Jessica Vittorio is a lawyer by trade, someone who spends her workdays amid conflict and difficult settings. As a lay delegate at the upcoming General Conference, the lifelong United Methodist knows the business of the church also can be challenging at times. But what she has found while preparing for the denomination’s largest legislative gathering is that General Conference is where we can remember our connectionalism, often engaging in difficult, yet vital conversations, as we recognize our relevance in the world.
Guest: Jessica Vittorio
- Vittorio represents the North Texas Conference of The UMC as a lay delegate to the 2020 General Conference.
- Stay updated on all the 2020 General Conference news at UMCGC.org.
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This episode posted on April 19, 2024.
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Transcript
Prologue
Jessica Vittorio is a lawyer by trade, someone who spends her workdays amid conflict and difficult settings. As a lay delegate at the upcoming General Conference, the lifelong United Methodist knows the business of the church also can be challenging at times. But what she has found while preparing for the denomination’s largest legislative gathering is that General Conference is where we can remember our connectionalism, often engaging in difficult, yet vital conversations, as we recognize our relevance in the world.
Crystal Caviness, host: Jessice, welcome to “Get Your Spirit in Shape.”
Jessica Vittorio, guest: Thank you. I'm excited to be here. Thanks for the invitation.
Crystal: You're welcome. I'm excited you're here too. I think we're going to have an informative and engaging conversation, so I'm anxious to get started. But before we do that, can you tell us just a little bit about yourself?
Jessica: Yeah, so as you said, my name's Jessica Vittorio. I am a lay delegate to the now, well, I guess I'll still say the 2020 General Conference. That's the language I'm supposed to use. I am a lay delegate for the North Texas conference and I am a member at First United Methodist Church of Dallas. I actually grew up in the North Texas conference. I grew up at Grace Avenue UMC. I was confirmed at Grace Avenue UMC. I was born and raised Methodist, baptized Methodist. And so I have always kind of been around the Methodist church and I live in Dallas now. I am an attorney by trade and so I like to do fun things like this with the church because it's just enough like my work that I feel at home and comfortable, but just different enough that it doesn't feel like work. So it's fun.
Crystal: Jessica, I love that you just used the phrase “fun things” when you're talking about General Conference.
Jessica: It's fun. I think it gets a bad reputation sometimes, but it's fun.
Crystal: Well, I love that. And so I know I grew up in The United Methodist Church and I'll admit that I didn't understand how the denomination works beyond my local church level and the annual conference level. So it was only after starting to work for a United Methodist agency that I began to fully understand about General Conference and its role and important purpose. So if there might be some other United Methodists out there who, like myself, didn't really understand about this legislative gathering, can you give us just, we were talking before the podcast started and you said that you've got a 45-minute General Conference 101, so we're not going to do that. But can you give us just a really quick -- maybe the elevator version -- of what is General Conference? Why is it important to the work of the church?
Jessica: Yeah, so the 30-second overview is our church is governed by a multitude of branches and agencies, just like any organization would be. And the General Conference is basically our global legislative body and we meet together to consider legislative topics once every four years. And General Conference is the place where we do that. We have about a week of that work is committee work that happens in the background. And then a week of that work is actual full General Conference legislative work. And it's where we make a bunch of different decisions related to how the church is structured, how things get funded, what public positions of the church are. A lot of the administrative and logistics and operational topics of the church get addressed by the General Conference. General Conference is important for a variety of reasons. And in my mind, one of the reasons it's most important is because there are so few ways or places where we get to come together as representatives of the entire global church.
Really General Conference is the only place that we do that outside of the Episcopacy, which lay people don't participate in or the Judicial Council, which is a very limited small group of people. And so I think it's important because it's important for us to gather as a global church and remember why our connectional is so important. Remember collectively the amazing work that we're doing in the world and in our individual ministries and also have the difficult conversations because part of connectional is working through the stuff you want to talk about and the stuff you don't want to talk about. And so it gives us a good place to do that, which I think is important.
