Corpus Christi meeting to vote on 17 items

Southwest Texas Conference policymakers are to vote on at least 17 legislative proposals June 4 to 7 in Corpus Christi.
Those votes are to be cast during the 150th session of the Southwest Texas Annual Conference. It is to meet in Corpus Christi’s American Bank Center.
Details of the 17 legislative action items—along with 94 reports for information only—are included in a 126-page Preconference Report. It was mailed this week to clergy and laity representatives of the 344 United Methodist congregations in Southwest Texas.
An online version of the report is available at www.umcswtx.org.
A key item for the June session is the addition of a new standing rule that calls for a New Church Development Commission to be organized. The commission is to report directly back to the annual conference. It is to be comprised of 16 elected members, along with the Bishop, the conference lay leader and the executive director of New Church Development and Transformation serving as ex-officio members.
Another key item is the relocation of conference membership for First UMC, Iraan, which previously was considered part of the New Mexico Conference. It is suggested that the church join the Southwest Texas Conference.
The list of legislative proposals in the report includes the dissolution of the Council on Adult Ministries because it is “not longer needed,” according to the report. The council recommends the redirection of adult Sunday School resourcing to the Board of Discipleship Christian Formation (Education) Committee, the redirection of sponsorship of Kingdom Kamp for Mentally Challenged adults aged 18 and older to the Board of Discipleship and the addition of an ex-officio Kingdom Kamp liaison on the Board of Discipleship.
The Council on Finance and Administration is proposing six action items, including a $9.69 million budget for 2009 and the apportionments to fund it. The spending plan represents a 2.86-percent increase from the 2008 budget amount.
The Commission on Equitable Compensation and Moving Expense is proposing a change in minimum compensation levels for elders in full connection, deacons, associate members and local pastors.
Other action items include:
> A proposal from the Board of Pensions and Health Benefits to increase the annuity rate for 2009 and to extend rental/housing allowances to retired or disabled clergy members of the conference.
> A measure from the Board of Global Ministries setting Nov. 2 as Harvest Sunday in Southwest Texas and designating four anti-hunger causes to receive equal portions of the special conferencewide offering collected that day.
Sixteen of the 17 actions items—those believed to face little or no dissent—are listed on a consent agenda for consideration as a group.
Another consent agenda lists 100 informational reports from conference agencies and United Methodist-related institutions. Conference members vote to receive those items for printing in the yearly journal.
More than 1,300 voting members of the annual conference session—half clergy, half laity—are expected to take part in the four-day meeting in Corpus Christi. Theme is “Offering Christ to All: Connecting With Our Communities.”