General Conference 2004

Rocky Mountain Conference News and Resources

Day 1

Dan's Report, Monday, April 26, 9:35 p.m.

Well, the petitions are in print, the publicity and position papers have been mailed out on every imaginable issue, and the people are now gathered. Tonight (Monday night) was the "Bishop's Reception" and delegates from all across the globe gathered with smiles, handshakes, hugs and anticipation.

General Conference 2004 officially opens Tuesday morning at 10:00 with worship. This is my second time to represent our conference as a lay delegate, and I find myself excited by the gathering, challenged by the sheer scope of the issues we must vote on, and humbled by the quality of the delegates in attendance. But more than that, I find myself extremely impressed by the durability of our denomination, by our continuing ability to come together with vastly diverse views, various theological perspectives, and from widely different homes and cultures - all to be about the task of figuring how best to "make disciples." Most of us are "comfortable" being United Methodists - but this event shows to me that this is now a time to be "proud" of our strengths and our ministries together - our commitment to come together to discuss and debate, to pray and to sing, and to worship at a table open to all.

For the next two weeks, your delegates will try to send back impressions and information about this conference. We probably cannot reply back to your e-mails to us, but most of us have laptops and will be reading anything that you send to GC2004 at RMCUMC dot com.

And now it is late, and tomorrow promises to be busy and a blessed day.

-Dan O'Neill

General Conference links:

*Please note: people have been experiencing access problems with the GC site and related pages, due to the high volume of requests they are receiving.  Don't be afraid to try again later!* 

General Conference 2004 Web site

Please keep the Rocky Mountain Conference Delegates in prayer: Janet Forbes, Youngsook Kang, Olon Lindemood, Chuck Schuster, Aaron Gray, Judy Hill, Brad Laurvick, Dan O'Neill, Liwliwa Robledo, and Peggy Sewell.