following annual apportionment amounts for those found on page 285. And again, the figures that are being proposed are the figures found on blue DCA page 462 for the Episcopal Fund. There was some rounding of funds that took place with the approval of the committee after the committee action. So those figures would be: in 1997 $15,059,000; in 1998 $14,945,000; in 1999 $15,699,000; and in 2000 $16,003,000.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. That's before us. I had already accorded a privilege of the floor to a delegate who raised a question in this regard a moment ago. I recognize this delegate now at microphone 3.

JO EVA MCCLELLAN (Kansas West): I would like an explanation of why the four percent increase for the Episcopacy Fund? From the committee report.

BISHOP SOLOMON: We'll turn to the committee for a response.

WEEMS: Perhaps someone from GCFA who worked on those figures might respond.

SALLY BROWN GEIS (Rocky Mountain): If you will look back in the report that starts, you will see that the Episcopal Fund is a different kind of creature than any other report that is before you. The simplest answer, I think to your question, is that the main items that drive the Episcopal Fund are the benefits for the bishops and the number of Episcopal areas.

And we have no control. If you would quit raising the salaries of your own pastors, then we could lower the salaries of the bishops. But since you actually, in local churches...because, if you'll read the amount of salary, we are required to tie the bishops' salaries to the denominational average compensation. And this is how...then we have to squeeze everything else in the Episcopal office. Hope that answers your question.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Thank you very much. We return to the committee's report. It is before us. I believe we are about ready to vote on this, so I'll turn to GCFA to, well, to the committee, any further word from the committee. GCFA do you have a report? Then what we are voting on is the Calendar Item 1053. The committee's amendment is contained in that calendar item, an amendment to the budget. Please vote when the light appears. [793 approved] You have approved Calendar Item 1053. May we proceed?

CASHAR W. EVANS JR. (North Carolina): Bishop, there is agreement in the report number 6. That is Calendar Item 1054 in the blue book. It refers to page 304 in the DCA.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, you have heard the agreement between GCFA and the committee on that. Any comments or questions? I think we're ready to vote. Would you please vote when the light appears. [879 approved] You have approved Calendar Item 1054. May we proceed?

EVANS: There is agreement, also, in report number 7 which is found in the blue book, Calendar Item 1055. And in the red DCA on pages 305 and 306.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It is properly before us. Comments or questions? Please vote when the light appears. [852 approved] You have approved Item 1055. May we proceed?

EVANS: Report number 12 is the budget of GCFA. There is agreement there, also. That is in the blue book, Calendar Item 1056. Refers to page 320 of the red DCA.

BISHOP SOLOMON: You've heard the word, agreement. Any questions or comments? Please vote when the light appears. [874 approved] You have approved Calendar Item 1056. All right. May we proceed?

EVANS: Agreement, also, in report number 8. It is Calendar Item 1057 in the blue book. Referring to pages 307 and 308 of the red DCA.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. It's before us. Please vote when the light appears. [861 approved] You have approved Calendar Item 1057. May we proceed?

EVANS: Report number 9 is Special Sundays With Offering. Agreement there, also.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Calendar item?

EVANS: Calendar Item 1058.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. It's before us. You've heard agreement on both parties. Please vote when the light appears. [861 approved] You've approved 1058. May we proceed? Bishop Boulton.

BISHOP EDWIN C. BOULTON: I move the adoption of reports number 10, 11, and 14 together, in single action, growing largely out of the fact that the legislative committee has recommended concurrence with these three reports.

BISHOP SOLOMON: These have all been agreed to. This is a motion that is now before us. I believe we're ready to vote. Please vote when the light appears. [872 approved] You have confirmed these reports 10, 11, and 13.

BISHOP BOULTON: Brother chair, and friends, as the result of the action you've just taken, I'd like to report that Calendar Item 1811 in your blue DCA, page 461, which contains an amendment to the GCFA report number 13, which has also had the concurrence of the legislative committee be adopted, sir.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Calendar Item 1811 is before us. We have agreement on all parties. I believe. Yes, please go to microphone 3.

DONALD E. MESSER (Rocky Mountain): I believe that's, to make sure I'm speaking 461, 1811?

BISHOP SOLOMON: I'll turn to Bishop Boulton.

BISHOP BOULTON: That is correct, page 461.

MESSER: If you'll turn to page 464, where the amendment continues, I move to delete three words in the third sentence; those three words being "or formally members for." So it would read, "None who are presently staff with any general board or agency will be considered." If I have a second, I would speak on it.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Is it seconded? You may speak.

MESSER: I opposed this originally, this insertion, and I do so again on the floor of this General Conference. For us to adopt those words has the impact of eliminating all persons who have previously served on any of our general boards and agencies since 1972.

This particularly would strike at our efforts to empower women and ethnic minorities who have served in any way, shape, or form during those many years. I believe this is not in the interest of our church, or in the informed action of the GCFA. The GCFA still has the power to appoint persons. I'm sure they will select persons who are informed, intelligent, active, local members; but it would not in any way discriminate against all those who have served in some way in our great church. Thank you.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. This is a amendment by deletion. Does someone wish to speak against the amendment. This card in the back, would you please go to microphone 13.

MORRIS F. MATTHIS (Texas): The manner about which apportionment funds are gathered is one of intense importance to local churches. It may affect local churches, our connection may affect local churches, no more importantly in that way perhaps other than the appointment of pastors.

