Philippines Central Conference Perspectives on United Methodist Church Future
Philippines Central Conference emphasizes the need for equity, respect, and inclusion in decision-making processes within the United Methodist Church. Their College of Bishops outlines the importance of locality, connectionality, globality, and restructuring for a cohesive global church body while maintaining the autonomy of local and regional conferences. The unity statement underscores the mission to uphold Christian values and principles in engaging with governments and communities worldwide.
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Philippines Central Conference Perspective
Central conference perspectives should not be an Central conference perspectives should not be an afterthought. afterthought. Equity and respect demands that we have a seat at Equity and respect demands that we have a seat at the table to envision the future of The United the table to envision the future of The United Methodist Church. Methodist Church.
The Philippines: 1,641 islands 3 Episcopal Areas: Baguio Manila Davao
Philippines Central Conference College of Bishops Unity Statement Locality or contextuality: that is why we have local churches, annual conferences and central conferences; being responsive to our missional context is obligatory.
Philippines Central Conference College of Bishops Unity Statement Connectionality in relationships: that is why there is a General Conference and a Council of Bishops; having a global identity and organic structure are necessary.
Philippines Central Conference College of Bishops Unity Statement Globality in inclusiveness: that is why the UMC reaches out in mutual relations with all governments and civil communities that promote Christian values and principles. John Wesley said: The world is my parish.
Philippines Central Conference College of Bishops Unity Statement Recommendations: The UMC is to be restructured into regional conferences, within which will remain central and jurisdictional conferences, annual conferences and local churches.
Philippines Central Conference College of Bishops Unity Statement Recommendations: The UMC will remain as one global church in which regional, annual and local conferences are organic parts; but have the authority to decide their witness, mission and ministry, thus, preserving locality and connectionality.
Philippines Central Conference College of Bishops Unity Statement Recommendations: The Council of Bishops shall be retained as both the living organic symbol of the globality of the UMC; and the mechanism for general and local oversight over all the UMC.
Oppose Dissolution and Preserve the Unity of The United Methodist Church Any form of structure and relationship that defines and treats one part of the church as a mere extension of another is colonial in nature and unjust.
Oppose Dissolution and Preserve the Unity of The United Methodist Church Contextualization is a missional, structural, and connectional endeavor that is an expression of our historical unity and core heritage, church order, and discipline.
Oppose Dissolution and Preserve the Unity of The United Methodist Church The diversity of our ministry and cultural contexts is real, but unity rooted in fulfilling the mission of the church can be maintained by identifying such differences and allowing for contextual authority to be exercised equitably by both central and jurisdictional conferences, or any regional structure formed by General Conference.
Oppose Dissolution and Preserve the Unity of The United Methodist Church Recommendations: Suspend all actions furthering any dissolution, disaffiliation, and separation plans in favor of preserving the unity of the church in compliance with our Constitution and the biblically founded values of unity, inclusiveness, and redemptive grace and mission in our Preamble, also the wisdom and practice of contextual central conference authority (Par. 31.5, Par. 31.6, and Par. 543).
Oppose Dissolution and Preserve the Unity of The United Methodist Church Recommendations: Authorize the Connectional Table and the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters to jointly study and submit a report with proposals to the next General Conference session that preserves and strengthens the unity of the church in mission through a restructured polity that affirms and values broad contextual ministry policies and practices, including parity in contextual authority among existing central and jurisdictional conferences and/or any future regional bodies established by General Conference.
Guiding Framework of the Christmas Covenant: Our Gift of Hope As United Methodists from central conferences, we envision a Church that connects globally, engages in mission together, respects contextual ministry settings, celebrates the diversity of God s creation in its many beautiful expressions, and values mutually empowering relationships in order to strengthen our core mission of evangelism, discipleship, and social witness for the transformation of the world. This is our covenant.
