New York Annual Conference

Transcription

1 New York Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Lay Delegate Candidates for General Conference and Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference The Prophetic Church Pray about it. Talk about it. Be about it. 215th Annual Session June 4-7, 2014 Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York Bishop Martin D. McLee, Presiding

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3 Stephen J. Allen I was born in Vermont and raised in Western Massachusetts. I earned a BA in English Literature from the University of Massachusetts. While at college, I was heavily involved in the Wesley Foundation, and discerned a call to seminary, now Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. I received a BD from Garrett, and spent a year as an intern chaplain at Denison University under the sponsorship of the Danforth Foundation. This internship led me to return for an academic graduate degree, and I earned a MA in English from the University of Pittsburgh. I joined the faculty of the Ecumenical Institute/Institute of Cultural Affairs in Chicago, and worked with them for nearly fifteen years, both in their training programs and in their community development work around the world. When I left EI/ICA, I returned to school (at DePaul University) and earned a professional certificate in systems design and programming. This led to a seven-year career with a litigation support firm headquartered in Chicago. By the end of my time with them, I had become the systems manager for the company s inhouse computers while overseeing several client databases as well. I relocated to the Hudson Valley about 20 years ago and I opened a bookstore. Unfortunately, two years later Barnes and Noble opened a bigger one nearby. I then spent 10 years as the manager of a bookstore operated by a religious order. After retiring, I served as adjunct faculty at Marist College and Dutchess Community College. I am a Lay Member of the New York Annual Conference from the United Methodist Church in Hyde Park. I am the Worship Chair in my local congregation, and serve on the Lay Servant Committee for the New York/Connecticut District. I am a member of the NYAC Board of Ordained Ministry and the Conference Sessions Committee. For several years I have co-chaired the ushers at Annual Conference. I am the treasurer and a member of the steering committee of the Guild for Spiritual Guidance, an association of spiritual directors. I am active in the Hudson Valley Folk Guild, and sing in the church choir and the Mid-Hudson Camerata Chorale. I am passionate about social justice issues, lay training, and spiritual formation. I would be honored to serve as a delegate to General and/or Jurisdictional Conferences from the New York Annual Conference. Dorothee Benz, PhD Nomination Statement I have spent a lifetime dedicated to social justice work, a call fueled directly by my faith and my understanding of the Gospel imperative to welcome and defend the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. Many members of the New York Annual Conference may recognize this commitment in the work I have participated in to end our denomination s discrimination against LGBT people. As the chair of Methodists in New Directions (MIND), I have had the privilege of working with hundreds of people throughout our conference to help bring about that day when the church stops condemning and excluding people like me. But the commitment to justice is broader and deeper than any one issue. I am proud to have played a role in making the My Brother s Keeper: People of Faith Confront Hate Crimes symposium a reality, bringing together an unprecedented coalition in our conference to address issues of violence facing communities of color, immigrants and LGBT people. I am honored to work at the Center for Constitutional Rights, which daily fights for the rights of marginalized communities and populations, whether victims of racial profiling, torture survivors from Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo detainees, Muslims targeted for illegal surveillance or immigrants subjected to illegal raids. I am gratified to have spent more than two decades in the labor movement, working for economic justice, and a decade working in the anti-apartheid movement as well. There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle, the poet Audre Lorde famously said, because we do not lead singleissue lives. Nor do we worship a single-issue God.