The connectional issues study and the listening report of the GCFA both indicate that we may be winning the pocketbooks of members and ministers of local churches, but not necessarily their hearts. This set-up, this approach, allows adequate representation by members of the general boards; but it also ensures adequate representation of those who will view this particularly from the local church perspective. The legislative committee agreed with this approach, and I would encourage this conference to do the same.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. It's before us. Do you wish to speak for the motion? Go to microphone 9.

JEROME K. DEL PINO (New England): Bishop, I would take extreme exception to the notion that persons who have served faithfully on the general boards of this denomination, particularly since its inception of the structure we currently have since 1972, that their service is in any way, shape, form, or fashion antithetical with what it means to identify with the local church.

That logic, to me, seems to be, at best, spurious, and at worst, inflammatory. I would suggest that we, in our need of having experience, we are in need of having all persons at the table, and if we are not prepared to do that, the denomination itself will be the poorer for it. I would hope, as well, that as we cast this vote, we will be mindful of the fact that every source of division within the body is one that will have a ripple effect. I think the local church is amply represented in this General Conference, and will be represented exceedingly well on this Connectional Issues Study group. I would hope that we would affirm this deletion.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Is there someone who wishes to speak against the amendment? Yes, you may go to microphone 4.

KARL K. STEGALL (Alabama-West Florida): Eight years ago a young layman from the Kentucky Conference, or state of Kentucky, brought a petition before this General Conference for a feasibility study. Little did he realize that over the past eight years we've spent over $1 million over the issue of whether or not we should relocate the General Board of Global Ministries.

Over the past four years this committee of site selection has been half of the cause the former chair of the General Board of Global Ministries committee to assassinate that report, became the chairman of the Site Selection Committee. And this may have been the greatest scam ever perpetuated on the life of The United Methodist Church because of the misunderstanding. I think we, as a General Conference, need to make sure that there's no vested interest on any former person who has served on general boards on issues such as these that might come before us, and I wanted to speak to that issue.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Now let the chair see if I can help the house out. We, earlier this morning, it has been brought to my attention, approved this language exactly as it is printed here in this DCA, on the Consent Calendar. Without the knowledge of that, we have proceeded to have this discussion.

In all fairness, I'm going to return to Don Messer, and give him the opportunity, if he chooses it...and if he voted on the prevailing side for the approval of the Consent Calendar, to state a motion for the reconsideration of this particular item on the Consent Calendar for the purposes for which we have been involved in this parliamentary situation. Would you care to do that, Dr. Messer, if in fact you voted on the prevailing side of the Consent Calendar.

MESSER: I presume because of the vote, yes I did. I opposed it in the session, but later approved it. So, yes I would, and would make such an appeal.

BISHOP SOLOMON: The house is understanding that a motion has been made and seconded for reconsideration of this item on the Consent Calendar. If you will consider this, reconsider this item, please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 564; no, 336] Reconsideration is approved. Now the chair is going to take the liberty of suggesting that we have already heard the conversations on both sides of this. I'm going to turn to the committee chair and to GCFA chair and then call for the vote.

BISHOP BOULTON: GCFA stands by the language that we have inserted, sir.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, and then the committee? No. The committee does not wish to...The amendment is before us, and the amendment is for the deletion of the words: "for formerly members are" and please vote when the light appears. If you favor the amendment, you will vote for it. If you are opposed to it, you'll vote against is. Please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 467; no, 424] Let's hear the point of order, please. Would you go to microphone 9. I'm sorry, microphone 10 will be fine.

GLENN KOHLHEPP (Western Pennsylvania): Bishop, you're doing an excellent job, but it seems to me a referral motion takes a two-thirds vote.

BISHOP SOLOMON: We had a motion before us. If I stated it a referral, I stated it incorrectly, and I apologize to the house. The motion was for reconsideration. It takes a simple majority. We're in order. Now, then, we shall proceed to vote again, since there was some question prior to vote being raised. If you are in favor of this amendment, then you would obviously vote, "yes." Opposed, vote "no." Please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 506; no, 415] The Messer amendment prevails.

All right, that becomes a part of the main motion of the committee report. We're back on the main motion of the committee report. We'll invite either the chair or someone else to make a comment prior to our voting on this particular Calendar Item 1811 on page 461 in your blue book. Committee or the chair?

TRACY MERRICK: No, sir.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. It's before us. Please vote when the light appears. [793 approved] And it is approved. May we continue now on our report?

MERRICK (Western Pennsylvania): I would like to place before you report number 15. It is found in your blue DCA beginning on page 660. Again, just to make sure you're aware of what is in here. These are the referrals to GCFA based on your actions. So far this General Conference, and these particular items will be found, or we have found homes for them to cover them within the budget that you have already adopted at the 0-0-2-2 level. I would move adoption of this report.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, this report is before us. Other committee reports? Did the legislative committee wish to make a comment on this? All right, it's before us. I believe we're ready to vote. If you'll vote when the light appears. [862 approved] You have approved these reports. We'll continue.

MERRICK: I'd like to place before you now report number 16 for Focus 2000. It was the document that was on your desks when you arrived this morning. And just to make sure you're aware, again, of what we're talking about here. This is the additional apportioned fund which would total $4,760,000 over the quadrennium. These particular four items do not have a home in the 0-0-2-2 budget. But would be above and beyond that. Amounting to a total increase of 2.6 percent over the '96 level.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It's the chair's understanding that these items are properly before us. That they are coming as an apportioned, special line item and we can proceed now to discuss these. These are coming from GCFA. I'm going to turn first and ask the committee if they have any comment. None from the legislative committee. Certainly available to the house. I saw a card, here. Yes? The gentleman standing. Please go to microphone 9.

