Thursday, May 3, 2012

Personal Frustration

After much searching, I finally found information on the ecumenical guests to the United Methodist General Conference.  (It can be found in this document.)  -  I was pleased to find that there were representatives of others in the World Methodist Council, besides those in the Pan-Methodist group.  Most notably is Bishop Ivan Abrahams, General Secretary of the World Methodist Council.

The Rev'd. Dr. David Wilson
I was also very pleased to see that Nazarenes, once again, were among those at the UMGC.  This time, we have been represented by our General Secretary, the Rev'd. Dr. David Wilson (unless there is another Dr. David Wilson representing us!).  -  This is especially pleasing when recognizing that neither the Free Methodist Church, nor The Wesleyan Church have representatives at this year's General Conference.  (That is, I am disappointed that they do not have representatives, but very happy that we do.)

What I found to be profoundly frustrating, however, is where Dr. Wilson was introduced.  You see, the guests were introduced under certain categories.  Pan-Methodism was one of the categories.  World Council of Churches was a category.  Ecumenical Guests from the U.S. was a group.  Ecumenical guests from Florida was the final grouping.  Prior to all of these (even Pan-Methodists), were World Methodism (i.e., those from the World Methodist Council).

I ask, in what grouping should Dr. Wilson, the General Secretary of the international Church of the Nazarene be introduced?  -  I would assert (I did say suggest, but that is far too weak a word) that it most certainly should not have been under the category of Florida!  Yet, that is where he was introduced!

In fact, in those categories, Dr. Wilson should not have even been introduced under "Ecumenical Guests from U.S.," though this would have been better than Florida, in as much as he is the General Secretary of an international denomination.

However, Dr. Wilson, by all rights as General Secretary of the Church of the Nazarene, a World Methodist Council member denomination, should have been introduced along with the other representatives of World Methodism.

Somebody, please explain . . .

1 comment:

Todd A. Stepp said...

An update: Stephen Sidorak, the general secretary for the UM's Commission in Christian Unity and Interreligous Concerns, responded that he did not know why Dr. Wilson was introduced where he was. He supposed him to be from Florida. He agreed that what I said made sense. He would make note of it, and he indicated that no slight was intended. He was very pleased that Dr. Wilson could be there.

So, a big thank you goes out to Dr. Sidorak!