Breaking News: Reorganization Update

Jay Brim — who led the drafting of the Call to Action/Connectional Table legislation to consolidate nine general agencies under a 15-member board — just told a briefing of central conference delegates that he and other Call to Action leaders would no longer be pushing a board of only 15. Instead, he said, he would bring a substitute motion that would put the proposed mega-agency, the Center for Connectional Mission and Ministry, directly under the oversight of a 45-member board (called the General Council for Strategy and Oversight in the current legislation).

As part of the substitute motion, the 45-member board would double its central conference membership from 7 to 14 — 10 of those members would come from Africa. In addition, he said the five offices of the proposed new center each would have their own advisory boards of 18 to 20 people. One of the most frequent criticisms the Call to Action/Connectional Table proposal has faced is its lack of representation — particularly of church members in the central conference regions in Africa, Europe and the Philippines. The substitute motion will be made when the General Administration legislative committee begins meeting Thursday, April 26.


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General Conference
The Rev. Aleze M. Fulbright (center) celebrates the growth of The United Methodist Church in Africa as the Commission on the General Conference, meeting in Minneapolis on Nov. 11, considers setting the number of delegates for the 2028 General Conference. Sitting beside Fulbright, the General Conference secretary, are the Rev. Andy Call, the commission’s chair, and Sharah Dass, General Conference business manager. Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.

GC2028 delegate count marks historic shift

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General Church
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General Church
West Ohio delegates raise their arms in praise during morning worship at the 2024 United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. From right are the Revs. April Casperson and Dee Stickley-Miner and Tracy Chambers. On Nov. 5, the Council of Bishops announced annual conference voters ratified four ballots of constitutional amendments passed at General Conference. In addition to regionalization, the ratified amendments deal with inclusion in church membership, racial justice and educational requirements for clergy. Casperson helped lead the task force that championed the passage of the amendment on inclusiveness. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

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