JAMES BRANSCOME (Virginia): I would like to propose an amendment that we change the title of this fund to "Missional Initiatives/Focus 2000" and I would like to speak to that if it's seconded.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Is it seconded? All right, it's before us. You may speak.

BRANSCOME: The reason I make this proposal is as treasurer of a conference that has 1,200 and some churches, I do not relish the idea of going back to the conference and trying to interpret the fact that we have, for the third quadrennium in a row, created a new apportion fund. We did Africa University two quadrenniums ago, we did Missional Initiatives last time. This year, I would like to keep the title of Missional Initiatives so that it does not seem like we keep creating over and over, new apportionments.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. That's a speech for. Is there further conversation regarding this amendment? Yes?

MERRICK: On behalf of GCFA, I'd like to indicate that we accept this amendment of this change in term.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Well, I would have to put that to the house. Is there objection in the house to that being accepted? I do not hear an objection from the house. So then, with that being the situation, we will include this in your report, and we're back on the main motion. Missional Initiative/Focus 2000 is before us. All right. Would you? Yes? Second delegate over here, microphone 3.

NANCY CUCKLER (East Ohio): This is just a question concerning the focus on young people. Based on my assumption, I always thought GCOM was the oversight committee. Will they be developing the programs contained, or which will be contained, under the $3 million, or will they be assigning those funds to other agencies under them?

BISHOP SOLOMON: We'll turn to the committee for a response.

MERRICK: Would someone from GCOM respond to that?

BISHOP SOLOMON: Is there someone from GCOM who would wish to make...Can you answer that question for us? Please go to microphone 9.

PETER D. WEAVER (Western Pennsylvania): As you will recall, the proposal, the shared mission focus on young people has a shared mission focus team, which is independently composed through a nomination and voting process through jurisdictions and central conferences. It will report to the General Council on Ministries. As a shared missions focus, this involves all the boards and agencies as well as conferences of the denomination and the General Council on Ministries is the coordinating agency when we have matters which involve all of those various entities.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Thank you. I'll take that as a question and an answer. Delegate, here, yes. You may go to microphone 9.

MONA MAE WAYMIRE (Oklahoma): I rise to ask a question, Bishop. It is in regard to the focus on the young people. I notice that in that there was a $2.4 million item for staff development, for staff training, as well as for pilot programs in ten different conferences. I would like to know more about what percentage of the pilot programs are of that $2.4 million.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. That is an inquiry.

MERRICK: Could we ask someone from GCOM to respond to that?

BISHOP SOLOMON: Ask GCOM representative to make a response, please?

MERRICK: Is Don Hayashi here?

BISHOP SOLOMON: Microphone 9.

WEAVER: I'd like to yield to those who made that motion. As you may recall, this particular extension of the GCOM proposal came from young people and workers with young people. It was developed independently, and I think those who developed that portion of what we're voting on ought to respond to that question.

BISHOP SOLOMON: If you are the one person to represent that group with this information, would you raise your card? Yes, you may go to microphone 7.

JEFF QUICK (North Arkansas): I may need to refer to June Wilson or to Jackie Euper at some point, but it is my understanding that the $2.4 million, which will be overseen by the Shared Mission Team, will be to develop pilot programs through funding trained staff persons in ten local churches and ten conferences, annual conferences, none of which would be the same annual conference, and that those programs would then come back together on an annual basis, those twenty individuals, and share together the ministry that has come out of their individual programs.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Thank you very much. We're back on the main report. And I see a delegate, far side. Yes, would you go to microphone 7, or microphone 6 is fine.

CHARLES COURTOY (Florida): First a question, then possibly a motion, Bishop. Is it my understanding that this Focus 2000 will raise the bottom line beyond the 0-0-2-2?

BISHOP SOLOMON: The chair would understand that as a correct understanding.

COURTOY: Then I would like to move that we include this initiative within that 0-0-2-2 amount and reduce World Service and General Finance and Administration budgets proportionately in order to accomplish that. If I get a second, I'd like to speak to that.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Is it seconded? It is seconded. You may speak.

COURTOY: Bishop, we have to make hard decisions. When we begin to get excited about program and ministry, and it's evident that this General Conference has been very much interested in youth and the other three that are identified in this initiative, and that's great and fine. But we have to make decisions that we can live with back home. I come from a conference that requested through petition that we not raise budgets more than what we received in the last quadrennium. If we adopt this, we will have raised by 6.7 percent the amount over the last quadrennium. We will have increased by nine tenths percent the amount over which we had all agreed in the committee. I urge you to support this amendment.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Would you hold at the microphone for just a moment? The chair needs to make an inquiry, and that is whether your amendment affects everything related to report number 16 or only the youth portion of it that we have been discussing.

COURTOY: It would be everything in report 16.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, it's properly before us. The chair would also point out that since we have already adopted the World Service budget, should you adopt this amendment then it will be necessary to reconsider the vote we took on the World Service amendment. We'll work this out parliamentarily; we don't need to be antsy about how we do that right now. Let's keep focused on the amendment that is before us, and that is the adoption of this report 16 to be folded into the report on World Service that we adopted previously. I recognize the delegate on this far side. Would you please go to microphone 5?

WILLIAM B. LUX (Iowa): I stand to oppose the amendment that would reduce World Service. Some of us live and pray and are United Methodists because of World Service. Please refuse to adopt this amendment.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, that's a speech against. Is there a speech for that you wish to make? Very back. Delegate, will you please go to microphone 13, please?

