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Commission on General Conference Reference and CharterAfter the 2007 General Conference, MCC transitioned to holding General Conference every three years: 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 leaving all official business and voting to occur at our triennial General Conference Business Meetings, except in special cases where we have been able to implement virtual voting.Laments have been heard from people feeling disconnected to what is going on in the denomination. An already lonely profession, many MCC ministers are solo pastors in a part-time call with no nearby MCC churches. Conferences, gatherings, and other meetings are a way for people to connect, share struggles, brainstorm ideas, and create meaningful relationships. Conferences and gatherings also help us to vision together to hear where God is calling MCC to focus our attention. As the rights of same gender loving people have increased around the world, and as the faith voice has become less potent in many places around the globe, we have felt the changes in our local communities. To what fresh vision is God calling MCC? In what ways is MCC uniquely qualified as a queer community to address the needs of the crucified of our time? How can MCC’s ecumenical nature be strengthened by new partnerships? These are important questions for our time that we believe must be addressed through more connection at the grassroots, rather than at the administrative level.It is time for us to reexamine our General Conference structure in light of today’s MCC. Total General Conference attendance tends to ebb and flow. In 2010 in Acapulco, we had 886 registrants. In 2016 in Chicago, 1,275. In 2019 Victoria, 1,033. In 2019 in Orlando, 771.On average, the General Conference population has also aged of our conference attendees were 66+: 10% in Acapulco; 17% in Chicago; 25% in Victoria and Orlando 31% (based on survey data). With all this in mind, it is important to look at how we do General Conference, ask our members what they hope for when coming to conference, and what support may look like between conferences.The Commission on General Conferences shall be appointed through March 2022 and offer recommendations to the Governing Board on the strategy and development of General Conference. This commission shall seek input from around the world and of all types of people in order to inform the manner in which General Conference ought to be structured in 2025 and beyond.The Commission should answer the following questions:What are the main goals General Conference should accomplish?Does General Conference give people a sense of unity and direction?How should the business of MCC be conducted?How can we best meet the physical and financial needs of conference attendees given shifting demographics?How do networks, affinity group meetings etc., fit into the conference structure?Are there innovative ways we can seek to build new partnerships when planning conferences, network gatherings, affinity group meetings, skills-based learning etc.With technology changing rapidly making meaningful connections more accessible and equitable, can we imagine new ways of conducting conferences or meetings around the world?Commission Members: Rev. Brendan BooneDaytona Beach Florida, USADr. Al ChapmanNorthern Lights MCC, Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomRev. Elder Cecilia EgglestonMCC Moderator, Portishead, United KingdomRev. Elder Héctor GutiérrezUFMCC Staff,?Guadalajara, MexicoMr. Chad HobbsGoverning Board UFMCC/MCC Tampa, USAMs. Jude LitzenbergerUFMCC Network Facilitator/The Met, San Diego California, USARev. Paul WhitingGoverning Board UFMCC/Pastor MCC Charlotte, North Carolina, USARev. Emily WormanPastor at?Church in Progress MCC, Auckland, New ZealandRev. Lauren Bennett?(Co-Chair)UFMCC Staff/Associate Pastor MCC Greater St. Louis, Missouri, USAMr. Mike Haase?(Co-Chair)UFMCC Staff/Minister of Music All God's Children MCC Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ................
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