Opposition to outside petition

To: Public Letter to members of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry

From: Malcolm Frazier and Beth Cooper, Co-Chairs of the United Methodist Campus Ministers Association (UMCMA)

February 11, 2008

We want the members of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to know that the Coordinating Committee of the UMCMA has voted to oppose the GC petition entitled, “Petition to 2008 General Conference to Study the Effectiveness of the GBHEM Campus Ministry Section and the possibility of the Campus Ministry Section being moved to the General Board of Discipleship.”

At the December, 2007, meeting of the Coordinating Committee (Co-Com), a motion to oppose this petition was adopted. The Co-Com, furthermore, requested that no one using the funds, equipment, or housing provided by UMCMA can work to support this petition. This petition is not on our website (www.UMCMA.org).

While many members of UMCMA have felt the loss of support as a result of staff changes at the GBHEM and at their July, 2007, biennial conference, voted to share their concerns with the members of the GBHEM, this petition to General Conference was developed in October, 2007, long after the July biennial gathering. The December, 2007, meeting of Co-Com focused on many of our concerns and our common work together as we met with many staff members of the GBHEM including General Secretary, Jerome Del Pino.

We would be happy to answer any questions you might have. We look forward to working with you on our common concern for campus ministry with young adults in campus settings.

Sincerely,

Malcolm Frazier and Beth Cooper