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2013 Minutes

photograph of Margaret Mukami, with arms in a welcoming gesture.Rev. Margaret Mukami Lawi;
president of the World Federation of Deaf Methodists 2010-2013
host pastor of the 3rd Global Methodist Missions Conference of the Deaf
and pastor of the Deaf
at Kaaga Methodist Church in Meru, Kenya.

Minutes at the executive meeting of the WFDM

Aug 7, 2103
Nairobi, Kenya
Methodist Guest House

Voting delegates:

  • Zimbabwe: Tonderayi, Gideon
  • Kenya: Rev. Mukami, Rev. Bernard
  • Korea: Rev. Nam, Rev. Kwan No
  • USA: Dan Kenyon, Linda Ford
  • Sri Lanka: Samual Gnanaraja
Advisors (no vote)
  • Zimbabwe: Libby Foster (also interpreter)
  • Kenya: none
  • Korea: Won, Mi Yon
  • USA: Kirk VanGilder, Lisa Jordan, Carol Stevens
  • Sri Lanka: Samanthika Jayasuriya
Additional interpreters (no vote)
  • Brenda Talley
  • Korean Interpreter
  • Kenyan interpreter

Meeting began at 7:41 a.m.

  • 1. Rev. Nam nominates Rev. Dr. Tom Hudspeth to continue as general secretary of the WFDM. Duties include: support of the WFDM president in organizing and finding funding of the next conference, liaison with UMCD, UMDHM, and other national bodies of Deaf Methodists. Kirk advises that part of his charge be to develop a formal job description for our approval and a transition plan for a new general secretary in the future.
    Mukami adds her support.
    Approved unanimously.
  • 2. The WFDM meeting here in Nairobi on Aug 7 2013 gives the general secretary the authority to investigate joining the world Methodist council and join if appropriate.
    Approved unanimously.
  • 3. Rev. Nam suggests that Guam host in 2015.
    Lisa asks where the funding would come from for Guam as the US national committee that funded a good deal of the Kenya conference and cannot absorb the cost in this quadrennial cycle.
    Kirk clarifies that there are two issues about money. Funding the conference itself. Funding for Kenya came from the US DHM committee and that's available on a four year cycle. The other issue is the airfare and fees every two years is a costly investment for many. Would it reduce participant ability.
    First vote will be on 2015 or 2017.
    Rev. Nam moves that we have three consecutive votes between 2015, 2016, 2017. Seconded.
    Meeting in 2015 receives 2 votes for, 5 against, 2 abstain. Motion fails.
    Meeting in 2016 receives 0 votes for. 8 against. 1 abstains. Motion fails.
    Meeting in 2017 receives 6 votes for. 1 against, 2 abstains.
    Meeting will be held in 2017.
    Tom suggests a small scale meeting of executive delegates in Guam in 2015. Purpose would be to facilitate communication for the WFDM and preparations for a large scale open meeting in 2017.
    Rev. Kwan No says we should let Guam know we decided on 2017 and let them decide if they can host that year.
    Rev. Nam will ask if Guam is willing to host 2017, if not, then he will contact Tom.
    Dan asks if Guam falls through will Korea host?
    Linda says we could also identify back up sites to make it easier.
    Kirk supports the idea of Europe. What if the US supports the organization of the conference and funding but hold it in Europe while finding local contacts.
    Rev. Kwan No what about the cost to poor people if it is in Europe?
    Tom asks Lisa if the US would have the funding? Lisa says some funding.
    Carol warns that the local hosts thus far have done a lot of work coordinating things on site. Doing a conference. without a local host would be tough. Group agrees.
    Motion: Guam will be the first option. If Guam cannot host, Tom is authorized to explore the options of: Singapore, USA, and Korea for whatever makes the conference most feasible and affordable.
    Unanimous approval
  • 4. President. We don't have a delegate from Guam. Traditionally the next host country supplies the next president.
    Tom asks for nominations from current delegates and advisors who are Methodist.
    Tangari from Zim asks for the current president to explain the duties.
    Mukami is the current pres and Tom clarifies that the pres duties are to organize the meeting of the conference with a committee.
    Tom suggest the president be from Korea as they have a closer relationship with Guam.
    Carol suggests have a pres and VP for the next four years. Pres from Korea and VP from the US.
    Motion for co-presidents. One from Korea and one from US. With Korea co-pres becoming responsible if Guam hosts and otherwise the US co-pres becoming responsible.
    Tom strikes Singapore from the options due to the confusion of attempting a conference in a country that has no strong local host ready.
    Motion for the co-presidents from Korea and US passes 8-1
    Dan nominates Rev. Nam for the Korean rep. Mukami nominates Kirk. Kirk declines because he's recently taken on a good deal of duties with the American Academy of Religion newly formed committee on the status of persons with disabilities in the profession. Dan nominates Lisa. Lisa accepts as long as Carol helps!
    Slate of nominees carries 8 with one abstention as rev. Nam is a nominee
  • 5. Rev. Nam asks about he involvement of people from other denominations.
    Mukami explains that as she talked with friends from other denominations they were welcomed as Deaf work in Kenya among Methodists is very young and their help was needed to bolster the conference.
    Dan clarifies that voting delegates need to be Methodist but others can be welcomed to observe, worship, etc.
    Rev. Nam agrees but would like to some clarity about our Methodist identity. Some of the flag representatives were not Methodist. He feel that flag representation should be only the Methodists to highlight where Methodist work is being done. And that we consider using the word Methodist to include Wesleyan denominations.
    Kirk suggests that we empower our exec secretary and pres to develop guidelines for 21017 on how to maintain our Methodist and Wesleyan identity while welcoming others.
    Dan suggests adding denominations to name tags
    Mukami reminds us we are to preach to all people and to remain open to welcoming others.
    Rev. Nam we agree with Mukami that we remain open by that we maintain our Methodist identity and have some easy identified way of knowing who is active in Methodist work.
    Gideon asks if what if there are no Methodists able to come from a country in 2017 to Guam. Would you accept a delegate from another denomination?
    Rev. Nam suggests that you're welcome to come for fellowship and participation but that voting delegates remain Methodist members
    6. Won (Korea) asks that preparers keep an eye on our schedule design and not overload it in the future.
Tom thanks everyone for their thoughts and closes in prayer at 9:51 a.m.


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