i am looking for you tennessee conference united methodist

i might go on later about how i've been pissed off at my institutional part of my church since last week. if you wouldn't mind checking out and signing this petition one of our ex conference youth presidents put together it'd go a bit to help me feel better. this was her email

Hey Friends,
As you may or may not have heard, the TN Conference of the UMC has decided to phase out the programming positions related to children, youth, and young adults. These positions are currently held by Susan Groseclose and Beth Morris. If your life has been touched by these ministries (e.g. Warmth in Winter, Summer Sizzler, Youth Ministry Institute, Children's Ministry Institute, Conference Day with the Bishop, etc.), please read and sign a petition to have these positions reinstated at

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/TNUMCProgrammingPositions/

We will send this petition as a resolution to annual conference. Resolutions are due this Friday, March 14th, so please sign and pass the word along to any one you know that would be interested. We hope to get as many signatures as possible by Friday, but will continue to collect them through Annual Conference.

Thanks and let us know if you have any questions.
Peace,
Rachel

Comments

[Jody+]

Well, not being a Methodist I don't think my signature would help. And I probably shouldn't comment on the inner workings of another Church body..but hey, that hasn't stopped me before! I suppose the nicest thing I can say is that from the outside this looks like a short-sighted step-back for ministry.

[Art]

"...the UMC has decided to phase out the programming positions related to children, youth, and young adults"

!... ?

So we have officially accepted that we are a dying denomination?

Or will this be a self-fulfilling prophecy?

I'm sure there was much more than meets the eye that went into this decision but on the surface, this looks pretty stucking fupid.

[Josh Tinley]

I can't find an official statement from the conference about these moves, both of which are unwise and tragic.

Would we get in trouble if we suggested that congregations withhold apportionment money until the conference reconsiders?

[gavin]

hey fellas, it is a poor message, in part because there hasn't been any communication as to "why" the change. i've posted more of what i know

[David]

Gavin,
We endured this here at Cal-Pac, and also included phasing our camping position into another position. We are now in the process of reintegrating new positions for camping program and children/youth programming and even young adult programming back into the life of the Conference Staff, at a heavy burden to the local churches.
In a dream world, I wonder what it would look like to say to the local churches they were responsible for Missions, Evangelism, Connection, Discipleship and moving the children and youth and camping positions to the Conference Offices, and how that would go over. But in a church where the youth and children are minimal and the congregants are older and want more attention for themselves (though to be honest we have yet to reset the Senior Adult Ministries Coordinator back into the Conference Office either) it may be a long haul.
All the best, may the opportunity to shrink bring about the necessary evaluation to grow.
Peace,