WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2009 - MORNING SESSION

Bishop Hutchinson made announcements concerning voting on the 32 Amendments.

Ms. Hannah Grantham, President of the Conference Council of Youth Ministry, gave the opening prayer.

Mrs. Barbara Wade, representing the Committee on the Journal, reported that she had reviewed the minutes for the Sessions of Annual Conference up to this point, and they seemed to be in order. She made a motion that they be accepted as they stand. The motion carried.

Mr. Henry Stamper, Chair of the Council on Finance and Administration, presented report #2 of the Council on Finance and Administration and referenced pages 3-7 of the Pre-Conference Report. He noted that there would be no increase in the 2010 Conference General Budget. He pointed out the following areas being recommended for a decrease in the budget in order to make that possible:  Centenary College, Dillard University, Church Extensions, Conference Ministry Team Initiatives, Conference Transformations Consultant, and Global Ministry. He also noted that the CPA report was not in the journal but will be available on the Web. Mr. Stamper moved for the approval of the report. The motion passed.

Rev. Larry Miller presented the Statistician’s Report and referenced pages 8-11 of the Pre-Conference Report. He apologized for the discrepancy between the 2007 ending number of total professing members and the 2008 beginning number. He noted that $8 million more was spent in 2008 and that less members were taken in. He stated that he hoped next year we will be reaching more people for Christ.

Rev. Larry Miller presented the Nominations Report as presented on pages 130-131 of the Pre-Conference Report. He asked that any typographical corrections be written down and given to the secretary’s office. The following changes were made: Board of Discipleship – remove Darlene A. Moore, BR CO4 At-Large. Add Susie H. Thomas, BR CO4 At-Large. Committee on Nominations - add Juliet Spencer, NO CO8 At-Large. Conference Board of Trustees - remove George K. Anding, BR LO9, Kenneth R. Reed, BR CO9, and Annie Smith, SH LO9. Add Fred Banks, BR L13, Daniel Reed, BR L13, and J. Roddy Taylor, MN C13. Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns - add Caroline Sanders, NO. The report was approved.

Rev. Larry Miller presented the 2009 Nominations Report for the Agencies and Institutions for ratification. The following changes were made:  Page 1- Alexandria district, remove Mark Roberts from Board of Church Location/Building; page 12- Baton Rouge district, remove Amy Mercer; page 4- Shreveport district, remove Ellen Montegudo from the Spiritual Life Coordinator position and add Jimmy Barnhill; page 7- New Orleans district, remove Anice Moses; page 13- New Orleans district remove Mark Bray; page 8- Alexandria district, add Ingrid Milo as the Associate Lay Leader; page 19- Peoples United Methodist Community Center will submit a complete district change; page 23- Southeastern Louisiana University, remove Dale Kuebler; page 13- Monroe district, remove Ted Freeland; page 20- Grambling State University will submit a whole new group; page 22- McNeese State University, remove Nick Murphy from the Finance Chair and add Richard Sirmon, add 2011, Brian Robinson, Paul Ritter, and Allison Rudd and will submit more staffing changes. The amended report, along with the yet to be amended portions, was approved.

The constitutional amendments were presented by George Anding. Summary information on the constitutional amendments was presented on pages 132-155 of the Pre-Conference Report. Bishop Hutchinson asked that the Conference refrain from applause. 

A motion was made for the process by which the voting would take place. A slide show was shown to present the process:  (1) that all amendments be voted on by written ballot; (2) that only individuals eligible and qualified to vote would be seated in the bar of the Conference; (3) the 5 amendments that deal with the global nature of the church would be debated as a group but voted on separately and the 18 amendments that deal with the name change from Central Conference to Regional Conference would be debated as a group but voted on separately; and (4) the remaining amendments be debated and voted on individually. The motion was seconded and adopted. A motion was made by Dr. Andrews that proposed that there be two speeches for and two speeches against and that each speech be given a two minute time limit. The block of 18 amendments would together only have two for and two against. An amendment to the motion was made that each of the 18 amendments in the block be debated separately, each being allowed two speeches for and two speeches against. This motion failed and the original motion was put back on the floor. The original motion was seconded and it carried.

The 5 proposed amendments dealing with substantive issues ( IV, X, XIII, XXIII, XXVI) were the first amendments to be voted on. Next, the 18 amendments that talked about the name change from Central Conference to Regional Conference (III, V, VII, XI, XII, XIV, XVI, XVIII, XX, XXI, XXIV, XXV, XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX, XXX, XXXI, XXXII) were voted on.

Mr. Fred Loy gave the Courtesy Committee Report. He gave celebrations and concerns.

Rev. Bernice Johnson led the Conference in prayer.

Bishop Hutchinson dismissed the Conference for lunch.

 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2009 - AFTERNOON SESSION

Bishop Hutchinson welcomed retired Bishop Forrest C. Stith and his wife to the Annual Conference. Bishop Stith stated that he and his wife were in New Orleans leading the African-American Methodist Heritage Program organized to preserve, celebrate, and restore the African churches, pastors, and leaders to the Methodist denomination. He asked for the support and prayers of the Conference. Bishop Stith then introduced Sherrie Johnson, spouse of Alfred Johnson, as the Executive Director of the African-American Methodist Heritage Program.

