General Conference Audio Stories

Audio Cut 63 (30:34) Sermon – Bishop Machado
Full sermon: Bishop João Somane Machado preached “Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World: The Priority Mission of the Church” on April 25.

Audio Cut 62 (24:40) Sermon – Bishop Hutchinson
Full sermon: Bishop William H. Hutchinson preached “Of Water And the Spirit” on April 26.

Audio Cut 61 (28:38) Sermon – Bishop Carcaño
Full sermon: Bishop Minerva Carcaño preached “Hope Beyond Ourselves” on April 27.

Story 60 (:59) UMC, Foundations Fight Malaria
William H. Gates, Sr., says The UMC is the hope for saving the world from malaria. His foundation is helping the church create a capital campaign to raise $100 million for global health. Story from Arthur McClanahan.

Audio Cut 59 (19:15) Sermon - Bishop Ward
Full sermon: "Witness of the Wondrous" by Bishop Hope Morgan Ward on May 2.

Audio Cut 58 (43:45) Holy Conferencing - LGBT-UMC Issues
A news conference discussed gay and lesbian issues in the church. [Audio: Bishop Gregory Palmer, Bishop Sally Dyck, Rev. Troy Plummer, Bishop Scott Jones, Rev. Dr. Gail Murphy-Geiss]

Audio Cut 57 (23:56) Global Health News Conference
The UMC will utilize $5-million from the U.N. Foundation and the Gates Foundation for a $100-million global health effort. [Audio: Elizabeth Gore, Bishop Janice Riggle Huie, Gabrielle Fitzgerald, Bishop Thomas Bickerton.]

Audio Cut 56 (22:39) Malaria Address - Bill Gates, Sr.
The father of the Microsoft founder talks about mutual efforts to end Malaria in Africa. Gates is co-chair of the Gates Foundation. Response by Bishop Eben T. Nhiwatiwa of Zimbabwe. (The basketball pledge was actually up to $20,000.)

Audio Cut 55 (26:20) Sermon - Bishop Jung
Full sermon: Bishop Hee-Soo Jung's sermon on May 1: "Jesus remember me."

Audio Cut 54 (5:07) Homosexuality Witness - Statement
Primary statement made during the protest on the floor of General Conference, May 1.

Audio Cut 53 (2:18) Homosexuality Witness - Talbert
Bishop Melvin Talbert spoke at the witness on the floor of General Conference on May 1.

Audio Cut 52 (17:53) Witness - Homosexuality & the UMC
The conference paused for 20-minutes for a witness in support of homosexual rights in the church. [Audio: Bishop J. Lawrence McCloskey, Bishop Gregory Palmer, Audrey Krumbach, Rev. David Meredith, Bishop Melvin Talbert]

Audio Cut 51 (23:36) Sermon - Bishop Fisher
Full sermon: Bishop Violet Fisher preaches: "The Necessity of the Call" on April 30.

Story 50 (1:20) Vote on Homosexuality
Delegates vote on new language for the Social Principles. Mike Hickcox reports. [Audio: Rev. Eddie Fox, Frederick Brewington]

Audio Cut 47 (25:49) Sermon - Bishop Ernest Lyght
Full sermon: Bishop Lyght preached on the morning of April 28; "Someone’s Knocking at the Door".

Audio Cut 49 (38:47) Immigration Rally
Full event: (starting in progress) Includes Don Hayashi, Alvin Deere, Kyung Za Yim, Tyrone Gordon, David Martinez, Kelvin Sauls, Minerva Carcaño.

Audio Cut 48 (23:01) Sermon - Bishop Huie
Full sermon: Opening night sermon: "Celebrating God’s Promise of Hope", Bishop Janice Riggle Huie.

Audio Cut 46 (20:00) Sermon - Bishop Mark Hanson
Full sermon: Bishop Mark Hanson of the ELCA preaches. The ELCA and UMC are reaching a full communion relationship.

