Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church 2012 Pre-Conference Journal 1 Dear Member of the Texas Annual Conference, Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. On behalf of the Annual Conference planning team, the staff and elected leaders, I am delighted to welcome you to the 2012 session of the Texas Annual Conference. It is always a joy to come together to pray, worship, fellowship and confer about the future of the church. The conference theme this year is “On earth as it is in heaven.” You will recognize those familiar words from the prayer that Jesus gave to us. They are the Scriptural basis for the last four words of the conference mission statement, “to equip congregations to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” The Lord’s Prayer reminds us that Christ’s purpose in instructing us “t o make disciples” is so that God’s world can be transformed into heaven on earth. Changed lives change the world. Our distinctive conference logo points to that new reality. Conference will be held this year June 4-7, 2012 in the Galveston Convention Center in Galveston, Texas. The convention center offers excellent space and t echnology for t he more than 2700 persons we expect to att end the conference. Long-time conference members will note this date shifts our gathering from Memorial Day week to the middle of the week in June so that we can accommodate families with children or adults in the public schools. Galveston is also a great place for family recreation. Our guest keynote presenter this year is Dr. Jorge Acevedo, lead pastor of Grace United Methodist Church, a multi-site congregation in southwest Florida. Texas and Florida share similarly diverse demographics, so Dr. Acevedo will be able to give our conference leaders insight on ways to expand our kingdom vision and presence in the midst of changing populations. Dr. Acevedo will be speaking on three separate occasions for an hour each time. Dr. Greg Jones, our Senior Consultant and former dean at Duke Divinity School, will be presenting the findings of the Quadrennial Assessment and outlining his recommendations for a strategic plan to move toward a “magnificent future” for the Texas Annual Conference. Expect to be inspired and grow from his presentation. In addition, we eagerly anticipate dynamic worship under the leadership of Reverend DeAndre Johnson, Director of Music at Westbury UMC. Dr. John Robbins, senior pastor at Marvin UMC in Tyler, will preach at the Memorial 2 Service on Tuesday night. Reverend Virginia Wall, pastor at Wesley-McCabe in Longview, will preach the Sending Forth Service. Approximately 500 youth will be participating in the mission experience, COLLIDE, and will sing at the opening worship service. I will also offer the Episcopal Address at that time. Please note two other points of special interest. Members of the Texas Annual Conference delegation will be presenting a report on the outcomes of General Conference. In addition, a panel discussion, “Responding to Disease and Poverty,” will feature leaders from outstanding institutions related to the Texas Annual Conference that are on the cutting edge of this world-wide concern. I hope that you will make a special effort to attend one of the District Pre- Conference meet ings. T hese dist rict gat herings are the best opport unity to ask quest ions and engage in discussion about issues of concern in a more relaxed setting. I want to thank the Reverend B. T. Williamson and the Annual Conference Planning Team for their hard work in preparing for conference. In addition, our conference service center staff and district administrative assistants go the second mile to help make this session of Annual Conference smooth and meaningful. I trust you will join me in praying for our conference, our congregations, and our pastors so that “God’s kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven.” I look forward to seeing you there. Grace and peace, Janice Riggle Huie 3 Preliminary Reports 2012 Texas Annual Conference To be held at: Galveston Convention Center June 4-7, 2012 Janice Riggle Huie, Bishop CLERGY REGISTRATION Monday, June 4, 2:00 – 6:00 pm Tuesday, June 5, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Galveston Convention Center LAY REGISTRATION Monday, June 4, 2:00 – 6:00 pm Tuesday, June 5, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Galveston Convention Center Memo ria l Service Tuesday, June 5, 7:00 pm Galveston Convention Center Meeting of the Laity Tuesday, June 5, 10:30 am Galveston Convention Center 2nd Floor Grand Ballroom Meeting of the Clergy Tuesday, June 5, 10:30 am Galveston Convention Center 1st Floor Exhibit Hall 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Bishop’s Welcome ............................................................................................2-3 TAC 2012 Opening Events .................................................................................. 4 Table of Contents..............................................................................................5-7 Annual Conference Preliminary Announcements.....................................................8-9 Directions & Map ........................................................................................... 10-11 Galveston Convention Center Floorplan ................................................................ 12 Parking ........................................................................................................... 13 Restaurants .................................................................................................... 14-15 Conference Rules & Structure ........................................................................... 16-27 Registration Information..................................................................................... 28 Annual Conference Preliminary Agenda .............................................................. 29-30 Preliminary Schedule of Special Events............................................................... 31-32 Display Fair ................................................................................................... 32-33 Room Assignments ........................................................................................... 34 Preliminary Consent Calendar ........................................................................... 35-37 Resolutions ................................................................................................... 38-42 Church & Society Resolutions ....................................................................... 38-42 Abolish Human Trafficking .............................................................. 38-40 Call to Civility.................................................................................... 41 Transforming Force ............................................................................. 42 Reports to the Annual Conference ................................................................... 43 Assistant to the Bishop..................................................................... 43-44 Communications ............................................................................. 44-45 Nominations Committee....................................................................... 45 Conference Lay Leader’s Report ........................................................ 45-46 Core Leadership Team-Strategic Assessment Team Report ..................... 46-53 Centers of Ex cellence Reports ......................................................................... 54 Center for Clergy Ex cellence .............................................................. 54 Clergy Accountability Ministries ................................................... 54-55 Birkman Assessment ................................................................... 56-57 Sexual Ethics ............................................................................. 57-58 Clergy Development & Spiritual Formation ..................................... 58-60 Clergy Recruitment ..................................................................... 60-61 Board of Ordained Ministry .............................................................. 62 Extension Ministries.................................................................... 62-63 Intentional Interim Ministry .......................................................... 63-64 Equitable Compensation............................................................... 64-76 Group Health Benefits ................................................................. 77-89 Endowment Fund............................................................................ 89 Group Health Benefits Forecast ..................................................... 90-92 Group Health Benefits Audit ............................................................. 93 Board of Pensions ..................................................................... 93-115 Pensions Audit ........................................................................116-122 Center for Congregational Ex cellence .................................................123 Extravagant Generosity ...................................................................124 5 Passionate Worship ..................................................................124-125 Faith-Forming Worship.............................................................125-126 Age-Level & Camping....................................................................126 Lay Leadership & Development .......................................................126 Small Membership