Global Young People’s Convocation (GYPC) 2018 Unity Statement

The Legislative Forum of the Global Young People’s Convocation (GYPC) 2018 discussed and passed the following Statement of Unity. Each Central Conference or Jurisdiction was represented by a maximum of 12 delegates (5 youth, 5 young adults, and 2 adult workers). This Statement is available in French, Portuguese, German, & Russian. Please scroll down to read the translated versions.

2018 GLOBAL YOUNG PEOPLES CONVOCATION

Statement of Unity

We, as the Young People of the United Methodist Church, agree to be united in Spirit as one body of Christ, despite the diversity of culture, tradition, political ideologies, language, beliefs, nationalities, and personal identities, as we believe that we are all God’s creation and our primary identity is being God’s children.

As young people, we love The United Methodist Church, the unity it offers, and how it welcomes all people, regardless of who they are and what they do in life.

We recognize and celebrate the diversity that comes from being in a global United Methodist connection. We view each person as an essential part of the body of Christ, which is the Church, and that God loves each of us far beyond what we can imagine.

With that, we believe that God's love is engrained in us and part of our identity as United Methodists.

We stand against the spirit of hatred, judgment, and discrimination which creates division instead of unity.

We pray that through the Holy Spirit we can remain united as a body that continues to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Young people’s Stance on the Commission of the Way Forward

When the youth and young adults voting delegates of the 2018 Global Young People Convocation were polled on their support of each of the plans proposed by the Commission on the Way Forward, we found the following:

• 38.46% support the Traditionalist plan
• 60.58% support the One Church plan
• 19.23% support the Connectional Conference plan
• 0.96% abstained

Explanation of the Voting Process on the Unity Statement

The Division on Ministries with Young People (DMYP) provided the following explanation on how the Legislative Forum voted on young people’s Stance on the Commission of the Way Forward.

On Sunday (July 22, 2018) adult workers were asked to leave the conference bar, that separated voting and non-voting delegates. Julie Hager-Love, member of the Commission On a Way Forward, began the legislation session with a brief, 5-minute, summary of all three reports presented and delegates were given written explanations. Ballots were passed out. The chair, along with consultation with resource persons, decided to have the vote the same way the COWF did their voting on the models. The ballot listed all three plans, Traditionalist, Connectional Conference, and the One Church Model, as well as a box for abstaining. Delegates were instructed to check the box next to the plan or plans they felt they could support. Furthermore, delegates could choose one plan that they supported, two plans that they supported, all three plans that they supported, or simply abstain. The votes were collected and tallied by Division on Ministries with Young People volunteer pages. The vote was announced Sunday night.

The poll percentages reflect the support of voting youth and young adults present and elected to Global Young People’s Convocation 2018 for each plan.

The results are:

(Please note that these percentages will not add up in total to 100%. Delegates had the option of selecting more than one plan. Therefore, the percentages are based on what the delegates selected.)

• 7 people voted Traditional and One Church
• 12 people voted One Church Model and Connectional
• 1 person voted Traditionalist and Connectional Conferences
• 32 people voted only for Traditionalist
• 44 people voted only for One Church Model
• 7 people voted only for Connectional Conferences
• 1 person abstained

The total number of persons polled: 104 voting youth and young adults

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