4 I have been a United Methodist since my parents and I immigrated to this country in 1968 and joined FUMC in Montclair, NJ. I was two, and my parents happened to be documented immigrants, but I am acutely aware that the only difference between me and thousands of undocumented DREAMers is pure luck. I strive on a daily basis to acknowledge the dimensions of privilege in my own life as I work to fight injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves. I was raised in The United Methodist Church, confirmed in it, and had hopes as a young adult to one day serve as a minister in the UMC. The year I came out as a lesbian, however, was the year that General Conference voted to bar gays and lesbians from ministry. While denied by the church the chance to serve in ordained ministry, I have not in turn denied the church my service. Since transferring my membership to the New York Annual Conference, I have been active at both the congregational and the conference level, and more recently the national level (see biographical sketch). Through that work, as well as my professional work, I have honed skills as an organizer, strategist, writer, facilitator and speaker. I feel called to use those skills now in further service to the church as a General Conference delegate. I want to help do my part to ensure a future for the UMC as a relevant institution and a force of social transformation in our world. Biographical Sketch Dorothee Benz has been a UMC member in the New York Annual Conference since She is a lifelong United Methodist, and is currently a member at Memorial UMC in White Plains, NY. She has devoted her life to social justice work in the church, in her professional career and in her activism. Service to the church Dorothee Benz s service in NYAC includes leadership roles at Park Slope UMC, where she helped revitalize the Reconciling Committee, served on the church council, was an active participant of the Social Justice Committee, and served as a worship leader. She also served as an annual conference member for three years while at PSUMC. She has attended many more annual conferences. As the chair of PSUMC s Reconciling Committee a decade ago, Benz led an effort to connect with other Reconciling churches in the conference. This outreach laid the groundwork for the formation of Methodists in New Directions (MIND). A founding member of MIND, Benz has served as its chair since She is stepping down from that role in September 2014 in order to devote her energy to participating in the General Conference delegation s preparations, should she be elected. As MIND s chair, Benz has helped build a movement for change and helped nurture conversation within our conference about what is means to be faithful to the Gospel call to welcome the stranger and the outcast in a denomination that condemns and excludes a whole class of people. Benz was the lead organizer for the November 2010 My Brother s Keeper: People of Faith Confront Hate Crimes symposium that brought together an unprecedented coalition of groups within our conference: the Immigration Task Force, the Board of Church and Society, the Commission on Religion and Race, the Methodist Federation for Social Action, the Committee on the Status and Role of Women, and MIND. The symposium became a model for other NYAC events sponsored by similar coalitions, including the Know Your Neighbor, Know Yourself immigration justice forum in October 2011, the Rise up! End Violence against Women and Girls conference in March 2013 and the multi-group effort that sent six buses to the 50th anniversary march on Washington in August Benz, and MIND, played an active role in mobilizing for each of those events. As MIND s work has become more visible and influential nationally, Benz has become a sought-after speaker and teacher across the country. Most recently, she served as the theologian in residence at FUMC in Boulder, Colorado and co-led (with NYAC native Bruce Robbins) a strategic planning workshop for the national marriage equality movement within the UMC at the Reconciling Ministries Network biennial convocation. She will be a keynote speaker at the Western Methodist Justice Movement s Stepping Out in Faith retreat this summer. Career Professionally, Benz is the communications director at the Center for Constitutional Rights, an organization that litigates and advocates on behalf of deeply marginalized communities and populations. In 2013, CCR won a landmark case against

5 New York City for its racially-biased stop-and-frisk program. It was the first organization to represent the detainees at Guantanamo. CCR represents prisoners at Pelican Bay suing to end long-term solitary confinement and families of U.S. drone strike victims. Benz spent the bulk of her career in the labor movement, fighting for the economic rights of workers. She also spent a decade working with the NY Labor Committee Against Apartheid, in close partnership with the Congress of South African Trade Unions. Education Benz holds a PhD in political science from the City University of New York and a BA in history and literature from Harvard University. Her scholarly expertise is in social movements. Awards Benz s writing has won recognition through both labor journalism and scholarly awards. She is also the recipient (with Fred Brewington) of the 2012 Gwen and C. Dale White Award from the Methodist Federation for Social Action New York Chapter. Certification

6 Frederick K. Brewington A product of his upbringing in the Lakeview community in Nassau County, Fred Brewington is an Attorney with offices in Hempstead, NY. Currently a resident of Freeport, Fred was graduated from Malverne High School in He went on to attend the State University of New York at Albany, from which he graduated with Honors in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Fred further distinguished himself at Northeastern University School of Law by earning his Juris Doctor and being named commencement student speaker by his peers in He is a loyal and devoted husband to his lovely wife, Adrienne, a former attorney who is now District Superintendent for Long Island East, UMC. Having attended three General Conferences as a delegate, Fred seeks to serve once again. Fred s legal and educational endeavors eventually led him from the position of law clerk in a number of prestigious firms and law offices including a clerkship at the office of the Legal Counsel of the United States Senate to his own gainful career in private practice. As a major component of his practice, Fred has opted to take on the challenges of Civil Rights litigation. From the successful challenge to the at large Voting system in the Town of Hempstead to preventing future unconstitutional and discriminatory purging of voters from the voting role, it is through Fred s efforts that many gains have been achieved for the citizens of Nassau County and other areas of the State of New York. Fred is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center from August, 1998 to Present. Through his vast and varied experience, Fred has developed several expertise, including handling budgets, staff, major litigation, community concerns and social justice. His deep Christian belief and philosophy of caring for people has been demonstrated in the field of community education and service, and has been exhibited by his willingness to place the needs of those whom he represents above his own. It is that selfless attitude that earns him respect among his professional peers and community comrades, who have presented him with numerous awards. Among many others, Fred s concerns about affordable housing, community revitalization efforts, employment, civil rights, provisions for social services, municipal liability, the environment and voting rights have been and continue to be addressed by his aggressive approaches against these injustices through litigating, writing, lecturing and making personal appearances. Fred s service includes being a Board member of numerous not-for-profit community based organizations including the Nassau County Mental Health Association, the United Methodist Church Far Rockaway Mission, the Nassau County Bar Association, ERASE Racism, the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives, the United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society (Chair of Trustees), Vice Chair of the Lakeview Youth Federation, Inc. and the Advisory Board of the Long Island Housing Services, to name just a few. By such means, he has consistently demonstrated God s gifts through keen creative and intellectual qualities. He currently serves on the General Church Connectional Table and the Standing Committee on Central Conferences. A man of high moral standards, Fred has served as a Trustee and as Chairman of the Administrative Board of the Church of the Good Shepherd, United Methodist. He is currently a Trustee for the Hempstead UMC and has served as a Parliamentarian for the New York Annual Conference. He is a Certified Lay Speaker for the Long Island East District of the New York Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and currently is an instructor for Local Lay Speakers. Fred is a member of several Choirs, and currently leads the Gospel choir called the Shepherd s Singers. As the former Chair of the District Committee on Stewardship, Fred has done district wide training on a number of subjects for both laity and clergy as well as Conference trainings, he continues to make service a priority and continues to serve on other District-wide committees. Fred has, and continues to serve as volunteer football coach in the Malverne School District and mentors other young people through the Church and community activities. He acts as advisor to many community groups on a pro bono basis. In addition, Fred has served as President of the Alumni Association of the State University of New York at Albany and has also served as a member of that Board for nearly two decades. A tireless advocate, Fred is devoted to representing his clients and community compassionately and competently, honestly and fearlessly. He draws his strength to do so from God, and from the recognition that many sacrifices have been made by many others so that he could progress. He constantly reminds himself of his blessings and those who gave so much that he might be educated to amass the skills to do the work which he now does.

