United Methodists, including some from Oklahoma, will gather in Florida for quadrennial conference

The Rev. Linda Harker, pastor of McFarlin United Methodist Church in Norman, leads the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference's nine-member clergy delegation. Judy Benson, of Frederick, leads a delegation of nine lay members.

Holly McCray, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference, said the conference delegation of 18 people will be part of the 988 delegates meeting as part of the General Conference.

Bishops, including Oklahoma United Methodist Conference Bishop Robert Hayes Jr., attend the gathering but do not get to vote, McCray said.

She said members of the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference delegation were elected at the conference's annual meeting last year. McCray said Harker has the distinction of being the first female pastor to be elected to lead the group of clergy.

McCray said Harker and Benson, wife of Loyd Benson, former state Speaker of the House, have led meetings for the Oklahoma delegates together to prepare for the General Conference gathering.

Harker said more than 1,100 petitions about various issues have been submitted for consideration by General Conference delegates. She said the petitions will be reviewed by legislative committees meeting the first week of the conference, and not all of them will make it to the conference floor for a vote.

She said one internal issue delegates may decide on is a proposal to limit the tenure of United Methodist bishops, who now typically serve as bishops until they reach the denomination's retirement age for bishops.