Audio Cut 45 (31:26) Laity Address
Full address: Lyn Powell's address entitled, "Disciples Transforming the World", April 24, 2008.

Audio Cut 44 (53:22) ELCA-UMC News Conf.
Bishop F. Brookhart (Epis.), Bishop M. Talbert (UMC), Rev. D. McCoid (ELCA), Bishop W. Oden (UMC), Bishop M. Hanson (ELCA), Bishop F Mutti (UMC), Bishop G. Palmer (UMC), Bishop Ann Sherer (UMC)

Audio Cut 43 (29:29) Johnson-Sirleaf Speech
Full speech: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of Liberia, spoke to a plenary session of General Conference.

Audio Cut 42 (1:57) Money for Nothing But Nets
Dr. Kent Millard describes how St. Luke's UMC (Indianapolis) raised $86,000 for the Nothing But Nets campaign.

Story 41 (:59) Obama Visits Delegate's Church
Sen. Barack Obama worshipped at St. Luke's UMC (Indianapolis) on Sunday, April 27. Arthur McClanahan reports. [Audio: Dr. Kent Millard]

Audio Cut 40 (:42) Katrina News Confernence – 9th Ward
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of Mississippi tells about a recent visit to the devastated 9th Ward of New Orleans.

Audio Cut 39 (:45) Katrina News Conference – Insurance
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of Mississippi talks about property insurance problems for some affected churches and properties.

Story 38 (:59 ) Katrina News Conference
Looking at the work done after Hurricane Katrina. Report by Mike Hickcox. [Audio: Bishop Hope Morgan Ward]

Audio Cut 37 (1:22) AIDS News Conference
Bishop Fritz Mutti talks about ZOE, the Zimbabwe Orphan Endeavor.

Audio Cut 36 (:22) AIDS News Conference
Linda Bales of the General Board of Church and Society discusses AIDS advocacy efforts underway with the US Congress.

Story 35 (1:02) AIDS News Conference
Denominational leaders discuss HIV/AIDS awareness, advocacy, and physical and spiritual support. Arthur McClanahan reports. [Audio: Bishop Joao Somane Machado, Rev. Stephen Bryant]

Audio Cut 34 (:19) Immigration News Conference
Bishop Felton May calls upon President Bush to tear down the border walls.

Audio Cut 33 (:26) Immigration News Conference
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson speaks about immigration as the new slavery and how the New Sanctuary Movement provides hope.

Audio Cut 32 (:53) Immigration News Conference
Immigrants come to America, says Rev. Walter Coleman, because of the nightmare of what America has brought to their countries.

Audio Cut 30 (:21) Global Health / Felton May
Bishop Felton May says attacking poverty also addresses diseases of poverty.

Story 31 (:56) Immigration News Conference
Task Force on Immigration calls for removal of walls, greater sanctuary for immigrants. Story from Arthur McClanahan. [Audio: Rev. David Farley, Rev. Walter Coleman]

Story 29 (:56) Global Health News Conference
A news conference highlights the effort to deal with malaria and other diseases of poverty around the world. Report from Mike Hickcox. [Audio: Bishop Tom Bickerton, Rev. Larry Hollon]

Audio Cut 28 (:42) Laity Address
Lyn Powell lists 3 things laity can do to win the community for Christ.

Story 27 (:49) Laity Address / Lyn Powell
Lyn Powell, lay leader, North Georgia, calls for a more effective partnership of laity and clergy in her Laity Address.

Audio Cut 26 (4:15) Gay Rights Rally / Heath
Joey Heath talks about rejection as a member of the church because he is gay, and about Judicial Council decision 1032.

Story 25 (:59) Gay Rights Rally
Gay rights rally held across from the convention center. Report from Mike Hickcox. [Audio: Miriam, Shaun Delmorre, Joey Heath]

Audio Cut 24 (:59) Immigration Rally
The Rev. Tyrone Gordon says Black and Brown and all immigrants must be together in faith.

