Home Contact
Contact Us
Principles & Goals
Opinion Survey 2006
Events
Laity Voice
Speakers Bureau
Current Issues
Lobbyist Watch
Prayer Request
Our Directors
Additional Sites

Opinion Survey 2006

URGENT!

Please complete and submit to:
METHODIST LAITY REFORM MOVEMENT
 so your opinions will be counted.

The Survey results will be sent to Church leadership and Iowa news media.

What Direction Do YOU Want for YOUR Church?
Register your opinions on-line below!

Please mark YOUR OWN ANSWERS to these important questions facing our Church. IMPORTANT: Your name and individual answers will be kept completely confidential.

YES  NO You may add your comments, on this survey or an attached page.

 

1.  The mission of The United Methodist Church is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ” and this mission statement affirms “Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the Lord of all.”  (Book of Discipline, par. 120 & 121.)  Do you agree with this mission? 

2.  The United Methodist Church’s beliefs on marriage and family include: “We support laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.” and “We affirm the importance of both fathers and mothers for all children.”  (Book of Discipline, par. 161.)   Do you agree with these beliefs?

3.  Should all United Methodist clergy, officials, and seminaries affirm the traditional Christian faith as stated in the Book of Discipline of the UMC?

4.  Should the Iowa Annual Conference of the UMC reduce its total number of resolutions and the amount of time spent on resolutions?
5.  The Iowa Annual Conference of the UMC has a paid lobbyist (“Advocate”).  Should our Iowa Church terminate this paid lobbyist position and instead encourage all members to express their own opinions to Legislators?
6.  Do you believe The United Methodist Church has lost members because the Church is perceived by some people as “too political” or “too liberal”?
7.  Should United Methodists cease debating whether to change our church’s stand on homosexuality, and instead increase ministries that offer healing and transformation through Jesus Christ for persons struggling with all kinds of sexual sin, including homosexual behavior?

8.  Should the UMC at Iowa, national, and world levels reduce its spending for political activity, central offices, and top-level staff, and re-direct this money for Christian evangelism, discipleship, and helping people in need?

9.  Should the UMC abolish mandatory apportionments on our Local Churches and replace them with askings allowing each Local Church to choose which programs to support and in what amount, except that payments for ministerial support (pensions, etc.) would continue to be mandatory?
10.  Do you believe the amount of apportionments on your Local Church is higher than it should be?
11.  Should our church do more to defend religious freedom for everyone, expose and oppose religious persecution, and help protect persecuted Christians around the world?
12.  Should laity be more active as servants, leaders, and decision-makers in The United Methodist Church?
13.  Do you believe your church should help you discover your spiritual gifts and use them in the church?


We do need name and address,
to be sure each person(s) opinions are counted only once.

IMPORTANT: Your name and individual answers will be completely confidential.

The opinions in this survey are:    my opinions only  or
                                                            opinions of my spouse and me.

Name        Spouse's Name

Address

City          State  

Home Phone Work Phone    

E-mail     I am:   Laity  or  Clergy

My Local Church       

Send me copies of this Opinion Survey. 
I will give them to other Iowa United Methodists.