Bishops Reconsider May 8 Special Session of General Conference

The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church met on March 22 and decided they would cancel the General Conference's May 8, 2021, Special Session.

They originally called this Special Session to suspend the rules to vote up or down on pre-decided legislative items through paper mail-in ballots. If that passed, 12 legislative items were to be voted on by paper ballot to enable the denomination to continue its work until the regular General Conference gathering in 2022. Pending a passing vote, Special Sessions of Jurisdictional Conference would have been scheduled for July 2021 to work through voted on topics. The Protocol was not on the agenda.

The bishops announced that they would dedicate their regularly scheduled April meeting to conversations based on results of listening sessions that are occurring and discern a possible need for a new timeline toward General Conference 2020 set for August 29 to September 6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 As updates to timelines become available, we will update them. We will keep our Transition Team Resource web page as up-to-date as possible. If you have questions, please submit them! Your questions help guide us in what information we need to be gathering, even if we do not have concrete answers yet. You can submit questions here: https://www.nwtxconf.org/submit-questions

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Read their press release below or scroll down for the update in Spanish.

For Immediate Release

Monday, March 22, 2021

Bishops Reconsider May 8 Special Session of General Conference

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -  The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church met on Monday, March 22, 2021 in an additional meeting to consider pressing matters  related to the Council’s work.  After much conversation, the bishops reached a decision that in the best interest of the church at this time, they would cancel the Special Session of the General Conference which was set for May 8, 2021. 

The bishops announced that they will dedicate their regularly scheduled April meeting to conversation based on results of listening sessions that are occurring and discern a possible need for a new timeline toward General Conference 2020 set for August 29 to September 6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

At the April meeting, the bishops will also discuss ways to empower the work at the Jurisdictional and Central Conferences.  

“Much has been learned over the past few weeks and the extended timeline will allow for even deeper listening by the bishops at the general church level but also in our residential settings,” said Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, president of the Council.  “We are thankful for the collaboration fostered with the Commission on General Conference and especially grateful for the work that had already begun in the planning for the Special Session,” Bishop Harvey added.

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Media Contact: Rev. Dr. Maidstone Mulenga

Director of Communications – Council of Bishops

The United Methodist Church

mmulenga@umc-cob.org

202-748-5172 

www.unitedmethodistbishops.org

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La sesión Especial de la Conferencia General fijada para el 8 de mayo ha sido Cancelada.

El Consejo de Obispos de la Iglesia Metodista Unida se reunió el 22 de marzo y decidió cancelar la Sesión Especial de la Conferencia General que había sido fijada para el 8 de mayo de 2021.

Originalmente habían convocado a esta Sesión Especial para suspender las reglas para votar a favor o en contra de elementos legislativos predeterminados a través de boletas de papel enviadas por correo. Si eso pasaba, se votarían 12 artículos legislativos mediante boletas de papel para permitir que la denominación continuara su trabajo hasta la reunión regular de la Conferencia General en 2022. Pendiendo de una votación de aprobación, las Sesiones Especiales de la Conferencia Jurisdiccional se habrían programado para julio de 2021 para trabajar en temas votados. El Protocolo no estaba en la agenda.

Los obispos anunciaron que dedicarían su reunión programada regularmente en abril para conversaciones basadas en los resultados de las sesiones de monitoreo que están ocurriendo y discernir sobre la posible necesidad de un nuevo cronograma hacia la Conferencia General 2020 establecida para el 29 de agosto al 6 de septiembre de 2022, en Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A medida que las actualizaciones de los cronogramas estén disponibles, les actualizaremos. Mantendremos nuestra página web de Recursos del Equipo de Transición lo más actualizada posible. Si tiene preguntas, ¡por favor envíelas! Sus preguntas nos ayudan a orientarnos sobre la información que necesitamos recopilar, incluso si aún no tenemos respuestas concretas. Puede enviar sus preguntas aquí: https://www.nwtxconf.org/enviar-preguntas

2021 NWTX Annual Conference Dates Announced

The 2021 NWTX Annual Conference Dates have been rescheduled for Friday, August 13 - Saturday, August 14, 2021, in Lubbock, TX. The location is still pending and will be updated as soon as possible.

While initially scheduled for October 2021, our Bishop moved up our Annual Conference dates based on General Conference's postponement to 2022.

Our theme for Conference this year is Dusk to Dawn. Our scripture is found in John 1:5, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." This past year has been a year, and we know we are still waiting for dawn to rise fully.