7 Certification April 2, 2014 Grace H. Bryant 728 Franklin Street Westbury, NY Dear Mr. Jackson: It is with pleasure that I offer Fred Brewington s name for consideration to be a delegate for the General Conference of The United Methodist Church for the 2016 session. Fred has been an active member in The United Methodist Church for many more than the four years required for consideration. He currently is a member of the Westbury United Methodist Church, located in Westbury, New York. Fred attends regularly and serves: as a Certified Lay Servant, a Trustee, in the choir, and with the United Methodist Men to name a few of the ministries in which he is involved. Fred is also involved with many district and conference level ministries. Fred s wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm, and his ability to articulate clearly concerning issues of justice and mercy both within the church and within the greater community are gifts he will bring to the table if elected. I look forward to seeing his name as one representing the laity for this upcoming General Conference. Yours Truly, Grace H. Bryant, Church Council Chair Westbury United Methodist Church Carolyn Hardin Engelhardt Nomination Statement What are we called to do and be in relation to Jurisdictional and General Conference? General Conference is the international expression of the UMC through which the UMC is shaped every four years and over the years. It is the body through which we are called to ever greater faithfulness and which we need to influence toward ever greater faithfulness. Hundreds of delegates, bishops and staff members and lots of visitors gather every 4 years to relate to petitions, proposals, and studies that need fine-tuning and voting on. Preparation for General Conference/Jurisdictional requires preparation for at least a couple of years by delegates: meetings reading and studying networking with people in New York Annual Conference and around the country/world to thoroughly understand the issues The issues are as complex as all the theology and biblical studies with which we are engaged; the self-development of peoples and nations; ecumenism or fear of it; and all the social justice concerns of the world, including hunger, health, safety, war, peace, immigration, racism, gender and sexuality issues, and lots more and then there is Jurisdictional Conference where Bishops are elected after a subtle process across the jurisdiction of identifying, encouraging, discouraging, and dialoguing about characteristics needed, and more With all these issues I believe that one of the most important things we will do at Annual Conference this year is choose delegates to these conferences.

