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)


Tuesday, July 20, 2021

JCM 1412

ee.umc.org/decisions/81541

 

Another Deferral?  With a Stay?

 

Back in 2019, the New England Annual Conference’s bishop responded to a question of law, sent in his report to the Council promising that the minutes of the plenary would follow.  In JCM 1382, the Council responded saying the minutes never showed up and they couldn’t make a ruling on the bishop’s response.  They further stayed the bishop’s ruling (put a hold on it) because the Council of Bishops had raised a question about the legitimacy of the vote at the 2019 General Conference which put into effect the passage involved in the question of law.

 

The Council dealt with the issue (see JCD 1401) which caused the stay in the first place but that is not reflected in this decision.  I take that to mean that this decision was settled before JCD 1401 was finally voted upon or that in the confusion of trying to work on their docket through computer channels during the pandemic, that no one took the time to connect all the dots.

 

And there is the issue of the Minutes from the New England Conference of 2019 never being sent in.

 

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