Ordination

The Rev. Jack Jackson. Photo courtesy of the author.

Florida Conference board caused the harm

Yes, harm resulted from a recent vote by the Florida Conference clergy conference, but the blame belongs with the conference’s board of ordained ministry.

Annual Conferences

The Rev. Paul W. Chilcote. Photo courtesy of the author.

Apply Wesleyan lens to clergy-session controversy

This is not the time for accusations or recriminations regarding the Florida Conference clergy session’s June 9 vote not to approve 16 candidates for provisional membership.

Annual Conferences

Draped chairs symbolize that Florida Conference candidates for provisional membership — an important step toward ordination as elder or deacon — failed to get approved by the conference clergy session. The controversial decision, made during the conference’s gathering in Lakeland, Fla., illustrated denominational division over LGBTQ inclusion. The decision also altered the June 11 concluding service, where the 16 were to be commissioned. Photo by Esther Rodriguez via Facebook.

Clergy session vote highlights LGBTQ divide

Controversy embroiled the Florida Conference as its clergy session narrowly voted not to approve for advancement on the clergy track a slate of 16 persons, some openly gay.

Local Church

The Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr. Photo courtesy of Wesley Theological Seminary.

Young elder numbers hit record low

Annual clergy age study by Lewis Center confirms downward trend for United Methodist elders under 35.

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