Historic 2024 UMC General Conference

The General Conference of The United Methodist Church was held in Charlotte, NC from April 23 to May 3, 2024. 862 United Methodist official delegates and thousands more from around the world gathered to hold the fourteenth quadrennial meeting of the denomination since The United Methodist Church was officially formed in 1968, and 232 years after the first conference of the Methodist Church met in Baltimore, Maryland. This General Conference is considered by many to be the most consequential General Conference since 1968.

Delegates, visitors and staff of the 2024 United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C., dance in the aisles following morning worship on the final day of the conference. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Learn about the historic news made at the 2024 General Conference:

10-Minute General Conference Video Recap from The United Methodist Church
May 3rd wrap-up: Historic conference comes to a close from The United Methodist Church

Results Concerning the four major issues:

Revision of our Social Principles: to speak into contemporary issues in ways that are globally relevant and biblically based.
- Revised Social Principles- Adopted see additional info
Reduction of the Denomination's Overall Budget: to maximize resources for local churches to do the work of making disciples.
- Reflecting the loss of a quarter of US churches to disaffiliation, a budget was approved that will be between 38% and 41% lower than the one set by the 2016 General Conference.
- Approved a reduction in the base rate- a key component used in calculating requested annual conference apportionments for 2025 and 2026.
Regionalization of the Denomination's Global Structure: to allow the United Methodist Church to minister in the most effective ways in different global contexts.
- Regionalization of the United Methodist Church: 78.13% yes; 21.87% no- Adopted
- Because this is a change in church structure, 67% of all Annual Conferences must vote in favor of the change before it would become effective in 2026.
- For additional information: Resource UMC & The UMC's "What is regionalization?"
Removal of Discriminatory Language and Policies: to reduce the harm done to LGBTQIA+ persons.
- Book of Discipline changes- Approved
  
  ¶161. The Nuturing Community
  C. Human Sexuality (revised paragraph)
  We affirm human sexuality as a sacred gift and acknowledge that sexual intimacy contributes to fostering the emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being of individuals and to nurturing healthy sexual relationships that are grounded in love, care and respect. Human sexuality is a healthy and natural part of life that is expressed in wonderfully diverse ways from birth to death. It is shaped by a combination of nature and nurture: heredity and genetic factors on the one hand and childhood development and environment on the other. We further honor the diversity of choices and vocations in relation to sexuality such as celibacy, marriage and singleness. We support the rights of all people to exercise personal consent in sexual relationships, to make decisions about their own bodies and be supported in those decisions, to receive comprehensive sexual education, to be free from sexual exploitation and violence, and to have access to adequate sexual health care.
  
  D. Marriage (revised paragraph)
  
  Within the church, we affirm marriage as a sacred, lifelong covenant that brings two people of faith into union with one another and into deeper relationship with God and the religious community. While The United Methodist Church does not recognize marriage as a sacrament, we celebrate and cherish this union as an expression of the couple's faith, grounded in their relationship with God and one another. Marriage thus reflects a continued willingness to grow together in Christ and a commitment to cultivate a covenantal bond that encompasses intimacy, grace and love. As members of the larger society, we also affirm the importance of civil marriage, the legal recognition of domestic unions by the state. Such legal recognition is vital for guaranteeing family stability and the orderly regulation of inheritances, and for providing assurance that spouses and children are afforded all the rights, benefits, and protections to which they are entitled.

Reserve delegates and observers watched Monday morning sermon from Bishop Karen Oliveto. Photo by David Stucke, Dakotas Conference Communications

Other Important Changes to Book of Discipline regarding LGBTQ+ issues

- United Methodist pastors no longer face potential penalties for being in a same-sex relationship or officiating at same-sex weddings, nor can they be compelled to officiate one.
- four changes to church law that together end remaining bans related to homosexuality and protect the rights of pastors to choose which weddings to perform or not to perform.
- change to the requirements that clergy practice "integrity in all personal relationships, social responsibility and faithful sexual intimacy expressed through fidelity, monogamy, commitment, mutual affection and respect, careful and honest communication, mutual consent, and growth in grace and in the knowledge and love of God."

Additional Information: UM News Article

Additional Important Outcome:

Deacons were granted Sacramental Authority in their ministry setting to offer Holy Communion and conduct baptisms: 65.12% yes; 34.88% no - Approved