ANNUAL CONFERENCE RESOLUTION

It was an interesting session at the annual conference of the Central Texas Conference of the Methodist Church. I was pleased that my resolution got on the agenda. I got there about 15 minutes before the session reconvened. While I was standing talking to Mary Barton at the Cross Plains table a young man came up with the resolution in his agenda and asked if I was present. I introduced myself and he told me how pleased he was to see the resolution. He works with young people in his ministry and liked the resolution. That gave me hope.

There were two resolutions: mine followed by one urging the Congress to pass legislation recognizing illegal immigrants. A presentation by the organization that provides legal advice to immigrants preceded the resolutions and the committee chair opted to vote on the immigrant resolution first. It passed with no discussion.

He then presented my resolution. Rev. Worcester from my church requested permission for me to speak to the resolution. The assembly had to vote to approve my speaking. That passed with about 20% disagreeing. I spoke for my allotted 3 minutes. The discussion then ramped up with the Bishop permitting three speakers for and three against. A motion to vote was made and approved. The vote was to approve or disagree with the recommendation that it not be approved. Thus a vote yes meant you were against the resolution and a vote no meant you approved the resolution. Two of the speakers against the resolution were professors of biology and physics. One young man told the assembly that if this was approved they would be the laughing stock of Texas. A woman teacher discussed my statement that creation scientists couldn't publish in peer reviewed papers because their peers didn't approve.

In the final vote the resolution was disapproved by a very large margin. I may have gotten 10 or 20 percent. I have written the Bishop thanking him for letting the resolution come forward. It could have been thrown out for being out of order, but a staff member helped rewrite it to meet their criteria. It is one step forward.

This morning I got a call from Rev. Jim Senkel who offered to submit a similar resolution but with wording that he thinks has more promise. His is stating that neither the theory of evolution nor creation can be proven and should both be taught. I disagree because I think the theory of evolution violates the laws of physics and chemistry and should be discarded, but that is a large step in today's world. I need to learn to be less offensive in my approach, but I am getting more and more passionate about my feelings.

The day before I got an email from my oldest grandson with an announcement of a seminar in Austin October 26, 27 and 28 that will examine the Christian vs. Naturalistic viewpoints. Look at www.vibrantdance.org. I plan to attend. It is directed at educating ministers as well as lay.