CLEVELAND — Many of the Florida Conference’s delegates were pleased with the results of the United Methodist General Conference here May 2-12, especially the leadership of the Rev. Charles Courtoy on the passage of a petition dealing with the distribution of General Conference delegates.

Courtoy and T. Terrell Sessums, a lay delegate from First United Methodist Church, Tampa, wrote the petition.

"The revised formula for apportioning delegates is of huge importance in terms of where we go in the future, with thanks to Charles Courtoy for his leadership," said the Rev. Jim Harnish, pastor of Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa.

Leland McKeown, a lay delegate from First United Methodist Church, Brooksville, was also pleased with the petition’s passage because it meant that central conferences will have more representation at the next General Conference.

"We are truly becoming a global church with all of the central conferences," McKeown said. "I was in committee with people from Congo and Nigeria."

Courtoy said he felt very positive about other decisions made, including passing measures that allow churches to divide world services and conference benevolences, maintaining the church’s stance on homosexuality, and the defeat of most of the Connectional Process Team (CPT) report.

"This is the first General Conference that I’ve felt we’ve left with a real affirmation on the important things," he said.

Russ Tabbert, a lay delegate from First United Methodist Church, Inverness, disagreed. "The thing that bothered me the most was that in 12 days and all of the sermons from the bishops and others, not one has talked about leading people to the saving grace of Christ," he said. "I’m just sorry that we have to spend all of the hours and days discussing items that God settled a long time ago. Wouldn’t it have been great to spend time being the people of Christ, literally, in discipling and evangelizing."

Katie McEntire, a first-time lay delegate from United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach and the youngest member of the Florida delegation, said the conference was enlightening and overwhelming, but also a growing experience.

She had expected to see a strong presence of young people at the conference, but said she "didn’t hear a lot about youth and young adults" and was "disappointed in the focus on other issues."

Harnish said the national ethnic and youth ministry plans gave evidence of "a general concern for church growth" and "have in them at least the vision for reaching unchurched people for Christ." He did, however, believe those plans were more effectively enacted at the local church, rather than at the denominational level.

Harnish also said General Conference was too expensive. "Because we don’t want to say no to any worthy proposal, we fund them without regard to where the money is coming from," he said.

After working up to 17 hours each day for 11 days straight, Harnish said, "My soul is at peace, my body is tired, and my brain was at times as mad as can be."

Some of the non-business aspects of the conference, especially the protest over the church’s stance on homosexuality, caused unpleasant moments for delegates.

McKeown said he was pleased with the outcome of the homosexuality debate, however. "We’ve accomplished some things we promised the people back home," he said. "We held the line on homosexuality in the 38 different votes on the subject."

Harnish felt delegates handled the debate well. "This is the most gracious and clear way we’ve ever dealt with this issue," he said.

McEntire was also pleased with the church’s reaction to the debate and protests, but not with some of the decisions. "I’m proud of the United Methodist Church, also the way we’ve acted…in a graceful way," she said. "We’re not rejoicing about some of the decisions we’re making, but we must stick with the spirit of Christ. I’m sad, but faithful God will turn this into something good."