8 Once they are elected I believe we should expect the delegates to take part in monthly (or whatever schedule is decided) meetings whether they are delegates to General or Jurisdictional Conference because Jurisdictional Conference delegates are alternates to General Conference, if necessary; study websites, documents, dialogue with advocacy groups and prayerfully use their influence preparing to be active thinkers, influencers, speech makers, petition writers, and voters on issues. All of this responsibility means that we need lay delegates who are capable of being at conferences for 3 weeks in 2016, seeing the big picture, integrating all this information and thinking critically about it, working hard, long hours, with clarity and devoted to doing God s will as they discern it We need to find very capable people. All delegates will be good Christian people but from the New York Annual Conference, we need to elect persons who can make a difference for the future of our church. I am willing, if chosen. Biographical Sketch General Conference Delegate 2008, 2012; Jurisdictional ; first alternate, General Conference 1996, 2000 Northeastern Jurisdiction, UMC, Vision Table Northeastern Jurisdiction, UMC, Committee on Appeals UMW At The Table Consultation, 2014 NYAC Board of Ordained Ministry ; Bishop s Task Forces on Cross-Cultural/Cross-Racial Appointments ; and on Homosexuality Study ; CT District Committee on Ordained Ministry CT Conference of Churches, Faith and Order Commission Director, Ministry Resource Center, Yale Divinity School, 1985-present Consultant: Church Program Ministries Education: B.A. Hendrix College; Masters of Divinity, SMU Adult group co leader, Missions/Social Concerns Team, Handbell Choir and substitute organist at Cheshire UMC Elected Cheshire Board of Education, General Board of Discipleship ; National Board, Christian Educators Fellowship 4 years; Advisory Board, Korean American Transgenerational Ministry, 1 year; Led events in every jurisdiction and with many denominations; Leader, NYAC School of Missions; Regional School of Missions; Consultant for UMW to develop Mission u leader bibliographies Francis Asbury Award of the New York Annual Conference for Higher Education, 2004 Recipient of C. Dale and Gwen White MFSA Award for Social Justice, 2011 Hamden Ethics Board, 2003; Facilitator, Community Dialogues, Hamden, Methodist Federation for Social Action 1996 to present Methodists in New Directions, 2009 to present Taught Christian Education at Boston University School of Theology, Hartford Seminary, Drew Theological School; Leader in NYAC 2014 Local Pastor Licensing School; United Methodist Polity teacher at Yale Divinity School 2013

9 Dorlimar Lebrón Malavé Nomination Statement My name is Dorlimar Lebrón Malavé. If elected to serve as delegate, my deepest desire is to faithfully represent the concerns and interests of the youth and young adults as we seek to do justice, embrace faithful, unwavering, unconditional love and walk humbly with our creator and one another as our United Methodist Church moves into God s future. I feel called to be a delegate because my faith has led me to follow and to support the mission and ministry of Jesus. I understand the responsibility and do not take lightly the privilege that comes with being a delegate for the New York Annual Conference. I am committed to prayer, for myself, for the other delegates, for holy conferencing and to continuously seek God s guidance and wisdom. I will prayerfully open myself to the work God is doing through each delegate and be a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe this is a time of service where we will hopefully help strengthen our existing United Methodist Church and ultimately help in making disciples for the transformation of the world. Biographical Sketch My name is Dorlimar Lebrón Malavé. A native of Puerto Rico, I have been a member of the New York Annual Conference since I celebrate the diversity in the New York Annual Conference and the empowerment it provides for both lay and ordained members to serve. I am a young adult who has a passionate commitment to serving the church and community in the name of Jesus Christ. If elected to serve as delegate, my deepest desire is to faithfully represent the concerns and interests of the youth and young adults as we seek to do justice, embrace faithful, unwavering, unconditional love and walk humbly with our creator and one another as our United Methodist Church moves into God s future. I have served in a wide diversity of ministries within the connection of the local, district, Annual Conference and global levels of The United Methodist Church, including: Youth Ministry Coordinator at the Community United Methodist Church in Massapequa, NY New York Annual Conference Worship Team member Latino Caucus, Metodistas Asociados Representando la Causa Hispano Americano (MARCHA) New York Conference representative and Education for Advocacy team member Restoration Coordinator for Restoration Generation (GBOD initiative to engage youth & young adults in Superstorm Sandy Recovery NYAC & GNJ) Young adult delegate at Encuentro de Mujeres (the Latin American and Caribbean Methodist Women Leadership Conference in Kawaii, Peru) Musician at United Methodist Women Latina Women Consultation in Dallas, TX Worship Design Team member for NEXT conference (GBHEM sponsored national young adult conference) Co-Founder and guitarist of worship/praise band Helping Youth Pursue Excellence (HYPE) - Music ministers at IGNITE youth conference retreat and New York Annual Conference Active member of New York Annual Conference Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis Ministries Active member in Campus ministries and Students for Educational Rights, The City College of New York

10 Certification Robert G. Hunsinger Nomination Statement My name is Bob Hunsinger and I am seeking the support of the Lay Members of the New York Annual Conference to be elected as a member of the 2016 delegation to General and Jurisdictional Conferences. I am a lifelong Methodist. I was nurtured by some very special people who were my Sunday School teachers from my earliest days. As an adult I began to get involved in the workings of the church; first, in my hometown in northern Pennsylvania, then in Rhode Island and finally here in the New York Annual Conference. I have served as a local church lay leader, district lay leader and NY Conference Lay Leader ( ). I have served in most positions in the local church. I served on NYAC CF&A from 1991 to 2000, the last two years as president. I have served since 2004 on the Northeastern Jurisdiction Program and Arrangements Committee. I am seeking your support because I feel that I know and understand the Church at all levels. The Methodist Church has a number of problems facing it currently. In the secular world for many years I was a consultant for financial software. In that position I was able to listen to the accounting problems of clients around the world and help them find solutions.