Watch for more in the months to come as we prepare to gather in August.

Registration for clergy, lay members, retirees, and visitors will be available online in May.

Empty & Filled - Lent Series - Palm Sunday

Sometimes I think there is a temptation to rush through Holy Week. We all know it is not a slow week for pastors or church staff! For many of us last year, Holy Week quickly had to be adapted when we could not meet in person. Even if you are not altogether in your churches this year, make sure you create space to not rush to Resurrection Sunday! There is so much to process during Holy Week. Take time for God to speak to you each day as we continue to journey to the cross. The new story is about to start. In the in-between, we wondered in the messy middle as Christ was making his presence as Messiah known among the Jews and the Gentiles. Christ empties himself being born in human form and humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death. All of this, so at the start of the new story, every knee can bow, and every tongue confesses that Christ is Lord. Our Savior has come. Creation can be united again with the Father.

Scripture to Meditate on: 

Mark 11:1-11, ESV

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus[a] sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” 11 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Song of Meditation:

All The Poor And Powerless by All Sons and Daughters

*The NWTX Conference does not own the rights to this song or video. If you reproduce in your services, please follow licensing rules.

Scripture to Meditate on: 

Mark 14:1-15, ESV

1 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,[a] as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii[b] and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”

Others to read: Is 50:4-9, Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Philippians 2:5-11, Mark 15: 1-39, 40 – 47

Song of Meditation:

Alabaster Jar by Gateway Worship feat. Kari Jobe

*The NWTX Conference does not own the rights to this song or video. If you reproduce in your services, please follow licensing rules.

Empty & Filled - Lent Series Week 6

How are you with surrendering? I think some things come easy to surrender, but others are a lot harder to surrender truly. That is one of the things I love/hate about walking through the Lenten season. We start ready to go, fully committed to surrender something for a short period, but we struggle even in that.

Think about the hard things for you to surrender. Name something this week that you know the Lord is asking to take, but you have resisted fully submitting it. Is it a relationship? Finances? Rest? Sabbath? Time?

When you have identified what the Lord is calling you to surrender, make an action step for you to step into that surrender. Lord, help us empty ourselves so we can be filled with you! Not my will but yours be done, Lord!

Scripture to Meditate on:

 Psalm 119:9-16, ESV

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules[a] of your mouth. 14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Others to read: Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Hebrews 5:5-10, John 12:20 – 33

Song of Meditation:

I Surrender by All Sons and Daughters

*The NWTX Conference does not own the rights to this song or video. If you reproduce in your services, please follow licensing rules.

Empty & Filled - Lent Series Week 5

It is easy when you are journeying through the wilderness or a dark season to lose sight of the underlining truth that never fails or changes from the Lord. Love. Steadfast love. Love that endures forever! Sit in that love this week. Connect with someone who might have forgotten what that unconditional love feels like. Or maybe they have never experienced it. Let them experience Christ’s love through you.

We were dead in sin, in bondage from this world, but by God’s great love, mercy and grace, we are saved. Not because of our actions. Not because we said the right thing or did something nice for someone but because it is God’s gift to us. Because you are enough.

Let all the redeemed prophesy and sing God you are holy. Let your anointing fall on your church. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:16-17.

Scripture to Meditate on: 

Ephesians 2:1-10, ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] 4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Others to read: Numbers 21:4-9, Psalm 107: 1-3, 17-22, John 3:14-21

Song of Meditation:

Fresh Wind by Hillsong Worship

*The NWTX Conference does not own the rights to this song or video. If you reproduce in your services, please follow licensing rules.

Introducing the NWTX Transition Team

Dear Pastors and Laity of the NWTX Conference,

Over the last several weeks, you may have noticed several new announcements made about General Conference, Jurisdictional Conference, and their further postponement due to COVID-19. So much information came out back-to-back, and we want to make sure you are getting the updated information you need.

Bishop Bledsoe has empaneled a transition team to gather information and keep the Conference informed on significant changes that will eventually affect the NWTX Conference. Even in its early stages, the NWTX Transition Team has already responded, and adapted directions based on the postponements recently announced. The purpose of this team is to educate pastors, local churches, and the Conference on the choices they have pending decisions to be made at General Conference to help them decide what they want to do. Even with General Conference's further postponement, this team will continue to gather content and resources for you to have over the next year and a half as we wait for General Conference 2020 to meet in 2022.