Crystal: Thank you for that explanation. And one of the things I hope we talk about today is how this work has impacted you and your faith. But before we get to that, can you tell us just a little bit, so you're a first time delegate I believe?
Jessica: Yes.
Crystal: And you were elected probably eight years ago.
Jessica: I know, a whole different lifetime ago.
Crystal: Yes. So can you just tell us just a little bit about what that process and how did you become a delegate? Is that something you put your name in for? Did you say to someone I'd love to get elected or tell us how that works?
Jessica: Yeah, so in the North Texas conference we have open applications. So people that are interested in serving as a delegate will fill out an application. That application gets sent out to all of the members of the annual conference. And then those individuals who have held themselves out for consideration will give a little speech either at clergy session or at the lay session. There's a voting process that takes place and both the clergy and lay delegates are elected. And then once they're elected, you start your service theoretically for four years. And that includes service both at the jurisdictional conference and at the General Conference. I personally had been looking for ways to get more involved with the church. I had been involved in what I consider governance related activities. When I was a kid, I was really active in CCYM and in GMO and in some of the international bodies and hadn't really done anything of that nature since I had been in youth or really college probably.
So it felt like an area of service with the church that I was comfortable with and I had some background in and I saw the application and decided to put my name in. I had watched the special called session in 2019 and was really interested in everything that was happening and felt that my voice or experience might be helpful in that situation in representing north Texas. So I filled out the application, put it in. I actually didn't even tell my pastor. I casually mentioned it to him in the hallway one day he was running to go do something and I was like, Andy, by the way, I submit an application to be considered as a delegate. And then this story is hilarious. Shannon Klein is also on the delegation with me. She is another lay delegate. And I got lost on my way to the lay session and showed up probably 15 minutes late.
I went to the wrong venue and I run in and realized I didn't even realize we were giving speeches that day. So I run in, I'm 15 minutes late and I have to run to the front because I realize we're all giving speeches and I just slide into this pew and Shannon Klein, who I'd never met before, that moment looks at me and she's like, we're all in a specific order. I think you're going to throw off the order if you sit here. And I was like, no, it'll be fine. I'm not worried about it. And little did she know or I know at that point that we were both going to get elected and basically she's been trying to wrangle me I think for the last six years or however long it's been. But that was a very good introduction to how our relationship would go from that point forward, which was just chaotic and I think all over the place, but hopefully effective.
Crystal: Well, I love that and I love that you really just wanted to put yourself out there. So when it came time for your speech, which you didn't know was going to happen, what did you tell the body about why you wanted to do this?
Jessica: Yeah, so I had actually written my speech probably a month or two before that, and I just happened to have it in my notes app in my phone. I was laying in bed one night and thinking about why I'd submit the application to begin with. And it felt moved by the Holy Spirit about what my reasons were. And so thankfully I had written them down so I wasn't just improvising totally when I went up there. But my message to the annual conference was that first I thought it was important that we had some younger voices because we had historically hadn't had, I think proportional representation for young people in the North Texas delegation. And also I just spoke to my love of the church to be totally frank. I think as we were joking at the beginning, General Conference work sometimes gets the reputation for being really difficult or really tedious or even really boring in some certain situations, but ultimately and certainly can be very, have involve a lot of tense conversations, especially right now. But ultimately, I deeply love the church and I wouldn't be where I am in my life. I wouldn't have the relationship with God that I have without the UMC, and it breaks my heart to consider that there would ever be a world where that wouldn't be available to my friends or my kids or the rest of my family or myself. And so basically I was just asking the annual conference to let me serve in that capacity to hopefully help bring the church into the next chapter of whatever it's going to be.
Crystal: Thank you for sharing that. And as you alluded, sometimes these conversations can be difficult and it can be challenging to do the business of the church in a faith space. Can we talk about how to navigate that space? How have you learned some ways to navigate that? It's still church, you're still doing work with people who love God and love people and want to show God's love to the world, but yet there could be some challenging conversations.
