Delegation Report 2024

2020 General and Jurisdictional Conference Delegation Report 
Following the General Conference Session held in 2024 in Charlotte, NC

 The Baltimore-Washington Conference Delegation, elected at the May 2019 Annual Conference, has faithfully served while awaiting the “postponed” 2020 General Conference and Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference (NEJC) and is now grateful to report that twelve delegates attended General Conference, April 23–May 3, 2024, in Charlotte, NC. The entire delegation of twenty-nine now looks forward to the Jurisdictional Conference, scheduled for July 8-12, 2024, in Pittsburgh, PA.

There are three major legislative decisions of the General Conference that require the attention and action of the Baltimore-Washington Conference: 

Worldwide Regionalization

The General Conference adopted legislation that approved restructuring the denomination to be more contextual in different regions served by the church. The current central conferences and the U.S. would become regional conferences, with the same authority to pass legislation for greater missional impact. The regionalization legislation involves an amendment to the church’s constitution. Approval by at least two-thirds of total votes cast across all annual conferences worldwide is required in order for the regionalization legislation to take effect. Since the regionalization constitutional amendment will not be sent out until 30 days after adjournment of General Conference, the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference like many others will not vote on this constitutional amendment until the 2025 Annual Conference. Over the next year, a team which is to be named will be responsible for communicating and educating our conference members on the purpose and impact of these constitutional amendments as we prepare for ratification by the Annual Conference.

General Book of Discipline

The General Conference also adopted legislation that approved the continuation of work on a General Book of Discipline that will be brought to the next regular session of General Conference. As part of that continuing work, feedback is being requested of the annual conferences on the draft General Book of Discipline. The same team named to shepherd the education process on regionalization will coordinate receiving and submitting feedback on the draft General Book of Discipline.

Deployment of Bishops

The Interjurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy proposed, and the General Conference adopted the following recommendation for the deployment of thirty-two U.S. bishops for the 2025-2028 quadrennium.

            Jurisdiction                             Number of Bishops Authorized

            North Central Jurisdiction                              6

            Northeastern Jurisdiction                                6

            South Central Jurisdiction                              6

            Southeastern Jurisdiction                                9

            Western Jurisdiction                                       5

This recommendation results in three jurisdictions with one more active bishop than authorized: the North Central Jurisdiction, the South Central Jurisdiction, and the Southeastern Jurisdiction. It also leaves two jurisdictions with projected vacancies:  Northeastern Jurisdiction with one and Western Jurisdiction with two.

Vacancies are expected to be filled through the transfer of bishops under paragraph 512 of the Book of Discipline and under the auspices of the Interjurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy. Any transfer requires agreement of the bishop, the Interjurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy, and the sending and receiving Jurisdictional Committees on Episcopacy. 

 As affirmed by the General Conference, the Northeastern Jurisdiction (NEJ) is not anticipating any election. The NEJ Committee on Episcopacy (NEJ COE), like other jurisdictions, are operating under the assumption that there will not be elections. However, because our NEJ Rule 34 states that recognized episcopal nominees must be made by an Annual Conference or a NEJ-related national racial or ethnic caucus to be interviewed by the Jurisdiction, the NEJ COE has encouraged each annual conference to make its own decision about endorsements. Such decisions are to be made within the context and understanding that episcopal interviews and elections are not expected at the 2024 Northeastern Jurisdiction Conference.

The Delegation gives thanks to Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, Rev. Antoine Love, Rev. Amy Peed McCullough, and Rev. Sarah Schlieckert, who presented themselves in January 2024 for consideration. Further, we affirm Rev. Amy Peed McCullough, who the Delegation endorsed as a nominee.

Finally, it continues to be a joy to serve as a Delegation. In the midst of these liminal times, we still find hope, promise, and purpose through living out our faith among the people called United Methodists. We are grateful to be part of shaping the future of our Church together. 

Respectfully Submitted,

Rev. Ianther Mills (Clergy) and Cynthia Taylor (Laity)
Baltimore-Washington Conference Delegation Heads