We have initial information available to you on our updated website www.nwtxconf.org/transition. Make sure to subscribe to the Conference's weekly email, the Connect, for weekly updated information. You can subscribe to that email at the bottom of our home page on our website or email montgomery@nwtxconf.org. Have your key leaders subscribe as well.

The members of this transition team are

Rev. Mike Schafer, chair;

Rev. Wendell Horn, Director of Mission and Administration;

Rev. Dave Andersen, CFO/CBO/Conference Treasurer;

Rev. Don Boren, Lubbock District Superintendent;

Rev. Toni Bailey, First Methodist Church, Canyon;

Rev. Rich Jones, Wolfforth UMC/NWTX Delegate;

Rev. Andy Hurst, Lubbock, St. Luke's UMC;

Rev. Bobby Wilson, Borger FUMC;

Rev. Benji Van Fleet, Stanton FUMC;

Randy Stutes, Conference Lay Leader;

SuDe Street, Lubbock Lay Leader;

Jaime Montgomery, Director of Communications & Discipleship.

Here is a summary of what we know since the recent changes:

*Updated March 23, 2021

 General Conference Postponement

• 2020 General Conference postponed again to August 29 – September 6, 2022, in Minneapolis.

• 2020 Jurisdictional Conference has been postponed to Fall of 2022 as well.

• The "Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation" is still on the General Conference agenda along with other legislation previously submitted.

• Delegates elected for the 2020 General Conference stay the same.

CANCELED - Special Called General Conference - Read More

• The Council of Bishops has called a special session of the General Conference for May 8, 2021.

• The agenda will be to suspend the rules in order to vote up or down on pre-decided legislative items through paper mail-in ballots.

• If passed, there will be 12 legislative items to vote on to enable the denomination to continue its work until the regular General Conference takes place in 2022.

• The 12 legislative items deal with several topics, including the retirement and assignment of Bishops. Bishop Bledsoe's retirement date could be affected if passed.

• Pending a passing vote, Special Sessions of Jurisdictional Conference will be scheduled for July 2021 to work through voted on topics such as retirements and Bishops' assignments.

• The Protocol is not on the agenda.

Formation of the Global Methodist Church

• The formation of the Global Methodist Church, a new traditional Methodist denomination, was announced on Monday, March 1, 2021.

• Please find information on their new website www.globalmethodist.org or www.wesleyancovenant.org.

What is Undecided

• Whether General Conference will pass the Protocol. (Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation Legislation)

• What will be the timeline for implementation of the Protocol pending passing?

• Who will be the Bishop for the NWTX Conference after Bishop Bledsoe decides to retire and under what Episcopal Area the NWTX Conference will be assigned? This decision will be pending the Special Session of Jurisdictional Conference in July 2021.

Proposed Timeline

• 2021 NWTX Annual Conference: August 13 - 14, 2021

• 2020 General Conference: August 29 - September 6, 2022

• Legal formation of the Global Methodist Church: September 2022

• 2020 Jurisdictional Conference: Pending Fall 2022

• Convening General Conference of the Global Methodist Church: Fall 2023 – Fall 2024, anticipating a 12 – 24-month transition period

Online Resources

www.nwtxconf.org/transition

www.umnews.org

www.resourceumc.org

www.unitedmethodistbishops.org

Conference staff, district leadership, and the transition team will continue to work by answering questions and gathering content to help each of us make educated choices on significant decisions when it is time to move forward with them. You can help by submitting questions you have about anything mentioned above and other things related to the pending General Conference. We are working through what might be the short-term and long-term impact on the local church and our NWTX clergy. 

In the meantime, there is still ministry to be done. We encourage you to continue to dig into your ministry fields as we minister through COVID-19. Find the time and rest as you can. The NWTX Conference's ministries would not exist without you and your people reaching out to your communities. Thank you for your service!

Blessings, 

Rev. Wendell Horn, Director of Mission & Administration

Rev. Mike Schafer, Transition Team Chair

Empty & Filled - Lent Series Week 4

Where do you seek wisdom from? Is it wisdom of the world or wisdom found in God? I think we often get caught up in seeking knowledge and discernment. Sometimes it is easy to learn from more concrete sources in the world. But we know that the wisest man is still foolish compared to God’s wisdom.

