Annual conference 2014 day 1: All eyes on General Conference elections

All eyes on General Conference elections

benz-lay-sessionFrom the moment they arrived at Hofstra University, both clergy and lay members of the New York Annual Conference were focused on the crucial elections for the General and Jurisdictional Conferences that are taking place during this annual conference session. Because General Conference 2016 will be critical for our struggle and for the future of the church, MIND has for the first time ever endorsed a group of candidates. The day began with over a dozen MIND activists handing out 600 flyers listing our endorsements to everyone as they came into the arena to check in.

Voting for clergy delegates began during the clergy session in the afternoon, and the results of the first ballot were announced in the evening. Four of MIND’s candidates – Tim Riss (71 votes), Denise Smartt Sears (67 votes), Sara Thompson Tweedy (47 votes) and Vicki Flippin (45 votes) – were among the top six. The other two were Bill Shillady (98 votes) and Noel Chin (61 votes). In light of these results, our best chance to build a strong delegation, especially for the crucial General Conference, is to focus our support on Sara and Vicki (both members of the MIND steering committee). With this in mind, Paul Fleck, who received 27 votes, early this morning withdrew his candidacy for General Conference and MFSA issued a statement indicating he was doing so to help Sara and Vicki. He urged his supporters to give these two talented clergy people their support. Paul, who is the head of the MIND legal team as well as a member of the MFSA steering committee, has all along said he wishes to serve on the Jurisdictional Conference team and likely will resubmit his name for balloting after the General Conference team is decided.

On the lay side, candidates were each given two minutes to answer the question “why do you feel called to serve on the delegation?” during the afternoon lay session. Eleven candidates, including six endorsed by MIND, who had submitted their statements of candidacy by the April 1 deadline, were followed by six nominations from the floor. No ballots were taken yesterday in the laity election.

On tap today: MIND resolutions and MIND heroes

Legislative sections will start at 1pm this afternoon, and MIND’s three resolutions – Our Vision of a Beloved and Just Community, Commendation of Bishop Martin McLee, and Support for Rev. Sara Thompson Tweedy – will be discussed and debated in Legislative Section 3.

MND’s work will continue to be front and center in the evening, when MFSA honors Tom Ogletree and Sara Thompson Tweedy with its Gwen and C. Dale White Award. The resolution of the case against Tom for officiating at his son’s wedding included the statement by Bishop McLee that he calls for and commits to a “cessation of trials” for clergy performing same-sex weddings. In Sara’s case, the bishop dismissed the complaint against her even though she has always been forthright and never denied that she is a lesbian living in a covenanted relationship. The integrity, courage and determination to use these prosecutions to further the movement for change that Sara and Tom showed throughout these ordeals makes them worthy recipients indeed of this award.

Prayers for Bishop McLee

Annual conference members learned when they arrived yesterday that Bishop Martin McLee is unable to  be here as he is receiving medical treatment. In his stead, a trio of bishops are taking turns presiding over conference business: Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar, Bishop Alfred Johnson and Bishop Jane Middleton. Prayers for Bishop McLee’s speedy recovery were lifted up throughout the day, and MIND extends our prayers and well wishes to our bishop as well.