11 While many may regard accounting as fairly standard, different countries and organizations themselves have many different and complex reporting requirements that need to be met. By listening I was able to help them find answers to their needs. I feel that I am able to do the same for the Church. I am a firm believer in the Wesleyan Quadrilateral of Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience. I believe that by applying these principles we will be able to solve our differences. As individuals we all have to admit of making bad decisions from time to time and we constantly strive to make changes in our lives to correct them. I believe that it is the same with churches including our own United Methodist. In the past decisions have been made (sometimes without applying the Wesleyan Quadrilateral) that have caused injury to many persons. As a domination we have corrected some of the errors of the past, however, there are always others that need our attention. I am not listing what those current errors are since that landscape may change dramatically between now and General Conference The issues to be debated at the 2016 General Conference will be those submitted in the form of petitions to the General Conference and will not be available until early The responsibility of a delegate is to read those petitions, talk to others about what they mean to the Church and of course apply the Wesleyan Quadrilateral principles to each one. I am prepared to do that. I am proud of many of the actions taken by The United Methodist Church over the years but there is always room for improvement. My desire is that The United Methodist Church be as meaningful in my grandchildren s lives as it has been in mine. The only way that a Church can remain relevant is to be constantly examining itself. I thank you in advance for any consideration that you give to my candidacy. Biographical Sketch Personal: I am married with a married daughter. The grandfather of the best two grandkids in the world. Education: I hold an MBA from Long Island University. I was graduated Magna Cum Laude. Secular Experience: My work experience is in the accounting and related fields. I started out in the payroll department, then moved to cost accounting. I became the manager of the Cost and Budgeting Department. I was then named to be the Plant Controller of two facilities. I was asked to take over a special project to install a packaged General Ledger system for the entire corporation (seven operating units). Following that successful installation I went to work for a software company that developed and sold financial software. I work with clients around the world to setup our software in order that they could get the desired correct results. Many companies have internal reporting requirements that are unique to them. In addition to their reporting requirements, you must insure that they are in compliance with all state and federal requirements. The governments of other countries also sometimes have reporting requirements that are different than those in this country. Church Experience Local: Grew up in a Methodist Church in the former Wyoming Conference. As an adult I began expand my involvement in the church. I became a Sunday School teacher and the Church lay leader. While in Pennsylvania I became a lay speaker. After moving to the Monroe, NY United Methodist Church, I again taught Sunday School and was elected as the Church Lay Leader and continued Lay Speaking. I have worked on a number of Stewardship Campaigns. I have also served as the Chair of the Administrative Council. I have served the Board of Trustees and am presently the Treasurer of the Trustees. District: I have served on the District Council on Ministries including a term as the chair. I have been the District Lay Leader. I have served on the District Superintendency Committee. I currently serve as a member at large from the New York/Connecticut District to the New York Annual Conference. Conference: I served on the former Conference Council on Ministries and as chair for several years of the budget subcommittee. I was elected to the Conference Council on Finance & Administration in In 2000 I was elected to the position of Conference Lay Leader where I served for two terms ending in I have been a member of the NYAC General and Jurisdictional Conference Delegations since Jurisdiction: I have been serving on the jurisdiction Program and Arrangements Committee since I believe that I have the background and church knowledge to serve the New York Annual Conference as a member of the delegation to be elected at this conference.

