General Conference Information & Resources

The United Methodist Church, with members from across the world, will gather April 23 - May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina, for General Conference. Together, they will engage in holy conferencing to set the laws, organizational structure, priorities, and budget that will govern the denomination. The General Conference is the only body that can set official policy and speak for The United Methodist Church.

There will be 862 voting delegates, 12 of whom are from the Baltimore-Washington Conference delegation and four from the Peninsula-Delaware Conference, at the session, which is officially the 2020 General Conference, postponed because of the COVID pandemic. These delegates will serve on 12 committees considering 1,099 resolutions during the first week of the two-week session.

Some important issues on the agenda this year include regionalization, adopting new Social Principles, setting a budget, and creating a strong and vibrant church after about a quarter of the denomination’s congregations disaffiliated over issues of human sexuality. In addition, delegates will consider adopting a theological statement on the United Methodist understanding of church titled “Sent in Love.”

The theme of the General Conference is “Be Still and Know.” The event will be live-streamed via United Methodist Communications. The opening worship and other worship services are often a highlight.

Helpful Links:

• Official site of the General Conference
• Primer and FAQ on the basics of General Conference
• Agenda for the General Conference session
• Follow the legislative action of General Conference
• The online Daily Christian Advocate, at http://www.dailychristianadvocate.org/, includes the proposed legislation and the daily proceedings for a subscription fee of $49.99.
• Prayer Guide for General Conference 
• What to know about General Conference proposals

Regionalization

Regionalization efforts and legislation seek to provide equity throughout the global regions of The United Methodist Church. Regionalization emphasizes the United Methodist theology of connectionalism; it provides for contextualized ministry and mission throughout the church.

An excellent resource, which provides an overview of and series about Regionalization, is available from Ask UMC. Also see:

• The Connectional Table’s Resource on Regionalization
• Legislation on Regionalization
• A video on Moving the UMC into a More Equitable Era

If passed, the regionalization plans will require a change in the denomination’s Constitution and will come before Annual Conference sessions for a vote, probably in 2025.

Proposed Social Resolutions

More than 4,000 United Methodists worldwide participated in an eight-year process to review and update the United Methodist Social Principles. This new draft document captures the Wesleyan spirit of social holiness and reflects the United Methodist response to today’s most pressing social issues. The document is pending adoption at the General Conference session. See a copy of the proposed 2020 Social Principles.

The Budget

Massive budget cuts await General Conference delegates: Ask The UMC seeks to provide clear answers to a wide variety of questions about United Methodism. Right now, many have questions and concerns in light of a dramatic decrease in funding throughout the denomination. The proposed 2025-2028 budget for The United Methodist Church that will be presented to the upcoming General Conference is 43 percent lower than the previous quadrennial budget. The cut marks the largest budget reduction in denominational history.  Learn more. 

Delegates from the BWC

Alternates