DONALD W. UNDERWOOD (North Texas): I know that peoples' eyes tend to glaze over when we talk about dollars. But the 0-0-2-2 that we've already adopted represents a 2 zero percent increase over the 1995 dollars that were actually collected. The fact of the matter is that we have 19 annual conferences that in 1995 paid less than 8 zero percent of their apportionments. Using GCFA numbers, the total fund balances for our general agencies increased in 1995 from $294 million to $320 million. The report provided by GCFA indicates that the Board of Global Ministries had a surplus in 1995, using (unintelligible) numbers of $28 million. I would suggest that these initiatives are good initiatives, but they can be funded in two ways: through the extra reserves that are already present in our general boards and agencies, and through the actual payments by our annual conferences. If people want these, then let them go home and pay with their dollars, vote with their dollars, rather than voting here and then not funding them. Thank you.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. The delegate in the far back. Are you wanting to speak against the amendment? You may go to microphone 9.

GABRIELLE MALLORY (West Ohio): I'm speaking against this amendment. And I ask that you take the first step in making youth and young people a priority. Without youth and young people, we have no investment in the future of our church. Funds from the church have helped my development as a Christian and in career planning for Christian vocations. I urge you to support the increase of the youth and young adult focus.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. We're at two speeches for and two speeches against on this amendment. Let the chair remind the house that the amendment calls for the folding in of the entire total amount of Focus 16 Missional Initiative into the existing budgets we have already adopted. Those budgets would be World Service and General Administration budget. I turn to the chair of the committee and to the chair of GCFA for any comments they wish to make before we vote.

MERRICK: Oh, just comment that we do have the budgets we have already adopted. We in GCFA feel they are fair, and to try to fold these items in would put a real strain on some of those agencies.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, does anyone from GCFA wish to speak.

ELLEN BRUBAKER (Western Michigan): For World Service, I beg of you not to do this. I am excited about the special initiatives that we have all talked about. I believe in the youth initiative program; I believe we can do it. But, I have heard all of the excitement about the funding that is already there in World Service that needs to continue in our world-wide ministry. We can do the extra if we only will understand that we have generous hearts.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Now we're at the point...Excuse me, is there...yes?

WILLIAM WHITE: I'm the General Administration Fund. There is no money in the General Administration fund, and I don't believe the maker of the motion identified it, I think it's extremely important for the General Conference to understand that this is not a game that we have been playing here, but an attempt to honestly represent to this General Conference the financial situation of the general boards and agencies. And by making a motion doesn't make the money materialize in the General Administration Fund.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, is this a question or a point of order that we had a card here? Point of information, we'll take that. Please go to microphone 2.

REBECCA C. YOUNGBLOOD (Mississippi): The point of information I would request relates to the comment that was made about reserve funds being available. It is not my understanding that there are unrestricted reserve funds available in the General Board of Global Ministries, and I would just like to have clarification on that.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It is properly before us. Someone wish to speak to that inquiry?

MERRICK: Bishop, Sandra is willing to address that.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Surely.

LAKORE: Without getting into a complete analysis of the fund balance report, when this question was asked in the legislative committee, we responded that the implementation of federal accounting bureau standards, which The United Methodist Church has been very proactive in implementing in the financial statements of the boards and agencies, has resulted in changes in increased financial positions because of those accounting standards. Now we can have our comptroller speak to that if you would like more technical language.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Would we have...The secretary will now read the motion that is before us. Let's please listen.

CAROLYN MARSHALL: The motion is that the Focus 2000 be folded into the 0-0-2-2 bottom line budget by reducing World Service and General Administration apportioned funds proportionately.

BISHOP SOLOMON: I believe the motion is properly before us, and I believe we are now ready to vote. Please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 333; no, 585] The motion does not prevail. We are back to the committee report. Let's see if we can wrap this up. All right. Yes, you may speak at microphone 2.

CHARLES B. SIMMONS (Louisiana): I would ask that we would vote on this individually a seriatim--the motion that is before us.

BISHOP SOLOMON: That's a request to do that, but the chair would not presume to suggest that's a procedure we'll follow unless the house wanted to follow that procedure. So I'll just simply put the vote to the house. If you want to vote on this seriatim and not in its entirety as a whole, you'll vote yes; if not vote no. Please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 319; no, 589]

So, you have chosen to take the report in its entirety. We'll proceed in that manner. I'll go to the very far back here. Please go to microphone 8.

JOE KILPATRICK (North Georgia): I just continue to be a little bit confused about what's going to be done with this 2.4 million and would like to ask for more information. If I understood the answer previously, we're talking about 10 churches being selected from across the conference and giving them each, what would be an average of $60,000 per year. That's an interesting number. I'm confused as to what--would you hire a youth minister, would you buy musical instruments, would you have trips for youth. I'd just like to know what the plans are to do with that $60,000 per year per church.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, we'll turn to the committee for any response they want to make.

MERRICK: This question was asked of GCOM rep. Don Hayashi. He addressed it before us, and we feel, if he is present, that he would be able to give the best answer.

BISHOP SOLOMON: We'll yield to Don Hayashi if he is present. All right, I think we'll proceed on then in the report. The report in its...

MERRICK: Don is coming.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Ah, Don is coming. We'll...is there any objection to hearing from Don Hayashi? Hearing none, will you please proceed to microphone 15.

DON HAYASHI: I'm on the staff of GCOM. It is our understanding that the explanation has been given by the person who made the motion, and that is the information which is available at this time to GCOM.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Thank you very much. The report in its entirety now is before us. We're dealing with it as a whole. You may speak to any portion of it; of course you may proceed to make decisions relating to it. Yes, in the middle here. Correct, would you please go to microphone 3.

