This Week's Current Week in Review

The Current Week in Review

January 4, 2019

Commission on A Way Forward moderators issue New Year's pastoral letter

Moderators of the Commission on A Way Forward issued a New Year's pastoral letter Jan. 3. Retired Bishop David Yemba, who serves as chancellor of Africa University and Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball, who serves the West Virginia Area, authored the letter.

"As we turn to the new year and the approaching February meeting of the called Special Session of General Conference, the moderators would like to encourage delegates to the General Conference, as well as all spiritual leaders in The United Methodist Church, to read and consider the report of the Commission in its entirety. There are key values which ground the report which can be found in both the theological and missional statements included in the report and we commend this work to you for study and reflection. The report includes an important narrative that sets the context for understanding the three plans included in the report, legislation for three different plans, and four appendices.

"Following the release of the Commission’s report in July, there have been focused conversations, articles, commentaries, and blogs in a variety of venues primarily about the One Church and Traditional plans. We would like to remind the church that there are three serious plans included in the report. The Commission on a Way Forward worked for more than a year on two of the plans - the One Church Plan and the Connectional Conference Plan. In consideration of the spiritual work and leadership of the Commission members, we encourage the church to wrestle seriously with the fact that God does make all things new and not set aside the Connectional Conference Plan as too complicated or too different. Instead, we invite the church to study and consider the Connectional Conference Plan, as well as the One Church Plan and the Traditional Plan, for what the Church might be able to learn from all that has been shared for consideration and discernment."

Remittance deadline for 2018: Jan. 8

The Finance and Administration team has announced that Tuesday, Jan. 8 is the last day remittances for 2018 can be credited to 2018 before the financial records are closed for the year.

IRS announces 2019 mileage rates

The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2019 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2019, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

58 cents per mile driven for business use, up 3.5 cents from the rate for 2018,
20 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, up 2 cents from the rate for 2018, and
14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.

The business mileage rate increased 3.5 cents for business travel driven and 2 cents for medical and certain moving expense from the rates for 2018. The charitable rate is set by statute and remains unchanged.

Covenant Keepers 2019 will be Jan. 28-29 at the Regency Convention Center in O'Fallon. Registration is open through Jan. 13.

The theme of this year's gathering is Hearts On Fire: Basic Essentials for Turning Things Around. Speakers for the event are Dr. Mark Rutland and the Rev. Dr. Joy Moore

General Conference information

Three plans, three perspectives

One Church Plan

The Rev. Berlin explains that the One Church Plan tries to allow different people to “exercise their own judgment in their cultural context.”

Traditional Plan

Vice president of Good News and a member of the Wesleyan Covenant Association leadership council, the Rev. Tom Lambrecht gives insight into the Traditional Plan and Modified Traditional Plans.

Connectional Conference Plan

Patricia L. Miller explains why the Connectional Conference Plan is meant to provide the “most space between theological differences” while maintaining unity.

Special session pre-registration online

Guests and observers to the 2019 Special Session of the General Conference, The United Methodist Church’s top legislative assembly, may now pre-register online. General Conference will meet in St. Louis, Missouri at the America’s Center Feb. 23-26, 2019.

Volunteers needed for General Conference

Persons wishing to volunteer for hospitality and other committees working the special session of General Conference in February 2019 may now apply to register.

Preference will be given to Missouri and Illinois Great Rivers members. All volunteers will be required to sign a covenant agreement, liability waiver, participate in hospitality and intercultural awareness training, as well as job-specific training.