Story 23 (:58) Immigration Rally
Immigration Rally welcomes all. Report by Mike Hickcox. [Audio: Rev. Alvin Deere, Rev. Mark Nakagawa]

Story 22 (:59) Immigration Rally
Task Force on Immigration sponsors a rally. Mike Hickcox reports. [Audio: Rev. Tyrone Gordon]

Story 18 (:59) GCFA / Bishop Swenson
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson introduces the budget proposed by GCFA. Report by Mike Hickcox. [Audio: Bishop Mary Ann Swenson]

Audio Cut 21 (35:28) Malaria Day News Conference
The full news conference with Bishop Felton May, Bishop Tom Bickerton, The Rev. Larry Hollon

Audio Cut 20 (1:03) GCFA Budget / Pouring from the cup
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson talks about the purposes of "the cup" and about the people of the church as the cup.

Audio Cut 19 (:46) GCFA Budget / Swenson
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson talks about the purposes of the $642 million budget.

Story 17 (:59) Connectional Table / Katherine Commale
7-year-old Katherine Commale was honored for raising $40,000 for Nothing But Nets. Mike Hickcox Reports. [Audio: Bishop John Hopkins, Katherine Commale]

Audio Cut 16 (1:01) Connectional Table / Signs of Hope
Mary Brooke Casad lists many reasons for hope in the church in The United Methodist Church.

Audio Cut 15 (1:18) Connectional Table / Hard Realities
Mary Brooke Casad and Bishop John Hopkins list some of the hard realities of the State of the Church report.

Audio Cut 14 (2:11) Connectional Table / Katherine Commale
Bishop John Hopkins talks with 7-year-old Katherine Commale, who raised $40,000 for Nothing But Nets.

Story 13 (:56) Connectional Table / Challenges and Hope
The Connectional Table looks at challenges and hope. Report from Mike Hickcox. [Audio: Mary Brooke Casad]

Story 12 (:59) Young People's Address
The first-ever Young People's Address, Thursday afternoon. Report from Arthur McClanahan. [Audio: Matt Lockett, Becca Farnum, Andrew Craig]

Story 11 (:59) Areas of Focus
The "Four Areas of Focus" are introduced to the church. Mike Hickcox reports.  [Audio: Bishop Felton May, The Rev. Karen Greenwaldt]

Story 10 (:55) Areas of Focus
The "Four Areas of Focus" to keep church and world healthy. Report from Mike Hickcox. [Audio: The Rev. Larry Hollon, Rev. Dr. Jerome Del Pino]

Audio Cut 09 (4:46) Areas of Focus
"Measurable Outcomes" for the Areas of Focus for the next 4 years. [Audio: The Rev. Karen Greenwaldt, Bishop Felton May, The Rev. Larry Hollon, Rev. Dr. Jerome Del Pino]

Audio Cut 08 (1:26) Episcopal Address
Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher invited the delegates to the General Conference to live a life grounded in hope.

Story 07 (:54) Seven Vision Pathways
Delegate invited to walk the "Seven Vision Pathways". Report from Mike Hickcox. [Audio: Bishop Bruce Ough]

Story 06 (:59) Episcopal Address
Bishop Christopher invites delegates to live a life grounded in hope. Story from Arthur McClanahan: [Audio: Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher]

Audio Cut 05 (:18) Welcome to General Conference
Bishop Janice Riggle Huie issues the welcome to General Conference.

Audio Cut 04 (1:03) Opening Worship
Bishop Janice Riggle Huie notes the rich diversity and wide geography of the delegates to General Conference.

Story 03 (:59) Opening Worship
A call for unity. Mike Hickcox reports. [Audio: Bishop Janice Riggle Huie]

Story 02 (:58) Opening Worship
Worship on the first night of conference. Report from Mike Hickcox.  [Audio: Marcia McFee, worship director]

Story 01 (:59) Opening of Conference
Opening of conference. Report from Arthur McClanahan: [Audio: Bishop Janice Riggle Huie]