WELCOME!

Associates in Advocacy now has two sites on the internet. Our primary help site is at http://www.aiateam.org/. There AIA seeks to offer aid to troubled pastors, mainly those who face complaints and whose careers are on the line.

Help is also available to their advocates, their caregivers, Cabinets, and others trying to work in that context.

This site will be a blog. On it we will address issues and events that come up.

We have a point of view about ministry, personnel work, and authority. We intend to take the following very seriously:

THE GOLDEN RULE
THE GENERAL RULES
GOING ONTO PERFECTION

Some of our denomination's personnel practices have real merit. Some are deeply flawed. To tell the difference, we go to these criteria to help us know the difference.

We also have a vision of what constitutes healthy leadership and authority. We believe it is in line with Scripture, up-to-date managerial practice, and law.

To our great sadness, some pastors who become part of the hierarchy of the church, particularly the Cabinet, have a vision based on their being in control as "kings of the hill," not accountable to anyone and not responsible to follow the Discipline or our faith and practice. They do not see that THE GOLDEN RULE applies to what they do.

If you are reading this, the chances are you are not that way. We hope what we say and do exemplify our own best vision and will help you fulfill yours. But we cannot just leave arrogance, incompetence, and ignorance to flourish. All of us have the responsibility to minimize those in our system.

We join you in fulfilling our individual vow of expecting to be perfect in love in this life and applying that vow to our corporate life in the United Methodist Church.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you have any questions or suggestions, direct them to Rev. Jerry Eckert. His e-mail address is aj_eckert@hotmail.com. His phone number is 941 743 0518. His address is 20487 Albury Drive, Port Charlotte, FL 33952.

Thank you.

(9/26/07)


Wednesday, March 1, 2017

JCM 1317


http://www.umc.org/decisions/67618

Seeking Clarification

There is no evidence in my hands to say that a bishop asked a buddy on the editorial committee of the General Conference to try to get the Council to maybe rule a bit of legislation unconstitutional in order to save a bishop’s job for his jurisdiction.

Or someone actually wondered if the legislation they were trying to report accurately violated a decision (JCD 1312) by the Council from a day or so before.

No matter what motivated the request, the Council saw the matter arising from an interim document, a report by an editorial committee which had no standing because it had not been acted on.  The report was to be presented to the General Conference plenary as the plenary’s decision.  It was a step in the parliamentary process.  If there was a problem with the report, then once it was on the floor, the plenary could deal with it and decide whether or not to refer it to the Council.

If my fantasy was correct, I’d have to say, “Nice try!”
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