12 Roena Anderson Littlejohn Roena is District President of UMW and serves as Chair of the Commission on Religion and Race (CORR). These and other duties inspired her to organize a bus trip from CT District to the 50th Celebration of the March on Washington last August. Born into a Christian home, her parents taught their children to love others and self, to treat their brothers and sisters fairly, with dignity and respect. Her father the late Rev. Esau Anderson was a Pastor in the Methodist Episcopal Church and member of the Central Jurisdiction Conference. He modeled love for God in his fight for Civil Rights and human justice for all people. Elected as first Lay Reserve Delegate to General Conference, Roena was blessed to serve as delegate for the first four days of the 2012 General Conference where rules and laws that affected her dad s destiny continue to be made and affect other lives today. Holding a M.E. in Education and B.S. in Business Management; she draws on her professional background in management and HR to serve the church in leadership roles for over 30 years. Her service at Golden Hill for nearly three decades includes: Lay Member of Annual Conference, Certified Lay Speaker, SPRC Chair, Trustee, Co-Lay Leader, Co-Chair Membership & Evangelism, Co-Chair Mission & Society, Teacher for Adult Studies, and member of various other committees. Her service on the District: Chair of DCOM, Secretary, DCOM, Chair District Black College Committee, UMW Mission Coordinator for Spiritual Growth, and President District UMW. Additional responsibilities: Member of District Superintendency Committee and Parish Development. Finally, her NYAC duties include: Chair CORR, UMW Representative to the Appalachian Mission Network, member of CMVT, and member of the Study Committee for an Inclusive Conference. For Roena prayer is the common denominator in her life, she approaches challenges knowing that God is faithful, God promises to be with us always in all circumstances, and with God s help all things are possible. She fights for her beliefs and trusts God for the outcome, her mantra is from James 4:2... you have not, because you ask not. If endorsed or elected, she will serve with honesty, dignity and integrity. When support to the NYC Black College Fund dwindled and attendance declined on her district, Roena organized a District Black College Event. Initially, the event consisted of a dinner and a single performance by the Claflin Choir for an audience of 75. In subsequent years, the number increased to 200 at the main event, and two to three additional performances around the district, which increased the district s donation to the conference. Following the UMW merger of the two districts (CT Central and CT/NY), Roena used the cluster to encourage fellowship with neighboring units; she organized Get Acquaintance Cluster Teas. Those informal gathering promotes dialogue between Units and the UMW District Team creating a sense of connection. It seems that Roena s life has come full circle. As chair of CORR, she is working to dismantle issues that separate and exclude just as her father fought against, with few resources in the Central Jurisdiction Conference. Over her life she has experienced injustice and exclusion, but is now in a position with CORR to coordinates mandatory Anti-Racism training events for clergy and appropriate leaders; also she seeks to broaden the horizon with education for the local church leaders by offering anti-racism workshops beginning this spring. She looks forward to baking, especially with her grands and volunteering in the community as needed. Another love is singing with the Serendipity Chorale, performing at nursing homes, rehab centers, churches, and senior centers. Her work for social justice extends to her membership in Delta Sigma Sorority, Who is Roena Littlejohn? She is a Christian, a widow who loves God, a loving mother, dotting grandmother, sibling, and a dedicated servant and friend.

13 Derek P. Miller With this letter, I hereby present myself for consideration for Lay delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conference. I was baptized and raised in a United Methodist family and during college, chose to continue growing in the faith. After moving to New York City, I have become active at Christ Church United Methodist in Manhattan in many ways: I regularly volunteer for various outreach opportunities of the church in local, national, and international efforts; I am on the leadership council of the church; I spent eight years co-leading our Saturday Kids Program, a volunteer outreach activity affiliated with NYC Mission Society after school programs; and I have served as an elected lay representative to New York Annual Conference every year since 2008, primarily focusing on the Connectional Ministries and Ministries of Nurture, as well as Leadership (Commissioning) legislative sections. One of my personal goals is to help get churches online; whether it be helping them create their own website or simply getting a free Facebook account. In order for the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world- the church has to get back to the foundational method of meeting people where they are. More people than ever are now online [28.8% of the world in 2010, 38.8% of the world in 2013 and growing] (shopping, social interaction, entertainment), and that number is only going to continue to grow. Source for statistics: internetworldstats. comlemarketing.htm As an active lay member, I would like to add my voice to the voices of others within the global church to continue to establish connectional practices that encourage laity to take a more active role in revitalizing their own local church as well as develop their own leadership skills within the church and connecting with the larger community. My experience is that bringing people together to accomplish a greater good via outreach or similar projects; engages the younger generation who are seeking their own path, encourages fellowship within the community they serve, as well as fosters a desire to continue to help others. Ximena A. Varas Nomination Statement Ximena is genuinely committed to equipping the ministry of the saints-- training and empowering laity to become closer to the living God. She believes that the future of The United Methodist Church depends upon the development of a healthy relationship between the clergy and the laity working together as a team to build Christ s church and God s beloved community as inspired by the Holy Spirit. Ximena became a Methodist because of the denomination s commitment to a social Gospel; you use your voice, as inspired by God s Word and the Spirit, to speak for the marginalized and voiceless. She commits to walking that path as a delegate. Her devotional practices help her to stay centered on the living Christ. Ximena herself states: I believe that through my personal study of the doctrine and polity of The United Methodist Church as well as through the hands on work within our connection, God has been preparing me to become a delegate for General and Jurisdictional Conferences. My work in different areas of ministries has allowed me to learn from a variety of people within our conference. This gives me a good sense of who we are as conference, our passions, our struggles and our common goals. Knowing we are all created in the image of God, Ximena is committed to working in cross-cultural and multi-cultural settings. Knowing all are invited to feast at Christ s table, Ximena believes in the full inclusion of all in the ministry and life of the Church. While she has worked in a variety of roles, she is most proud of her team-building capabilities, knowing that bringing people together is the best way to be Christ s hands and feet in the world.