Jessica: So I think it's important to say as some context for that. As I mentioned, I'm a lawyer by trade, and so I sit in conflict in rooms where there's conflict and difficult conversations every day as a manner of being. And I think while there are tense conversations to be had and there's the business of the church to do, the atmosphere and context for those conversations is just so radically different than we see in non-church settings. I mean, is it difficult? Is there tension? Are there conflicting viewpoints? Yes, absolutely. But I do find people approach those conversations with grace and with authenticity and with a collective interest in maintaining our individual truth and upholding how we feel that God is calling the UMC and the church to live in the world. And I think there's a deep love for the church in all of those rooms.
And so even when you're having hard conversations, I think that helps to ground all of those conversations because ultimately even in situations where we're adverse, we're still on the same team. And that does have a really powerful impact. There are moments where doing the business of the church's heart certainly and frustrating and heartbreaking, but for the most part, the vast majority of my experiences have been not only positive and uplifting, but really give me so much hope and faith that we're doing good work in the world and we still have a place and we remain relevant. And that the people of the UMC as a whole globally really just want to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. I think my work in General Conference has shown me and confirmed to me that that's still just as true today as it is historically.
Crystal: Well, I was actually just getting ready to ask you how being a General Conference delegate has impacted how you live as a United Methodist, and I think you just answered that, but are there any other ways that maybe you see yourself as United Methodist today that you didn't six years ago?
Jessica: Yeah, I think for me, the thing I love most about General Conference service and how it's impacted my faith and my relationship with the church is the relationships that I've built, especially the global relationships. I've had so many experiences to interact with General Conference delegates and also non-General Conference delegates, just members of EMC from around the world. I've gotten to travel all over the world and meet with people and hear about sure, General Conference topics, but also just the work in ministry that they're doing. And the relationships to me are the most impactful because at the end of the day, the work we do is important. The business of the church is important from a practical standpoint, but it has always been and will always be the people of the church that are the face of God in the church's interactions. And I'm just so grateful for all of the people and the relationships that have had the ability to meet. And even if General Conference was exhausting, which it will be, right? Because a long conference, a conference of that length would be exhausting. But even in the sleepless nights or the tense conversations or whatever it is, I think the value of those relationships is, I mean, irreplaceable. It's invaluable. I wouldn't trade any of the difficult conversations for the relationships that I've had the opportunity to make.
Crystal: So Jessica, you'll be at General Conference as a lay delegate for the North Texas conference.
Jessica: Yes.
Crystal: How have you prepared yourself to represent your annual conference?
Jessica: Yeah, well, we're in kind of a unique position because there are some unification topics on the table in Texas with some of the annual conferences. So I think really we're trying to think about it more as a Texas regional because there's an opportunity for Northwest Texas, North Texas and Texas to, or Central Texas, sorry, to come together. And I think there are hallmarks. If you were to sit in the delegation meetings for every annual conference, I think there are hallmarks and unique characteristics of each delegation that would make every single one of those meetings different. So the way in which I've prepared to represent North Texas specifically, I think is a reflection of the unique characteristics of our delegation. And that is we have very candid conversations in our delegation meetings. We have very detail oriented conversations. We are very process driven delegation. So sitting in those meetings for five years now and getting to have those conversations and learn from the experience of our delegates who have already been there before and learn from just the subject matter experts that are sitting around the table or that we bring into, talk to us.
All of those things they think have prepared me to be able to make decisions at General Conference from an informed place. And ultimately, just as in any legislative body, there are so many decisions to be made. Not everyone is going to agree with every decision an individual delegate makes, but I've always felt that my obligation to the conference is to make the most informed and most prudent decision I can make at the time. And so I think getting the information, just digesting the information and having a chance to pray and live with that information and talk about that information with so many different people has been the majority of the preparation because you don't have time. If you try to wait until you get there, it's all going to be moving so quickly that you need to have that information and have processed it and preyed on it and internalized it before you get there. And that really does take years. I mean, it takes a long time to do all of that work. So I feel comfortable, certainly more comfortable than a couple years ago, but feel very comfortable now with the conversations and the amount of information and understanding that I have.