AARON M. GRAY (Rocky Mountain): Bishop, I rise to speak in favor of what is before us, and I celebrate the change to Mission Initiative, Focus 2000. I really believe that we can leave this General Conference with a story to tell to our local churches of what happened in the past quadrennium as a result of the mission initiative. We can begin to talk about what happened with the Native American Awareness Plan, the National Hispanic Plan, the Shalom Zone, the Drug and Substance Abuse Program. Even though it wasn't funded to a hundred percent, some real ministry took place as a result of the Mission Initiative Fund. Now we can begin to share with our local churches a new adventure that will be happening, that will work to strengthen racial minority congregations, that will respond to local churches in terms of their concern of how we relate to the general church, and then most of all, a plan that really attempts to reach out and meet the needs of young people. I know that the money is a question, but I do not believe that the sun is setting on The United Methodist Church. I believe that we are heading toward the dawn, and I urge us to support this fund. Thank you.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, I'm going to go to the very back of the plenary hall and ask the delegate to go to number 13. Are you speaking for or against?

EWING WERLEIN JR. (Texas): I propose to amend GCFA report number 16, on page 3, second paragraph, Item 3, where it reads, "$2.4 million for salary of trained and qualified staff to craft ministry with young people for the future and for these staff people to meet together on an annual basis for the review of the program," etc. And I wish to amend it by deletion of that item, number 3. And if there is a second, I would like to speak briefly to it.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It is seconded. You may speak.

WERLEIN: I know that yesterday when Jeff Quick brought this to our attention, we responded with enthusiasm for him and for the concept of doing something new and better for youth. That's something that all of us want to do. But when we get down to it, as we have seen in the responses made this morning, there's not a well-defined or clearly understood program to advance.

Second, we know that ministry is best done in the local church. $2.4 million for trained and qualified staff to craft ministry with young people is not really what the church needs now. Jeff was asked yesterday, where's the money going to come from? He was not sure, at the time, but the money comes from the churches, churches that need a youth director, churches that need youth programs, and are unable, due to these kinds of apportionments, to afford them.

And I think we're better off leaving with our churches, this $2.4 million, at least until we see a better crafted program, a better devised program, as to how we're going to improve youth ministry by directing it from some several staff members that get together and meet from time to time about what they're doing.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Thank you. I recognize, go to microphone 4, please. Are you speaking against the amendment?

DANIEL GRIFFITH (East Ohio): Yes sir I am. As we sit here today, seeing the light at this end of the tunnel approach more and more quickly, I have been proud to have felt affirmed both here in this room and in all the other activities I have been privileged to be a part of. I thank you all for that. Many have stood at the podium here on the floor and spoken about something we all know is true, the youth and young adults throughout this denomination are not only the church of tomorrow, but able and willing to be a part of that ministry today.

As we look at such diverse issues as church growth and ethnic settings, increased participation in mission, and the fostering of future clergy, we find that they all have one definitive element in common. They all deeply depend on how much the church decides to commit itself to its young persons. Part of that commitment is the support that we feel when in these kinds of settings, and again I say thank you. But the other, equally as important half, is the fiscal commitment that must be made.

In East Ohio we have been gifted with a very strong youth program. One of the more primary reasons that ministry exists so effectively is because our annual conference has given us a full-time staff person who does $180,000 worth of programming after only being given $18,000 initially, something that not every annual conference here has. Just one example of the wonderful things that can be done with full support, the lives that can be touched, and further proof that the higher the expectation, the greater the achievement. We ask today, as we have asked before, and will ask again, that this General Conference give a full commitment, a full commitment, to those who are to carry on the message of Jesus Christ.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. The amendment has had one speech for and one speech against. Does anyone wish to speak on the amendment. Yes, a delegate here. Please go to microphone 8.

JAY BRIM (Southwest Texas): I rise to speak for the amendment. The problem here is not the program that we all support. The problem is the lack of planning that has gone into the presentation of this request. GCFA has gone to a great deal of trouble over this four year quadrennium to lead all the boards, commissions, and general agencies in a good planning process that allowed them to come forward with a 0- 0-2-2 budget. What we're being asked to do today is to give $2.4 million to a very good idea that is not yet well planned. Delegates, we need to stand together to say to our churches that we have been good stewards while we were here voting, and that we looked not only to the goodness of the idea, but to the wellness of the planning.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. I recognize the delegate here. Go to microphone number 3. Are you speaking against the amendment?

CAROLYN DOVE (Louisiana): Yes. I speak against the amendment, but I also come to speak to give information. This $2.4 million would be used in 10 conferences to train conference persons to in turn, train those churches within their conferences. It would also be used for 10 local churches to help train those personnel to work in the local churches.

When we speak of staff people, there are staff people on all levels that would be working together, so when we look at the number, I think the number was used 10 churches, $60,000. No. We're talking about 10 local churches, 10 conferences, and I don't know the number that that would include, that your $60,000 would go toward. So we're talking about a ripple effect of training and helping the youth of our General Conference.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. We've had two speeches for and two against. I'm going to turn to GCFA and to the committee for any concluding comments that you wish to make. This is on the Werlein amendment.

TRACY MERRICK (Western Pennsylvania): On behalf of GCFA, I'd just like to indicate to you, that in bringing this to you in this form, we are trying to be responsive to the vote of the General Conference.

BISHOP SOLOMON: GCFA, do you wish to make a comment? All right, we're on the amendment, by deletion, of this item number 3 on page 3. I believe it's clearly before us. The amendment is for the deletion of the $2.4 million. Please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 436; no, 472]

You have defeated the amendment 48 to 52 percent. We're now on the main motion. There has been one speech for, there have been no speeches on the opposing side. The main portion is the entirety of report number 16. I go to the, yes, right here, yes, exactly so, please, would you come to microphone 7.

