Willimon: “Those trying to bring change are not going to Stop…”

Bishop Will Willimon shared during the break that he wasn’t surprised to see the Plan B proposal recommended by the General Administration legislative committee instead of the Call To Action/Interim Operations Team proposal.

“It’s been clear that there was a move to oppose the CTA plan for a while,” Willimon said. “It’s been interesting to see some pretty diverse groups work together on this out of spite for the Council of Bishops.”

Willimon, of the North Alabama Episcopal Area, said he believed that the “wrong folks” are voting at General Conference. “Most of the people here, including myself, were put here by the existing system. You can’t imagine that those folks are going to vote against the system that brought them here.”

Willimon emphasized, however, that the movement to bring forth systemic change would not end with the action of the General Conference.

“Those of us who are working to bring about reform will not be slowed down nor will we stop.”


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General Church
Bishop Tracy S. Malone surveys the results of a delegate vote in favor of a worldwide regionalization plan as she presides over a legislative session of the 2024 United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C., on April 25, 2024. The Council of Bishops announced Nov. 5 that annual conference lay and clergy voters have ratified regionalization. File photo by Paul Jeffrey, UM News.

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General Church
West Ohio delegates raise their arms in praise during morning worship at the 2024 United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. From right are the Revs. April Casperson and Dee Stickley-Miner and Tracy Chambers. On Nov. 5, the Council of Bishops announced annual conference voters ratified four ballots of constitutional amendments passed at General Conference. In addition to regionalization, the ratified amendments deal with inclusion in church membership, racial justice and educational requirements for clergy. Casperson helped lead the task force that championed the passage of the amendment on inclusiveness. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

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