UMC News Service Photo of Announcement of Ordination Changes

The United Methodist Church General Conference only meets every four years and had experienced two delays in 2020 & 2022. It met April 23 - May 3 in Charlotte. It is authorized to host 1,000 delegates, half of which are clergy and half of which are lay persons. About a quarter were unable to attend for a variety of reason. The meeting has a complex set of procedures, social issues, and detailed reviews of petitions as well as financial issues such as the budget.

Since the last conference in 2019, about 7,500 congregations have left the denomination using a process known as disaffiliation. That option formally ended on December 31, 2023. Some tried to extend the process at the conference, but the petition was defeated.

The reduction in size and other decreases in income required a 42% budget cut for the next four years, except for the Council of Bishops. Some Bishops have had to serve multiple terms and multiple conferences.

The legislative body of the UMC struck down most of the homophobic language introduced in the Social Principles in the Book of Discipline at the 1972 conference. More rigid enforcement procedures were introduced at the 2019 Conference.

LGBTQ+ clergy now may be ordained and serve without threat of the loss of their ordination. Same sex marriage now is permissible. The homophobic language was struck from the Social Principles, which was the source of the contentious squabble for the past 52 years. That lengthy debate resulted in the split of the denomination. Some changes to the Book of Discipline will not take effect January 1, 2025.

The UMC also will face a reorganization. Rather than oversight by one world-wide General Conference, the church will have several regional conferences that may operate independently. The proposal will require a Constitutional Amendment and approval of two-thirds of the Annual Conferences. The denomination still will remain in connection through the various agencies, boards, and committees. The reorganization will improve the status of those churches outside of the US, particularly in the fastest growing region, which is Africa.

The Conference also voted to more closely associate with the Episcopal Church in some joint programs.

This conference progressed much smoother than the last one in 2019. Most of the former members already had moved to the Global Methodist Church, which has not been formally organized as a new denomination. An interim staff has operated separately for the past year.

The gridlock political battle since 1972 is over. That will offer many opportunities for growth as the denomination will be able to focus on evangelism rather than to continue to debate dogma.

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