14 Rev. Paul Fleck, who currently Co-Chairs the Immigration Task Force for the Conference and has worked with Ximena in a variety of areas, indicates Ximena is hard-working, organized, capable, and will speak to the issues important to our Conference and our greater United Methodist Church. She is genuinely committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout our varied and diverse communities. Ximena Varas therefore respectfully and prayerfully submits her name for consideration as a delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences on behalf of The New York Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, and, if elected, commits to fulfilling this role with the diligence and passion it requires. Biographical Sketch Ximena has been married to Jorge Varas for 21 years and has three children (Moises, 20; Ximena B., 17; Javier, 12). She emigrated with her husband and Moises from Chile in She completed her education in the University of Santiago with a Computer Science degree. Ximena works as a Lay Chaplain at Griffin Hospital and did her Clinical Pastoral Education training there (2 full units). A member of First UMC of Shelton, Ximena became one of the first Certified Lay Ministers in the New York Conference in 2009; she currently is Director of Certified Lay Ministry for the Conference. From June 2009 to June 2012 she helped to found and then chair the New York Annual Conference Task Force on Immigration and currently serves as a member of the NYAC Hispanic/Latino National Plan. In connection with her work visioning a future for our Church, she serves as Vice Chair of the Connectional Ministries Visioning Table for the Conference, served as a member of the Conference s Strategic and Economic Analysis Task Force, and serves as a member of Team Vital (which has rolled out Vital Congregations events throughout the Conference for both clergy and laity). Ximena has travelled the length and breadth of the Conference in connection with her leadership roles and her work with Team Vital has allowed her to work with leaders from eleven different conferences in the United States to develop vital congregations. Prior to working with Team Vital she worked with a number of churches as a Natural Church Development Coach. Her work as Connecticut District Lay Leader means she has worked with lay leaders throughout the District and Conference (through work on the District and Conference Board of Laity and District Board of Ministries) and the Northeastern Jurisdiction on initiatives to make churches more effective in making disciples for the transformation of the world. In addition to her work with the Church, Ximena serves as an elected member of the Derby Middle School and Derby High School Governance Councils in Derby, Connecticut. Warren Whitlock Nomination Statement To stand as a nominee to the General and Jurisdiction Conferences is the acceptance of a tremendous undertaking: two years of preparation by attending monthly, then later weekly and perhaps daily meetings; by reading hundreds of resolution and other document pages; by evaluating proposed courses of action; by listening to and learning from those who have greater knowledge; by independent thinking; and by prayer. To stand as a nominee is to discuss and vote on petitions and resolutions proposed by individuals, agencies, annual conferences and other groups. It is to set church policies and practices; to define ministries; and to determine funding. It is a commitment of life, time, listening, learning, and thinking. Therefore I do not present myself to you lightly, without having given this decision much consideration and prayer time. Some nominees may be unshakably certain of their positions, of the appropriateness of defined actions, and of personal visions and convictions far into the future. While I thought of trying to define what future issues before the church might be and how I would respond to them two years from now, I cannot. If I am elected as one of your delegates and undergo two years of future study, reflection and personal growth, I am and must be open to redefinition and to change. To promise today s solutions in the world of 2016 may be possible for others but cannot be for me.

