The United Methodist Church

During General Conference of The United Methodist Church (April 23-May 3, 2024), delegates and guests will engage in worship and holy conferencing, for the purpose of interpreting the work of The United Methodist Church for the present age. Delegates will consider hundreds of petitions and make a wide array of decisions, guiding the denomination in its allocation of resources, its position on major issues, and its priorities for ministry.

Among the many matters of discernment and consideration will be these four major issues:

• Revision of our Social Principles: to speak into contemporary issues in ways that are globally relevant and biblically based.
• Reduction of the Denomination's Overall Budget: to maximize resources for local churches to do the work of making disciples.
• Regionalization of the Denomination's Global Structure: to allow the United Methodist Church to minister in the most effective ways in different global contexts.
• Removal of Discriminatory Language and Policies: to reduce the harm done to LGBTQIA+ persons.

Please take time to view Pastor Chuck's April 14, 2024, worship message "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Why I Am Enthusiastically a United Methodist" for a detailed overview, and read through these resources about the General Conference:

• Beginner's Guide
• Read Bishop Ken Carter's letter from April 15
• Prayer for General Conference
• Welcometogc.org to register as a volunteer
• What to Know About General Conference Proposals

The Commission on the General Conference announced on November 4, 2022 that the 2024 UMC General Conference will be held April 23-May 3, 2024 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC. The 2020 and rescheduled 2021 and 2022 UMC General Conferences were postponed due to pandemic and government related obstacles. Postponement of the General Conference has delayed the UMC's decision on the Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation. Read through this beginner's guide to General Conference to learn more.

There are several items you can read/view for more info:

• A pastoral response from Bishop Ken Carter concerning the lawsuit brought against Western North Carolina Conference
• The full announcement from the Commission on the General Conference
• A pastoral response from our Western North Carolina Conference Resident Bishop Ken Carter
• A statement from Council of Bishops President Cynthia Fierro Harvey
• A vision of the future for United Methodists in Western North Carolina from our General and Jurisdictional conference delegates.
• Our Resident Bishop, Ken Carter and Assistant to the Bishop, Rev. Amy Coles provide answers to Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
• Bishop Ken Carter's message on Living in Connection in a Season of Waiting.
• Q&A from Ask The UMC: Is The United Methodist Church Really...?  
• Messages from Rev. Rob Fuquay, guest pastor, on October 8, 2023. View the Sunday morning message here and Sunday evening presentation here.

Please click on the Adam Hamilton articles:
The Intellectual Evangelicalism of United Methodism
The Gracious Orthodoxy of United Methodism

The global United Methodist Church (UMC) has struggled with the issues of human sexuality and gender identity over the last nearly 50 years. Fundamental differences regarding the UMC and its member's understanding/interpretation of Scripture, theology and practice concerning same gender marriage and ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy have continued following ruling of the 2019 Special Session/UMC General Conference. Since the ruling, several groups of UMC members representing each of these constituencies formed and have developed new plans for consideration at the next UMC General Conference.

One of the groups led by Bishop John Yambasu of the Africa Central Conference was uniquie in that it was comprised of 5 persons representing progressives, centrists and traditionalists with the goal of reaching a gracious and dignified resolution of this impasse. The plan was introduced to the UMC in January 2020 and is called A Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation. This proposal is known simply as The Protocol.

Rev. Tom Berlin, Floris UMC, Herndon, VA/ video summary of The Protocol: