Delegates spend first days in Ft. Worth for General Conference

United Methodist News Service
Nearly 1,000 United Methodist delegates from the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia began meeting in Fort Worth this week for the denomination’s top legislative meeting, which will continue through May 2.
The gathering has 100 fewer U.S. delegates attending the 2008 session due to an increased representation from countries outside of the United States, primarily countries in Africa.
For the past few months, delegates have studied 1,564 pieces of proposed legislation to be considered during the 10-day legislative marathon, held once every four years.
General Conference delegates are elected from among the members of the church’s annual conferences. To serve, they must have been a member of The United Methodist Church for two years and active in a United Methodist congregation within the boundaries of the annual conference for four years.
During breaks from the meeting, delegates will have the opportunity to relax in a 30-by-80-foot space sponsored by six United Methodist agencies. The Health and Wholeness booth will offer a place to relax and learn about personal health, congregational health ministries, healthcare advocacy and global health.
Free water bottles, pedometers and apples are available at the booth to encourage healthy behavior during the assembly, which can be mentally and physically demanding because of the heavy workload, long hours, tight schedules and lack of sleep.
As a break from long hours of sitting, group fitness walks will start near the convention center each day at 12:45 and 5:15 p.m., led by host committee members. Participants will receive T-shirts with "I Walked with the World" printed in nine languages.
Issues to be considered by General Conference delegates include reorganization, homosexuality, abortion, health care, a new hymnal and finances.
A full listing of all petitions is available on the General Conference Web site at http://gc2008.umc.org.