South Central Jurisdictional Conference 2008 - by Betty Backstrom

    Two hundred and ninety seven delegates from throughout the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church gathered in Dallas July 16-19 to elect three new bishops.
    Bishop William W. Hutchinson, who has served the Louisiana Conference for the last two quadrenniums, was reappointed to lead the conference for another four years.
    “My greatest hopes have come to be. I’m really excited about the next four years and all the possibilities that are there. The joy of coming home to Louisiana fulfills our spirits,” said Bishop Hutchinson.
    Earl Bledsoe, the first new bishop to be elected by the jurisdictional body, will serve the North Texas conference. Mike Lowry will be the new Episcopal leader for the Central Texas conference. Jim Dorff, who was elected on the twenty-third ballot, will be serving the San Antonio area.
    Bledsoe, 58, has been a district superintendent since 2002 for the Bryan/West District in the Texas Conference. Lowry, also 58, comes to the Episcopacy after serving as executive director for New Church Development and Transformation for the Southwest Texas Conference in San Antonio. Dorff, 61, has been serving as area provost for the North Texas Conference.
    A standing ovation was given to the Louisiana Annual Conference in recognition of the conference paying 100 percent of its apportionments. “As they have sought institutional support, they have not given up their responsibilities,” said Daniel Ivey-Soto, referring to connectional financial assistance given to Louisiana for hurricane recovery.
    Bishop Charles Crutchfield, Arkansas Conference, spoke about a mandate stemming from the 2008 General Conference to reduce the number of Episcopal Areas in four of the five denominational jurisdictions.
    A projected timeline for planning the reduction spans the next quadrennium, and includes the gathering of feedback from conference leadership teams and groups. In June of 2009, the College of Bishops will meet with the SCJ Committee on Episcopacy to receive any recommendations they wish to give. In January of 2010, the College will develop its first draft of a proposal. The final proposal will be presented to SCJ Conference delegates in November of 2011.
    During a video report from Mount Sequoyah Conference and Retreat Center in Fayetteville, the Louisiana Conference was recognized for the recent building and opening of the Friendship Plaza, located at the retreat center. The plaza was constructed as a “thank you” from the United Methodists of Louisiana to the center and to the many volunteers from throughout the South Central Jurisdiction that assisted Louisiana with hurricane disaster response.
    Rev. Darryl Tate, executive director of the Louisiana Disaster Response Ministry, thanked the South Central Jurisdiction for the financial help, volunteer hours and prayers that have helped the hurricane devastated state on its road to recovery.
    A resolution affirming the South Central Jurisdiction Mission Council’s action which supports the use of SMU property to house the proposed George W. Bush library, museum and institute passed by a show of hands.
    Just prior to that vote, a substitute petition that would prevent leasing, selling or otherwise participating in or supporting a George W. Bush policy institute on the property of South Methodist University was defeated.
    Defenders of the substitute resolution argued that the institute will support a partisan ideology that could be in conflict with some of the focuses and Social Principles of The United Methodist Church. Those speaking against the substitute resolution stated that the presence of the Bush Institute would not taint or damage Southern Methodist University’s reputation, but would instead strengthen the university and its resources.
    In a post-vote press conference, Dr. Gerald Turner, president of SMU, was “delighted” that the conference had, through the vote, affirmed the actions of SMU and of the Mission Council. “Nearly every presidential library has created a controversy. . . . It will all work out,” he said.
    In that same press conference, Rev. Dr. Tex Sample, professor emeritus at St. Paul School of Theology, was extremely disappointed by the outcome of the vote. Sample stated that the institute could become a “very, very loud trumpet” for the ideals and goals of the Bush administration.
    The timetable for the completion of the complex on SMU’s campus, said Turner, could include a groundbreaking as soon as the spring of 2010, with the opening of the facilities in the fall of 2012 or the spring of 2013.
    On Thursday morning of the Jurisdictional Conference, Bishop Ann Sherer of the Nebraska area delivered an Episcopal Address on the State of the Church. “Christ is not just for us. Christ is for those persons outside the church . . . for the whole world.”
    Bishop Sherer described United Methodists as deeply and institutionally connected in 38 countries. “Who we are is changing. We know ourselves to be a part of the same church.” “We and the persons in every conference in this jurisdiction who are opening themselves to these relationships . . . are privileged to get a whole perspective on the whole world that many do not know,” Sherer added.
    The bishop from Nebraska added that the church should be concerned with the issues of equity, justice, shifting power, and sharing resources.
    “Every time we come together we call it conferencing, whether we do it or not. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The best way to do this mission is to engage in holy conferencing together,” said Sherer.