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General Conference Wrap-up

Bishop David Graves shares a message with South Georgia United Methodists at the conclusion of General Conference.


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Let's join together in prayer for our South Georgia delegation as they travel home. We are so appreciative of their faithful service! In the coming days and weeks, the Bishop and delegation will be sharing more about decisions made at General Conference. Here is a timeline of post-General Conference informational sessions. There is also a link on the page to submit questions.

General Conference Legislative Recap
The postponed 2020/2024 General Conference of The United Methodist Church held April 23-May 3, 2024, was historic in many ways. Worldwide Regionalization was approved. Restrictive language related to LGBTQIA+ people was removed. The Revised Social Principles were adopted. Disaffiliation policies ended, and many more changes, large and small, were passed. Download this brief document to learn about all that was passed. 
 

A word from Rev. Doreen Smalls: 'We are the church'
Rev. Doreen Smalls, head of the delegation and District Superintendent of the Northwest and Southwest Districts, shares a message to South Georgia United Methodists. Watch video

Bishop Graves shares a letter and video message to South Georgia United Methodists
On Wednesday, May 1, the General Conference took action that removed paragraph 304.3 from the United Methodist Book of Discipline, which removes discriminatory language against LGBTQ+ persons. This action was affirmed by more than 93% of the worldwide body. With the removal of this language and the passing of additional legislation related to human sexuality, several areas of the Book of Discipline will be revised. Bishop David Graves and Dr. Ben Martin offer their insight into these decisions. 

In this video, Bishop David Graves, episcopal leader of the South Georgia Conference, shares a message to South Georgia United Methodists about decisions made during the postponed 2020 General Conference taking place now in Charlotte, NC.

Bishop Graves also writes this letter to South Georgia United Methodists about the removal of restrictive language in the Book of Discipline. 

More information about decisions being made will be forthcoming after General Conference from the Bishop and delegation. Here is a timeline of post-General Conference informational sessions.

 

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Stories and Videos


Daily GC wrap-ups from UM News


Have questions about General Conference? Ask The UMC 

Have questions about what happened at the General Conference, or how things work, or who was at the microphone when, or what specific actions mean? Ask The UMC is ready to reply by email or live chat. Non-General Conference questions are welcome, too, as always. Learn more


General Conference Information


The United Methodist Church’s top legislative body will meet in Charlotte, North Carolina on April 23-May 3, 2024.
 

General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church, which meets once every four years. However, because of the pandemic, the last regular session of General Conference was nearly eight years ago. The conference can revise church law, as well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy, and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for church-wide programs.

Your South Georgia Conference delegation has been meeting to pray, study, and discuss legislation over the last year and are now arriving in Charlotte along with other delegates, bishops, leaders, and guests from around the world. 
 

South Georgia Delegation


Laity
General Conference:
Richard Shinhoster || Legislative Committee: Financial Administration
Allison Lindsey || Legislative Committee: Faith and Order
Patsy Thomas || Legislative Committee: Judicial Administration
Karen Forrester || Legislative Committee: Discipleship

Jurisdictional Conference:
John Ray (alternate to GC)
Denise Rooks (alternate to GC)
Dana Goshorn
Scott Cleaveland

Alternates:
Scott Lewis
Mark Allen

Clergy
General Conference:
Doreen Smalls || Legislative Committee: Ordained Ministry
Scott Hagan || Legislative Committee: Church and Society 2
Jimmy Asbell || Legislative Committee: Conferences
Ben Martin || Legislative Committee: General Administration

Jurisdictional Conference:
Michael Culbreth (alternate to GC)
Tony Crosby (alternate to GC)
Stephen Grantham
Ben Gosden

Alternate:
Precious Hawkins
 

Top Tools for Sharing with Your Local Church​

GC by the Numbers Infographic - This one-page infographic provides a quick snapshot of General Conference by the numbers.

The Road to General Conference Infographic - Gain a better understanding of The UMC with this information detailing the church's structure from the local church, to the district, through the annual conferences and beyond with the infographics below. (4 pages)

Video: What is the General Conference? - This video provides a quick overview of General Conference and how it serves the denomination. Watch video

Quick facts to reference: 

  • General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church, which meets once every four years. 
  • However, because of the pandemic, the last regular session of General Conference was nearly eight years ago. 
  • General Conference is the only body that can speak for the whole United Methodist Church. 
  • General Conference has the authority to make revisions to the denomination’s Book of Discipline and Book of Resolutions.
  • The conference can revise church law, as well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy, and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for church-wide programs.
  • During the first week our delegates will largely meet in legislative committees to consider hundreds of petitions and proposals. During the second week delegates meet as a whole in plenary sessions to make decisions that will shape the future of The United Methodist Church. 
  • There are 862 delegates from around the world, half clergy and half laity. Of the elected delegates, 55.9% are from the U.S., 32% from Africa, 6% from the Philippines, 4.6% from Europe (including Russia) and the remainder from concordat churches that have close ties to The United Methodist Church.
  • We have 8 delegates from the South Georgia Annual Conference participating and voting at General Conference. 
  • There are 1,099 total petitions before the General Conference.
  • In a focused effort to prepare for General Conference session, the South Georgia Conference is taking part in a month-long Conference-wide prayer initiative, “Hear Our Prayers," where we are pausing to pray each day at 4:01 pm. 
  • This is a wonderful opportunity for Methodists around the world to come together to celebrate our shared mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
 
General Conference

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