SUSAN HASSINGER (Eastern Pennsylvania): I have a motion to amend. I move that $1.375 million of the mission initiative Focus 2000 be designated as Advance projects as follows: $300,000 for the Asian American Language Ministry Study, $70,000 of the Korean American Task Force dollars, and $1 million from the Focus on Young People dollars, and that the remaining $3.385 million be apportioned across the quadrennium, 1 percent, 2 percent, 1 percent, and zero percent. If there's a second, I'd like to explain the rationale.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Is there a second? It is a seconded properly before us.

HASSINGER: I think there's been a sense of excitement about the missional programs. We also recognize that among portions of our local church populations, there is excitement about designated giving as opposed to apportionment giving, especially where missional priorities are concerned.

My motion also takes into consideration both that excitement and concern for local churches and annual conferences in their financial pinch. Furthermore, it puts up dollars up front, as initiative begins and before Advance dollars would come in.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Would you stay for just a moment, and let the chair be clear? Are you recommending in your motion, that of the $3.8 million remaining, that that be apportioned on ratio through the items of report number 16.

HASSINGER: Yes.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, thank you very much. It's before us.

HASSINGER: And may I also say, my dollars may be approximate on the number of millions.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. Yes, you may go to microphone 3. Thank you very much. We'll hear discussion if you wish to have it on this amendment.

CHARLES D. YOOST (East Ohio): I commend the General Council on Finance and Administration on their efforts to listen to the church and to hold the line on the budget of the general church. I would be happy to go home and tell my district that there will be no increase in the first two years of the quadrennium, and only a modest two percent for the last two years.

However, I cannot get out of my mind what Bishop Boulton said in yesterday's devotions. "The United Methodist Church is parked illegally in a handicapped parking zone." I believe that we are having financial problems because we are having spiritual problems. We have vast resources as a denomination and as individual persons. The report of the General Council on Ministries coming earlier in the quadrennium indicated that United Methodists have more disposable income now than at any other time in the history of the denomination. It's time to support the priorities that we have lifted up in General Conference and get The United Methodist Church out of the handicapped zone.

Our Asian American brothers and sisters are a growing edge of our church. Our youth cannot wait, they're growing up, whether we are influencing them in the church or not. I urge your defeat of this amendment. It will be hard enough to raise this money as an apportionment let alone as an Advance Special, and I urge your full support of Focus 2000.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right, that was a speech against. Someone wish to.., yes, in the center here, go to microphone 8 please.

JUNE MCCULLOUGH (Southern New Jersey): Bishop, I move to suspend the rules and vote on all that is before us.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Is there a second?

One of the concerns that the chair has on that, and I just want the house to be clear, we've dealt with amendments we really haven't dealt with the report in it's entirety. Speeches before, speeches after. However, I think you're in order if you wish to suspend the rules. We're going to proceed to vote on that. If you favor suspending the rules in order to vote on all that is before us, meaning Report number 16, am I correct in that? Yes that is what I am understanding. Then would you please vote when the light appears? Requires two-thirds vote. [Results: yes, 660; no, 251] You have sustained suspension of the rules in order that we vote on all that's before us.

The first item before us now is the amendment. The amendment before us, as the chair understands it, would be that in relationship to Report number 16 of these total figures, $1.375 million would be used in Advance funding; $300,000, Asian language; $70,000, Korean language; $1 million for youth; the remaining $3.8 million would be apportioned. The apportionment formula would be 1 percent, 2 percent, 1 percent, zero. That's the chair's understanding of this amendment, and it is now before us. In keeping with our procedures, I am going to ask if the chair of either GCFA or the legislative committee wishes to make a comment.

MERRICK: Only that we place it before the body.

BISHOP SOLOMON: It's before the house. Would you please vote when the light appears? Yes? Is there a point of order? Please state your point of order. Go to microphone 2.

RANDOLPH W. NUGENT (New York): The Advance is designated by the Discipline to be a General Board of Global Ministries fund. These particular programs are not in the general--one of the programs is not a designated program. Therefore, I'm asking for ruling as to whether that action which we're facing would apply with reference to the third sector.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Chair would understand that the designation of the Advance actually occurs as a joint initiative between GBGM and GCOM, and there would have to be some enabling motion to provide for action on this if that's the will of the body to try to direct this. We can refer in appropriate manner. You as a committee are free to respond. All right. The amendment is before us. Would you please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 426; no, 493]

The amendment does not prevail. We are back on the main motion. The main motion before the house is Report number 16 in its entirety. I'll invite the chair of GCFA and the legislative committee to make any concluding comments.

MERRICK: Just that we would urge it's adoption, as it stands at this point.

BISHOP SOLOMON: That's from the legislative committee. Now from GCFA. All right. Am I understanding you're speaking for GCFA?

MERRICK: Yes that's, that's the understanding.

BISHOP SOLOMON: So this Report number 16 is now before us. Please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 667; no, 258] It prevails.

All right. Now then I turn to the committee. Are there other items on the GCFA and legislative committee report that deal with this? Then the chair would entertain us to vote. You've adopted all of these items individually legislative committees. I believe that that covers it in its entirety. The adoption of the report as a whole has already occurred because we've adopted all the parts. We're going to move on in our calendar items unless there is a point of clarification or a point of order. Yes? Would you please go to microphone 3?