 How have you sought out wisdom during this Lenten season? Where have you asked God to shed light on a path for you to follow? I fully believe that true wisdom comes from seeking the face of God. I picked today’s song, “Give Us Clean Hands,” because the basics of this prayer always strike powerfully. “Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts, let us not lift our souls to another.” May we stay focused on where God is leading us. “O God, let us be a generation that seeks, seeks your face, oh God of Jacob.” This is my prayer for generations to come. No matter where we are, in the wilderness or on the mountain top, may we humble ourselves down and seek God’s face. God’s wisdom. God’s love.

Scripture to Meditate on:

1 Corinthians 1:18-25, ESV

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach[a] to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Others to read: Exodus 20:1-17, Psalm 19; John 2:13-22

Song of Meditation:

Give Us Clean Hands by Shane and Shane

*The NWTX Conference does not own the rights to this song or video. If you reproduce in your services, please follow licensing rules.

Bishop Bledsoe Announces New Appointments for the New Mexico Annual Conference

On behalf of the cabinets of the New Mexico and Northwest Texas Annual Conferences, I am delighted to announce the appointment of the Reverend Dr. Randall Partin as the new Senior pastor of St. John’s UMC, Albuquerque, NM.  Dr. Partin will assume the position effective July 1, 2021, with the next round of clergy appointments.

Rev. Partin currently serves as Provost of the New Mexico Annual Conference and under his leadership, the conference made great strides in completing the Vision 20/20 strategic plan enabling the conference to fulfill the vision of bringing about passionate, relevant, and life-changing congregations.

As Provost, he did an outstanding job of leading the New Mexico Connectional Ministries to a higher level of competence and effectiveness. He led the New Mexico Conference in implementing the Tithing Model, giving the local church the option of tithing their income for Connectional Ministries. He assisted the bishop in developing an effective appointment process based on values, gifts, and graces, and helping church leadership reach its mission field. He served as a leader in Ecumenism, relating to other denominational judicatories and helping to develop a cohesive missional strategy for ecumenical ministries.

Prior to the Provost appointment, he served New Mexico Conference churches in Farwell, Texas, and Las Cruces, NM. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Colorado and a Master of Divinity degree from Duke Divinity School. Prior to answering the call to ministry, Randall taught Political Science at the University of New Mexico.  Randall and his wife Dr. Susan Brumbaugh have two adult children, Eli and Sophie. 

Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe announced the appointment of the Reverend Dr. Eduardo Rivera as the new Provost of the New Mexico Annual Conference, effective July 1, 2021.  Dr. Rivera currently serves as the Superintendent of the El Paso District. He currently serves as the Dean of the New Mexico Cabinet.

Rev. Dr. Eduardo (Eddie) Rivera was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and was raised in a clergy Methodist family. He received God’s call to ordained ministry in the summer of 1979 and was ordained an Elder of the Methodist Church of Mexico in 1988. He transferred his credentials to the New Mexico Conference of The United Methodist Church in 1998. 

He attended the Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas where he learned his English. He earned his Bachelor of Theology Degree from the Seminario Metodista Juan Wesley in Monterrey, México (1985), a Master of Theology Degree (1992), and a Doctor of Ministry Degree (1997) from Candler School of Theology-Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rev. Dr. Rivera has been in full-time ministry for almost 40 years in both Mexico and the United States, ministering in the Conferencia Anual Oriental (Mexico), Southern Illinois Conference (now Illinois Great Rivers Conference), the Northwest Texas Conference, and in the New Mexico Conference.

Rev. Dr. Rivera attended the 2008 and 2012 General and Jurisdictional Conferences as a Reserve Delegate and he was the Head of the New Mexico Delegation for the 2016 General and Jurisdictional Conferences and for the Special General Conference in February of 2019. He is a Reserve Delegate of the New Mexico Delegation for the upcoming General and Jurisdictional Conferences.

Eddie is married to Hilda, a retired Professional Educator. Their daughter Lizet and son-in-law Derek Dickinson are Attorneys who live and work in Illinois. Eddie and Hilda are the proud grandparents of their 3-year-old granddaughter Olivia.

NM Conference Lay Leader, Sid Strebeck added: “Randall has been a tremendous Provost who has led us to new levels of making disciples and we’ll miss him, but now St John’s will be greatly blessed with their new pastor.  Eddie will bring a new set of gifts and graces to the Provost position and lead us to even greater levels, and Pam will be awesome as the new El Paso District Superintendent. Once again, I’ve been blessed to witness how well our Connectional system and Appointive process works.”

For more information or questions please contact the Bishop’s office at (505) 255-8786 or email bishopbledsoe@nmconfum.com