April 30, 2024
AWF in the News
Deaconess and Home Missioner Consecration Honors Tanzanian with AWF Connections
At this yesterday's plenary session, Anna Migera Chacha was commissioned as a deaconess in the Consecration of Deaconesses and Home Missioners for Lifetime service. Anna is a Wesley College graduate in Tanzania and is connected to our conference through the Teaming with Tanzania partnership. In a feature article, Anna's journey is explained as follows, "At 38 years old, Anna enrolled. It was challenging for her to return to school after so many years, but she was committed. Being older than most other Wesley College students, Anna found herself not only a classmate, but a ‘mother’ and mentor to many of them. She told us “I thought college would be only about books, but I found it to be a family in itself.” Anna graduated with a Theology diploma in November 2020." Several clergy and laity were in attendance to witness her consecration who met her last year on the exploratory trip. Clara Ester, deaconess, also participated in the service.
Leading Ladies Represent Alabama-West Florida in Charlotte
(Rev. Kelli Hitchman-Craig) - In the past year if you read any news report, checked social media, or had any conversations with friends you most likely discussed the movie, Barbie, and/or Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. It has been hard to miss these two female-dominated pop culture stories. It’s also hard to miss how involved the females are in the Alabama-West Florida delegation. The delegation representing Alabama-West Florida in the 2024 General Conference held in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the first of its kind. The delegation is led by Rev. Emily Kincaid, ordained deacon and member of the pastoral staff at First United Methodist Church Pensacola. Rev. Kincaid is the first deacon to be selected as head of a delegation, and the second woman to lead a delegation since Alice Lee in 1972. More here.
Connectional News
Church in Africa gets 2 more bishops, new map
(UMNS) - The United Methodist Church in Africa is getting two additional bishops, but not the five originally planned by the 2016 General Conference. General Conference voted by 645 to 96 to add the two African bishops and voted by 692 to 43 to reshape The United Methodist Church’s map on the continent. The April 29 votes supported petitions brought forward by the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters, a permanent General Conference committee that works on issues involving church regions in Africa, Europe and the Philippines. More here.
Delegates pray after Charlotte shooting
(UMNS) - As news spread of deadly shootings of law enforcement officers in Charlotte, North Carolina, General Conference delegates paused to pray for victims and the community. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department reported late on April 29 that three members of a multi-agency U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force were killed after trying to serve a warrant for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Five other officers — four from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and one from another agency — were wounded by gunfire. One of the Charlotte officers is in critical condition. More here.
Women’s group celebrates past, present, future impact
(UMNS) - At the United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, representatives of United Women in Faith captivated attendees with a dynamic presentation highlighting the organization’s substantial contributions to advocacy and education. The event began with a striking performance by three dancers from Pfeiffer University, a North Carolina university affiliated with The United Methodist Church. The women wore white T-shirts adorned with the organization’s newly rebranded logo. More here.
Church court: A youth must be elected to GC commission
(UMNS) - The Judicial Council, the denomination’s top court, says General Conference must elect a youth member to the commission that organizes the denomination’s top policymaking assembly. “If there is no youth representation among the members of the Commission on the General Conference, the General Conference is required to identify, nominate, and elect at least one youth who meets the qualifications set forth,” the Judicial Council ruled in Decision 1497. The ruling came in response to a question from Ian Urriola, delegate from the Upper New York Conference. After nominations to the General Conference commission, he asked the Judicial Council for a declaratory decision as to the effect and meaning of Paragraph 511.1 in the Book of Discipline, the denomination’s law book. More here.
Praying for our Delegation and Bishop
As a way to help the delegation, the conference has asked clergy and laity from around the conference to sign up for a date to pray for our delegation and bishop. Thank you for filling up the calendar; additional slots have been added. Click here to sign up.
Resources
Guide to General Conference
An important resource for delegates, church members, and journalists, this guide contains information about the conference schedule, the legislative process, and background. View guide here.
Agenda
This agenda outlines the daily schedule of the 2024 General Conference in Charlotte, NC. View updated agenda here. View abbreviated agenda here.
Advance Edition of the Daily Christian Advocate
The ADCA contains all legislation submitted for consideration by the delegates at the upcoming General Conference. View ADCA here.
Agenda Highlights
The General Conference meets for 10 days. The agenda runs from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm or later with the exception of Sabbath on Sunday, April 28. The days include legislative committee meetings, reports, addresses, plenary sessions, celebrations, and worship. (Find the updated agenda here.).
Agenda highlights include, times below are Eastern.:
- Celebration of 80th Anniversary of UMCOR - Tuesday, April 30
- Closing Worship - Friday, May 3, 6 pm
Today's Schedule
*8:00 - 9:30 A.M. - Worship
*9:30 - 10:00 A.M. - Plenary Session
- Monitoring Report
- Administrative Committee Reports
- Consent Calendars
*10:20 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. - Plenary Session
- Calendar Items & Conference Business
*1:30 - 3:40 P.M. - Plenary Session
- Recognition of Retiring Bishops and Presentation of New Episcopal Leadership
- Calendar Items & Conference Business
*4:00 - 6:30 P.M. - Plenary Session
- 80th Anniversary of UMCOR and Migrant Ministries
- Calendar Items & Conference Business
- Evening Devotion
*event is live streamed; all times are Eastern
