General Conference 2024

Focusing on God (April 23-May3)

              For the past three years, the Commission on the General Conference has struggled to plan the gathering of United Methodist delegates, bishops and others worldwide for the denomination’s top legislative assembly. General Conference usually gathers for a 10-day meeting every four years. This representative body is the only one that can set official policy and speak for the denomination. 

              Hampered by the COVID pandemic and resulting travel complications causing postponement of General Conference three times, the Conference originally planned for 2020 in Minneapolis, is now scheduled for April 23-May 3, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Click here for more information.

 

UWFaith @ GC 2024

              MN UWFaith members Cindy Saufferer and Shirley Durr, elected for GC 2020, will be attending General Conference in April as lay reserve delegates representing MN Annual Conference along with several other lay and clergy delegates and reserve delegates.

              UWFaith has always been a presence at General Conference believing “As the official women’s organization of The United Methodist Church. United Women in Faith will be there to make sure no one makes decisions about us without us, and to ensure women, children, and youth are not overlooked.”

              UWFaith will be proposing legislation and supporting legislation from other boards and agencies of the UMC.

 

New year, same name

              One might think that a new meeting year and a new location would lead to a new name for General Conference, but this is not so. The name remains “2020 General Conference.”

              With a 2020 General Conference, there should be a 2024 General Conference to follow, but technically, this will not be the case. Instead, the Council of Bishops will call a special session of General Conference in 2026. Then, the 2028 General Conference will convene as usual in 2028. Kim Simpson, the commission’s chair, said that focus on God is critical, especially in this tumultuous time.

              If you want to know more, take a look at “A beginner’s guide to General Conference” with links to other resources about the United Methodist Church General Conference.

 

 

Come and see what God has done … . God makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. God breaks the bow and shatters the spear; God burns the shields with fire. God says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:8-10