Crystal: Let's take a moment from our conversation with Jessica to talk about the revised social principles. This document, which is pending approval and adoption at the General Conference 2024 captures the Wesleyan spirit of social holiness, an ethical Action for peace and justice. The revised social principles document reflects the United Methodist response to today's most pressing social issues. More than 4,000 United Methodists from around the world participated in an eight-year process to review and update the social principles. The document was approved and recommended by the General Board of Church and Society's board of directors. You can learn more at umcjustice.org or check the episode page for a direct link. Now, back to our conversation with Jessica.
Crystal: You alluded to the conference being long and it is true. General Conference is two weeks with one day off, Sunday is off, but yet a lot of the General Conference delegates are coming in a little early. How are you planning to take care of yourself and keep your energy up?
Jessica: Coffee, but in addition to coffee, honestly, I am repeating myself here, but I mean that if you've never had the chance to be around a global gathering of Methodists, it is a high energy, very exhilarating situation, and there's work to be done, but to some extent, it feels just like I'm getting to see all of my favorite people in the same place for two weeks and it's going to be tiring and it's important work, but also I get to see all of my favorite people in the same place for two weeks from around the world, and we get to talk about this organization that we love deeply. And so I'm relying on that energy and coffee to really get me through General Conference.
Crystal: That sounds like a solid plan. Honestly,
Jessica: I have no alternative plan at this point.
Crystal: You mentioned that you're excited to see the folks from around the world, from all across the connection together. Are there some moments that you're anticipating already? Maybe some, I know at General Conference there's a lot of business, but there are also celebrations and there are things that we're lifting up as a worldwide denomination that we're excited to celebrate together. Are there any things specific that you're most excited about?
Jessica: Yeah, a bunch. I mean, I'm excited to, there's a bunch of gathering of the United Women in Faith, and so I'm excited to gather with them. There's gatherings of the central conference delegates and like I said, I've built a lot of personal relationships in the central conferences over the past couple of years. So I'm really excited to gather with them. I sit on the board of West Path, so we're going to be having some gatherings and it's always fun to get that group together. And one of the things that I really enjoy is seeing the various other bodies, the EPIs and the Judicial Council in their element as well, and seeing them operate at our special call jurisdictional conference, we elected three new bishops on a single ballot, which is unprecedented in the history, I'm confident saying in the history of legislative voting anywhere, but especially in the UMC.
And so I'm excited to see those bishops come into their own and in their first official legislative capacity as bishops. And there are members of the Episcopal that I've grown great relationships with over the past couple of years too. So I just celebrating that the church is here and the world has changed so much in four years and the church has changed so much in the past four years. And the fact that we get to come together as Unite Methodist and be together even with all the different difficult conversations we have left to have, I think is worth celebrating the fact that we have the unique opportunity to really define what the next chapter of The United Methodist Church looks like. And that's such a significant undertaking, but it's also such a blessing and such an exciting moment. And so I think that unto itself and the opportunity and blessing to be able to have those conversations and make those decisions is the biggest celebration of all.
Crystal: That's very well said. Well, as we finish up today, is there anything you wanted to talk about that we didn't mention yet?
Jessica: I think I'm also, I didn't mention in celebration, but I'm so interested because we have statistically and demographically the most diverse, geographically, the most diverse from an age perspective, the most diverse from a gender perspective. We have the most diverse General Conference body that the church has ever had at this really pivotal moment in the church's history. And I'm just so inspired by it, but I also am so excited to see all of the things that are going to come out of it. I feel like just like we saw at the special called Jurisdictional conference that we had, I think there was a lot of anticipation going into that conference about, oh, how is this going to go? Kind of hesitancy in what the atmosphere and energy of that conference was going to be. And it was, I mean, when I say the moment where all of those bishops was elected on one ballot and it felt like we had realigned our identity as a church, that was probably one of the top five best spiritual moments of my entire life. Just the feeling in that room and the enthusiasm and the happiness and the joy, and you could really feel the Holy Spirit's presence in that moment. And I absolutely believe that General Conference is going to be much the same.