15 We benefit from scriptures and two thousand years of tradition, experience and reason. Living a life of faith is an acknowledgment that truth is vivified in the collective personal experience of Christians as a whole. I know that actions must be defended rationally. Faith and reason must not be divorced. We live in a unity of being, in which neither scripture, tradition, experience or reason should be taken in isolation without the balancing effect of the others. If I am one of your delegates, I will be sensitive to the life stories of other delegates as each contributes to the whole. I will make decisions with love, compassion, understanding and humility. I will seek to remain procedurally correct, to clearly define ministries and to promote appropriate funding. I will seek and promote social justice. And I will prayerfully and thoughtfully apply the Christian vision of righteousness to all social, political and economic issues that come before the conferences. Biographical Sketch Warren Whitlock attends Christ United Methodist Church in Beacon, New York. A life-long Methodist, Warren grew up in a rural Illinois farming community before coming east as a graduate student. He has lived in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York since then. He attended MacMurray College located in Jacksonville, Illinois and holds an A.B. degree in English and Education. He was awarded a Masters of Applied Sciences degree from Boston University and a Masters in the Management of Financial Institutions degree from the American College. He has received additional professional accreditations and certifications in insurance industry management, claims settlement and underwriting. Warren has considerable experience in the analysis of complex issues and the implementation of organizational solutions. He spent more than forty years working in the banking and insurance industries before recently retiring. He worked as a Work Flow Analyst and as a Time Management and Systems Engineer for a predecessor bank of the Bank of America and was a Regional Service Manager, Work Process Auditor and Internal Business Consultant in the insurance industry. Within the New York Annual Conference, Warren currently serves as a member of the Council on Finance and Administration, the Committee on Episcopacy, the Board of Laity and the Committee on Older Adult Ministries. In the New York/Connecticut District, Warren currently serves on the District Committee on Ministries, the District Committee on Lay Servant Ministries and the District Worship Sub-Committee. He also serves as the New York/ Connecticut District Lay Servant Registrar. At his church in Beacon, New York, Warren serves as a Certified Lay Servant and Lay Member to Annual Conference. Currently, he also serves on the Committee on Lay Leadership, the Board of Trustees, the Pastor Parish Relations Committee and the Audit Committee. Warren feels privileged to be considered as a Nominee to be one of your Lay Delegates for the General and Jurisdictional Conferences and thanks you for your consideration. Ross Williams Nomination Statement My name is Ross Williams and I am a life-long United Methodist who has been active in church worship and leadership roles for many years. I was baptized and grew up at the Asbury Crestwood UMC, attended the New Canaan UMC after moving to CT in 1993, and for the past 16 years have been an active member of the Darien UMC in CT. From 1985 through mid-2010, I worked for a number of large multinational organizations in a variety of financial management positions. While these roles were professionally rewarding, over time I came to realize that I had no strong connection to the underlying products or services. I was missing and yearned for a deep and meaningful connection to my work. In 2010, I became aware of the planned retirement of the former Treasurer of the Conference, Ernest Swiggett. I was intrigued and felt called to this position viewing it as an opportunity to apply my business skills and professional experience in the service of my Christian faith.

16 Since joining the Conference in 2010, I ve been focused on strengthening the financial controls and transparency at the Conference Center and providing advice and support to the many clergy, Treasurers, Finance Chairs and other leaders of our 460 member churches. This period of time has been marked by constant change in the areas of staffing, process flows, expense reduction and service levels within the Finance office. After almost four full years of intense change I believe the Finance office is more appropriately staffed, better trained and more responsive to our churches than ever before. I believe that the current stability of my area, the greater communication with our member churches and the improved financial picture of the Conference now affords me the opportunity to step beyond the walls of the Conference Center to help mold the future of our United Methodist denomination. Acting as a Lay Delegate at General Conference or Jurisdictional Conference would be both an honor and a responsibility that I would take very seriously. I understand the heavy work-load required of delegates both before and during these meetings and believe that I am well-positioned and have the capability to take on such work. Prior to joining the Conference in 2010, I developed a first-hand view of the challenges being faced by local churches through my many years of volunteer work in church leadership positions. These past few years have now given me a similar view into the challenges faced by Annual Conferences. I believe that I can use this unique perspective to help craft policy and legislation to advocate for and support positions and actions that will strengthen the denomination. I believe that holding ourselves in a covenant of accountability, both individually and collectively is one of the most important challenges facing our churches, our clergy, our Conferences and the denomination. Coming from a corporate environment, where change is constant and scarce resources are deployed in effective ways, I ve witnessed and been a part of the process of reinvestment and renewal. In holding each other accountable, we identify what is working and what is not -leading to course corrections along the way. Such constant self-evaluation, introspection and change can be uncomfortable. But learning about and adopting new ways of attracting, developing, retaining and nourishing disciples of Jesus Christ is a necessary journey if we are to stay relevant and vital in the 21st century. Biographical Sketch Church: Darien UMC (New York I Connecticut District) Professional Experience: Present: CFO I Director of Administrative Services, New York Annual Conference of the UMC : VP & Chief Compliance Officer, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: CTSH) : VP & Corporate Controller, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: CTSH) : Director of Finance, IMS Health Inc : Director of Finance, The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, (NYSE: DNB) Various Accounting and Finance positions, Reuben H. Donnelley Corp. Affiliations/Memberships: Darien UMC: Member since 1998, Lay Member to Annual Conference, Former Finance Chair, Former Stewardship Chair, Former member of Natural Church Development Committee. New Canaan UMC: Member from 1993 through Asbury Crestwood UMC: Member from 1962 through 1993, Former Assistant Treasurer, Former SPRC member. New York Annual Conference: Audit Committee Board of Pensions and Health Benefits Camps Task Force (Chair) Council on Finance & Administration Equitable Compensation Extended Cabinet Parish Development Personnel Strategic & Economic Analysis Task Force Board of Trustees

17 Other: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Annual Conference Treasurers, Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society Education: S.U.N.Y. Brockport - BS in Finance and Economics Fordham University - MBA in Professional Accounting

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