Spring 2009 Meeting Summary

A UMNS photo by Ronny Perry

Connectional Table Summary Report, Spring 2008 Joint meeting with GCFA

On May 12-14, 2009, the Connectional Table met at the Sheraton Music City in Nashville, TN to focus on important conversations and work for the 2009-2012 quadrennium.

Members of the Connectional Table participated in:

Worship:

Each day began and ended with praise, worship, and prayer. The youth and young adult members coordinated the services.
On May 12th, the Table’s Executive Secretary Mary Brooke Casad delivered the message.

Visioning:

The Table reviewed the Call to Action created by the Council of Bishops and discussed ways that the Connectional Table can support the recommended actions.
Small groups discussed and shared their answers to these questions regarding the Call to Action. 1) What’s your reaction? 2) How can you make this message stronger? 3) What can we do to help support this team?
- A motion was made and approved that five Connectional Table members be added to the proposed Steering Committee.
Small groups engaged in discussions around visioning, with each group led by a Steering Committee member.

Discussing Resources:

CT Members shared the ways in which United Methodist boards, agencies, annual conferences, and their local churches are cutting costs and redirecting resources during this economic downturn.

Learning:

CT Members participated in a learning community with consultant Craig Robertson, concentrating on organization and structure of the Connectional Table and of the Church, and thinking about ways to improve.
Members committed to participate in a learning community through reading books related to the Four Areas of Focus, as suggested by the United Methodist Publishing House, and come prepared for discussion at the Fall 2009 CT Meeting.

Celebration:

Celebrated various work being done within The United Methodist Church’s Four Areas of Focus. Listened to presentations from two of the focus areas: the Path1 Team, which focuses on new church starts, and the Global Health Initiative.

Enabling Communication:

Reviewed and discussed results from the survey of conversations distributed earlier this year; questions were based on the seven essential functions of the Connectional Table. Small groups discussed and selected the two most important conversations in each function and then all members ranked these conversations by importance.

Additional Resources:

Expanded Summary Report (PDF)

Spring 2009 Meeting Minutes (PDF)