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)


Friday, July 25, 2014

JCM 1269


http://archives.umc.org/interior_judicial.asp?mid=263&JDID=1391&JDMOD=VWD&SN=1201&EN=1269

RECONSIDERATION OF JCD 1251

The Council refused reconsideration.  While the docket of the Judicial Council published before their session includes the substance of the requests for rulings, it does not include the requests for reconsideration there.  Consequently, there is no knowing what issues were brought forward to be grounds for review of JCD 1251.  In my commentary on JCD 1251, I point out that the advocate missed his opportunity by waiting a year instead of dealing with the strange actions of the Cabinet’s triad at the annual conference immediately after the event.  As discussed in my commentary, using Matthew 18:15 would only have postponed the necessary Judicial Council action until it was too late.  By refusing reconsideration, the Council postpones review of the Cabinet triad processes until a proper request for ruling can be prepared.  And a pastor loses again to power abuse. . . .

As a point of grace, the Council would be wise in the future to allow for a period before saying that they have brought their request for a ruling too late.


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