Methodist Conference 2007

The national Methodist Conference this year was held in Blackpool, and I was able to attend as a representative from the London District. One of the key issues for me was Climate Change, there was only a short report but a feisty debate, which included the representative from Fiji pleading with us to moderate our energy consumption as our lifestyle was destroying life in the Pacific Islands. HHUC is drafting an 'Eco-Christian Charter' linked to Operation Noah, and the Director of this campaign, Ann Fettifor, also spoke to the Conference. I moved an amendment to urge the Government to rely more on 'photo voltaic systems' (solar cells to the less initiated).

I was also able to take part in the debate about the ethical investment of the Church's money. I urged the Church to be more outspoken, and willing to speak out at company annual meetings about the Church's concerns in relation to the environment, human rights and the outrageous sums now paid in executive salaries and bonuses.

Much of the Conference was concerned about internal matters, including a restructuring in which 30 posts had to be lost. However the possibility of reducing those engaged in Youth & Children's Work to three was resisted and in the end there will be seven posts in this category. Some of us were also eager to see an ongoing commitment to named persons responsible for gender and racial justice.

The Communion Service was a high point in which the senior officers of the Church mixed the dough at the beginning of the day, it was then baked and we broke and shared it at the noon service. This was led by the 'Somewhere Else' community in Liverpool whose ministry is to bake bread and give it away to those who need it. An interesting Conference, but too engaged with the internal life of the church and insufficiently with challenging the world we live in.

David Haslam

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