Crystal: There definitely are those very sacred moments. I mean, we hear some amazing preaching and there is some great music and we're all there together singing together. And then some of our United Methodist brothers and sisters from other parts of the world sing songs that are, we we're all singing these familiar songs together. It's just such an affirmation of who we are as United Methodists.
Jessica: And to your point, I think to get to live and eat and just exist with people for two weeks is a unique experience for any adult. So infrequently do we get the chance to do that sort of thing as adults and let alone as adults of faith who are all part of this collective organization. And I think so many impactful things, really the work and heart of God you see around those tables and at those meals. So I'm very excited.
Crystal: It's like two weeks of sleepover camp.
Jessica: I know it is. It really is. I loved youth conferences and it feels like that same energy, but as an adult, and it's so rare to have an opportunity to do that. So I'm excited.
Crystal: Well, Jessica, to finish up, I'm going to ask you the question that we ask all of our guests on “Get Your Spirit in Shape” and that's how do you keep your own spirit in shape?
Jessica: Yeah, that's a great question and I wish I had a really organized concise answer, but I think the two that keep me most spiritually in shape are one, travel. I love to travel and just be in a different place. And I think it's so easy when you're in the same environment all day every day to start to overlook all of the things that are amazing and the blessings and belittle things that God does on a day-to-day. And so I like to step out of that and be reminded by taking in a new place. So I like to travel and that keeps me spiritually grounded, I think. And also, especially now with everything going on the church, my spirit gets a lot of, I think inspiration and sustainment from hearing about the work that is being done. I mean, I know so many amazing laypeople and pastors and I get to hear the stories about the awesome work that they're doing and whether it's a little project or a big project or it's a one-off conversation they had, just listening to the things that they're doing is amazing to me.
When I was in the Philippines this last time, I met with this group of women, laywomen, they're a project of the Board of Women and they do leadership development for females across the Philippines. And the work that they're doing is amazing to begin with. But aside from that, I got to go to dinner with them one night and just seeing them as friends and listening to the way that they talked about how that group of women had shown up in each other's lives and how they had supported them through trials and tribulations and all of these life phases just was a direct reflection of God. And that at the end of the day, seeing the good that we can do and as a reminder of the love God has for us and the good that God does in the world, that's really what keeps me going and makes me think that General Conference is fun and keeps me grounded, I guess.
Crystal: Thank you for being willing to serve. I know it is a lot of time. It's probably felt like a part-time job for the past five years.
Jessica: A fun one though.
Crystal: Yes. And thank you for just your deep love of the denomination. It's obvious as you talk about it, and we'll just be praying for all of you, all of the delegates in the couple of weeks that you're at General Conference. But I really thank you for being a guest on “Get Your Spirit in Shape” and sharing this experience with us.
Jessica: Of course. Thank you so much. And I'm hoping that if any of your listeners are going to be at General Conference, that they'll come find me and say, “Hi.” I am excited to see everyone and excited to get there and do the work, and I love this podcast and sharing with members of the church who aren't in the organization the details every day. I love talking about it and I love sharing all of the exciting and intricacies that make the church what it is. So thanks for the opportunity and having this conversation, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone at General Conference.
Epilogue
That was Jessica Vittorio discussing her role as a lay delegate at General Conference. To learn more, go to umc.org/podcast and look for this episode where you will find helpful links and a transcript of our conversation. If you have questions or comments, feel free to email me at a special email address just for “Get Your Spirit in Shape” listeners: gysis@umcom.org. If you enjoyed today's episode, we invite you to leave a review on the podcast platform where you listen. Thank you for taking the time to join us on "Get Your Spirit in Shape." I'm Crystal Caviness and I look forward to the next time that we're together.