JEROLD W. VOGT (Kansas West): Bishop and members of the General Conference, I have a question, Bishop, that may be a motion that I'd like to ask if that would be in order.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Well surely. State your question and then we'll see where we go from there.

VOGT: My question is, if any place in the reports that we've received at General Conference, that there are any figures that let us know the amount of balances or reserves in the various boards that we've been talking about?

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. We'll turn to the General Secretary of GCFA for a response.

SANDRA LACKORE: Yes. Those reports were before you as requested by the last General Conference and they can be found starting on page 1146.

BETH TAYLOR: 1145.

LACKORE: This is Beth Taylor our controller. She's got laryngitis. And I apologize--1145, and they were in the DCA that you received on your desk when you arrived.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Thank you. All right. And may the chair just take a moment to acknowledge in the reference a moment ago to changing in standard accounting procedures. Prior to this time our assets in our boards and agencies have been able to be listed as book value on the purchase. They now have to be listed as book value in regard to fair market price. It means that the assets appear to be significantly, as they are, increased over when they were bought. When you look at that, you see the resources of the boards and agencies to reflect more than they have ever reflected. It's simply an accounting procedure you might want to know that as the house. We're going to turn now, unless it's a point of order or inquiry, to the next calendar item which will be presented. Excuse me.

SANDRA LACKORE: GCFA is impressed, Bishop, with the level of expertise of the chair.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Well, all right. We're going to go on now. (applause) Thank you. All right we turn now to, I believe there that there is a point of personal privilege. It was designed to be on the Calendar for 12:15 and the fact of the matter is we are at that point and we have agreed to honor this request. You have been a very wonderful and patient, and helpful body as we have worked through a major budgeting process this morning. I want to express appreciation to you, I want to express appreciation and gratitude to Bishops Oden and Blake who have backed me up, and I want to turn now to a calendar item that's really an order of the day and a matter of personal privilege relating to the EUB anniversary and we'll hear from Mark Conrad. Thank you. Excuse me, Mark Conard. That is microphone 4 please.

MARK CONARD (Kansas West): Bishop, delegates and friends and visitors of this General Conference. I am vice president of the Historical Society of the United Methodist Church. I want to express appreciation for the recognition of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the EUB Church earlier this week. That is deeply appreciated. I also want to note that an action taken on the Consent Calendar that this General Conference has approved the designation of what is now First United Methodist Church in Johnstown, Pa., as a heritage landmark of the denomination. It was there in November, 1946, that the EUB Church came into being. And in recognition of this designation and in honor of this anniversary, I want to ask the greetings of the General Conference be sent to First United Methodist Church in Johnstown, to the Johnstown District, and the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference.

Further, I would encourage that upon our return home, delegates to this General Conference take the opportunity, as it may become possible to make note of this anniversary in the sessions of their annual conferences and jurisdictional conferences. In so doing, we express our thanks to God for the lasting heritage and lively witness of the EUB Church, which is now a blessing for all of God's people known as United Methodists. Thank you.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. It's my understanding...[applause] Thank you very much. And we celebrate the word you share. It's my understanding that there is a need to suspend the rules for the allowing of cards to be shared regarding the next General Conference. At least for these to be placed on the tables during the lunch hour. By a show of hands, would you suspend the rules for this purpose? Opposed, would you register your dissent. And the rules are suspended for the purpose of allowing cards welcoming the next General Conference to East Ohio to be placed at the tables during the lunch hour. All right. Yes? In the very back, here. Please go to microphone 9.

LOVETT WEEMS (Missouri West): A question. When would a motion be in order dealing with what we have just dealt with and the process that we've used for future General Conferences?

BISHOP SOLOMON: Were it not for the fact that we have a few minutes, I would say sometime later today, but I think we have a few minutes, so I'll recognize you to make a motion.

WEEMS: Yes. I move that the General Council on Finance and Administration and the appropriate committee of the General Conference develop, for the 2000 General Conference, deadlines for any proposals with financial commitments, so they can be considered by GCFA and the Financial Administration Committee during the first week of General Conference. If there's a second, I would like to speak to it.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Is there a second? It is seconded. You may speak.

WEEMS: Bishop and members of the conference, as we celebrate the important efforts that we have just funded, I do have a concern about the process. I'm thinking about the persons who over a long time have been a part of a budgeting process where budgets have been brought down and down and down, where person had to go back and reformulate plans for much smaller amounts of money than we've just voted, where meticulous questions were asked and tremendous accountability was required before any funds would get into the budget.

And here in the last few days of the conference, after the legislative committee has completed its work, and when GCFA has to meet during a mealtime to consider millions of dollars, that is a problem. Again, the concern is not with what we have approved, but I believe that if these matters had been before us, they would have been addressed. But I also believe we would have come out with budget shaped differently so that all the items could have been on the table at the same time for consideration.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. That motion is before us. Now, the chair has a sense of the body that you're either in favor of this motion or you're opposed to it, and you've come to your mind on that without further speeches. Please vote when the light appears. (laughter) [Results: yes, 756] That motion is approved. All right. Yes? You may go to microphone 3.

BECKY HAASE (California-Pacific): I'd like to request a moment of personal privilege. This is the fifth General Conference I have attended either as a delegate or as an alternate. I came to this General Conference with a great deal of apprehension about what I thought might be happening during these two weeks. I'm very pleased that, although certainly not all the decisions have gone in the directions I would like them to, that the mood and the spirit of this General Conference has been one of being able to listen to each other out of our diversity.