Bishop Hutchinson welcomed special guest Mrs. Ruth Handy, surviving spouse of Bishop W. T. Handy, and welcomed her home to the Louisiana Annual Conference. Bishop Hutchinson also welcomed Stephen Handy, a Conference preacher, who accompanied his mother, Ruth.

Rev. Sam Calvo led the Conference in prayer.

The continuation of the constitutional amendments was presented by George Anding. The next proposed amendments were the 9 that deal with distinct and unrelated changes: I, II, VI, VII, IX, XV, XVII, XIX, XXII. 

The vote on the constitutional amendments were as follows:

 

Bishop Hutchinson thanked Buzzy Anding for the great way he organized and presented the amendments. He then thanked Ben Mount, the Conference Chancellor, for his help with the Parliamentary procedures.

The session took a short recess.

Bishop Hutchinson led the Conference in prayer.

Rev. Roger Templeton presented the 3 Petitions. 

Rev. Larry Norman presented Petition #1 on the subject of UMVIM Recognition and Awareness Day. Because the UMVIM is such a growing force in promoting the church, Christianity, and personal Christian Service, Petition #1 requested that the Annual Conference recommend to all local churches in the Conference:

1.  That the 3rd Sunday in September is recommended to be set aside and declared Volunteers in Mission Awareness Day; and

2.  That each local church with assistance of the conference UMVIM leadership, provide for UMVIM displays, information resources, solicit individual or group testimonies and/or develop other ways to celebrate the UMVIM movement in whatever fashion that best suites the local congregation; and

3.  That local churches draw upon the available resources of the Conference UMVIM coordinator to help make the day memorable, one of faith in action; and

4.  That an offering be taken on the designated UMVIM Awareness Sunday to support the Conference and Jurisdictional UMVIM offices and programs.

A motion to amend the amendment is made to Petition #1 item 4 that the word optional be added in front of offering and tithe be deleted. The maker of the amendment accepted the changes. Speeches were made for and against the petition. The petition was voted on and carried. 

Petition #2 presented by William Catchings, Jr. was on the subject of Building Better United Methodist Buildings. Because of the harsh climate The United Methodist churches in Louisiana face and because of the need to spend more money on missions and ministry and less on maintenance costs, Petition #2 requests that the Louisiana Conference:  In order to provide guidance for future construction, the presiding bishop and appointive cabinet shall form a working group whose function shall be to research and make recommendations regarding building materials, construction technology and practices, with the aid of the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office. Upon approval of the working group’s recommendations, all United Methodist building and remodeling projects within the Louisiana Annual Conference shall be required to comply with these recommendations.

The maker of the petition offered the following changes be made so the last paragraph reads, “Be it also resolved that upon approval of the working groups’ recommendations by the Louisiana Annual Conference, all United Methodist building and remodeling projects within the Louisiana Annual Conference shall use these recommendations on all such projects starting from the date the recommendations are approved. Speeches were made for and against the petition. The petition was voted on and failed.

Petition #3 presented by Rev. Richard C. Hooton proposed a re-evaluation of medical insurance assessments for churches served by full-time pastors because there is a huge discrepancy between the percent of salary required to provide medical insurance for the highest paid pastors and the lowest paid pastors and because that discrepancy is in direct contradiction to providing equitable compensation.

No changes were made to Petition #3. It was voted on and carried.

Bishop Hutchinson made announcements.    

Dr. Terrel DeVille gave the report of the Children’s Home. He referred the Conference to the brochure entitled “Pathways”. He stated that the new home in Southwest Louisiana would open within a year. He stated that the Oak Park congregation, under the leadership of Shawn Hornsby and Steve Spurlock in the Lake Charles district, the Oak Park Memorial Fund been placed Louisiana United Methodist Foundation.*  The amount of that grant starts at $70,000. He also stated that the Children’s Home in Pennsylvania started their capital campaign to raise between $9 and $12 million to rebuild their home. They committed ten percent to the New Orleans entity so they can find a permanent location and start the process of permanently relocating.

Dr. Robert Potter gave the report of the Retired Minister’s Homes Board. He referenced page 17 of the Pre-Conference Report. He noted one correction to the report. The bottom of the second paragraph lists the vacant homes. The home in Ponchatoula is no longer vacant. He mentioned that there was an offering to be taken.

Bennie Vaughn thanked those who planned the 2009 New Orleans Annual Conference and reminded the Annual Conference of the invitation to bring the 2010 Annual Conference back to Shreveport to Centenary College. The Conference accepted that invitation.

Bishop Hutchinson stated, “Next year when we gather, I pray there will be accounting that says we gained membership in the Louisiana Annual Conference. I pray that even if we aren’t able to say we gained in membership we certainly gained in worship attendance. Then at least we’re getting them in the door so they are able to be touched by the Christ.”

Bishop Hutchinson fixed the appointments as listed in the “Louisiana Right Now.”

The Service of Sending Forth and Deconsecrating of Space, led by Rev. Cory Sparks, adjourned the 2009 Louisiana Annual Conference.