There are two groups, however, that I feel I would like to lift up at this time, as two groups that I feel have particularly given us some prophetic leadership. I would like to lift them and express my gratitude and perhaps the General Conference would agree with me. The first is members of the Council of Bishops who I think have given us particularly prophetic word at this particular conference. And the second group is our youth and young adults. And I am grateful for the enthusiasm, which I use here in a theological term, that is leading us into the next quadrennium. And I thank you all for that.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Thank you for sharing that word. We receive it gratefully. (applause) All right. We had a delegate here to microphone 1, please.

RICHARD E. REEVES (Central Illinois): Personal privilege. I'm also on African University Board of Directors, as you know. The joy and excitement we felt when the African University choir sang for us still fills our hearts, because we, under God's blessing and guidance, get to be involved in this great ministry and mission of the church. You already know the request for the 1997-2000 quadrennium is the same as the previous quadrenniums, $10 million from apportionment, $10 million from World Service and Special Gifts.

I think we need to know that after prior claims, the university received less than $8 million from our giving in each of the previous quadrenniums from apportionment, and less than $4 million each quadrennium from World Service. The university needs the full amounts requested from both sources if it is to grow as planned to fulfill the need. The amounts requested for both funds is approximately 60 cents per member, per year. The equivalent of a cup of coffee or a Coke once a year. There has been a wonderful response for buildings and from voluntary mission teams for which we are most grateful. The need for operation and endowment funds for scholarships and student aid continues.

When we return home, let's do these three things. First, make sure our own churches and conferences pay their apportionment for Africa University. Second, pay our share of our World Service Special Gift for Endowments. And third, pray for Africa University and especially for its students, now and in the future, that they may achieve their hopes and their potential.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. I have a card right here. You may go to microphone 8.

JOHN HOPKINS (South Indiana): I appreciate you for having the "wisdom of Solomon" in this session, but there's (laughter and applause)

BISHOP SOLOMON: Please proceed.

HOPKINS: You've done an excellent job of leading us through, but there is a motion I have on the financial aspects of the conference that I would like to make. I'm a local pastor and the chair of the South Indiana Conference's Council on Finance and Administration. South Indiana paid 10 percent of all its funds in 1995 for the first time in probably 8 or 10 years, and we did that in February, after we ended the year and saw our receipts, and sent our money in to pay in full.

This is my motion: I move that the General Council on Finance and Administration help annual conferences develop a plan to balance their budgets and move toward 10 percent payment of all general church funds with report of results to the General Conference in the year 2000. If I have a second, I will speak to it.

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. The chair understands that to be a request to be made. All right.

HOPKINS: Over the past year, five years actually, the amount paid on our general church funds has been just under 85 percent, ranging from some annual conferences in '95 paying at 67 percent, to one annual conference paying 101 percent. Special recognition ought to go to Wisconsin, Peninsula-Delaware, and the Red Bird Missionary Conferences for paying 10 percent for all funds for over the past five years. (applause)

We adopted a budget of $508 million. Actually, if we were honest, we adopted a budget of $432 million, because we expect to receive 85 percent. That means the budget pay out is really $832 million, and we've added $76 million to that budget, in order to collect the $432 million we expect to spend. Conferences paying 10 percent will have to pay almost 18 percent more to support the general church for those conferences that are not able to pay in full.

This means two things: 1) If every annual conference would pay 10 percent of it general church funds, we could lower the budget by $76 million. On the other hand, if we all paid 10 percent, we'd have $76 million more to spend on mission. To put it another way, for every 1 percent we increase our receipts, we have about $4.5 million to spend.

Annual conferences don't pay 10 percent because local churches can't balance their budget. If you look at page 270 in the red DCA, you'll know why. That's because they can't afford a pastor at the salary level they have and meet all their expenses. Most of our annual conferences have as many full-time clergy serving in local churches now as they did in 1968, in spite of the fact that membership has plummeted, and compensation has increased. We need to help our local churches balance their budgets if we want to balance the General Conference budget. Just like we have to help people in our local churches balance their personal budget, if we want them to tithe and give apportionatly. I believe that God always gives us the blessings we need to do the work of the church.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Your time is up.

HOPKINS: If we have good stewardship, we'll have the money to do that mission. (applause)

BISHOP SOLOMON: All right. I think the motion is before us. This is a matter of request to GCFA, and I believe that you are of a mind to express yourself. Please vote when the light appears. [Results: yes, 676; no, 144] It is approved. Thank you very much. We turn now to Carolyn Marshall for announcements.

CAROLYN MARSHALL: We have now been here almost 10 days. There have been times when we've been weary of the process, but this word has come to the platform this morning, and I think needs to be shared with all of us. It comes from the spirit in which delegates and visitors alike have interacted with those who have been serving us throughout this time.

Two quotes I bring to you: One from one of the custodial workers this morning who said, "I sure hate to see this conference end. There has been so much grace here, and we've never felt so welcomed and a part of any function held." (applause) And secondly, from a food worker downstairs who said, "Do you really have to leave today? This is the first time I've really enjoyed my job. This is a great group." (applause)

BISHOP SOLOMON: Thank you very much. Will you hold steady now for just a moment? Some years ago I had the opportunity to participate in the Bishops' Conference in Latin America and came to know the remarkable spirit and gentle, pastoral leadership, and yet the prophetic voice of Bishop Aldo Etchogoyen. He is with us, now, from Argentina, and I'm going to ask him to come and lead us in the benediction for this session, in his own language. And will you just simply remain seated for this benediction. Upon the ending of the benediction, we'll be in recess until 2 p.m. Bishop Etchogoyen.

BISHOP SOLOMON: Bishop, thank you so very much. God bless you.

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