May 3, 2024
Today is the last General Conference daily email news. The final piece of communication will be a video from Bishop Graves released at some point after the adjournment of General Conference.
AWF in the News
Graves Presides Over General Conference Plenary Session
Bishop David Graves, resident bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, presided at Thursday's plenary session; the tenth plenary session of General Conference. The AWF delegation took a special moment prior to lunch to pray over the bishop before he assumed these afternoon duties.
Kincaid Presents Legislation on Behalf of Committee
Rev. Emily Kincaid, along with Lindsey Baynham Freeman, presented petition number 20897 on behalf of the Ordained Ministry legislative committee. The petition was titled, "Granting Sacramental Authority to Deacons in their Ministry Settings." This petition allows deacons to preside over the celebration of sacraments. This petition passed with a vote total of 448-240. “This is a historic day in the life of United Methodist deacons,” stated Rev. Emily Kincaid, deacon and AWF delegation head. She continued, “Deacons often have the opportunity to extend the love of Jesus Christ beyond the walls of the church through the celebration of the sacraments. With the approval of this petition, we are now empowered to have this authority.” At the conclusion of this petition presentation, Bishop Graves called on Rev. Emily Kincaid to offer a prayer during this very special moment.
AWF Post General Conference Clergy and Laity Meetings: Updated Dates
As a reminder, there are two upcoming Zoom meetings on Tuesday May 7th to discuss the outcomes of General Conference. The 10am meeting is for clergy only and the 6pm meeting is for laity. Clergy who cannot attend the morning meeting may attend the evening meeting. Registration is required and more information may be found here. The four in-person meetings and the laity Zoom on the 20th are canceled. This will enable us to respond in a timely manner and ensure our church leaders have the accurate information they need to help their local congregations. Click here for more.
Connectional News
Delegates Adopt the Revised Social Principles
(Adapted from an article by Heather Hahn, UMNews) With the vote on May 2, delegates have adopted the entire slate of revised Social Principles submitted by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, the denomination’s social witness agency. The Social Principles represent the denomination’s public stands on issues of the day and are not church law. The Social Principles are for the whole church and will not be subject to change by Regional Conferences. After more than an hour and a half of conversation on the floor of the General Conference, the delegates voted in favor of the new Social Principles, with one amendment. Molly Hlekani Mwayera, a lay delegate from the Zimbabwe East Conference, proposed the amendment to a line dealing with marriage.
Heather Hahn of UMNews explains:
"She added the amendment for 'a double-barrel' definition of marriage that includes 'a man and a woman,' in line with law in much of the world including her home country, or 'two adults,' in line with law in other parts of the world including the U.S. The amendment also weaves in three other parts of the newly adopted Social Principles — the rejection of child marriage, the stance against polygamy and support for consent in sexual relationships." This section of the revised Social Principles deletes the phrase “the practice of homosexuality… is incompatible with Christian teaching.” This line has widely been noted as harmful language and many delegates named it a priority to see it removed. The 2012 General Conference set the UMC General Board of Church and Society on an journey to revise the Social Principles. The goal was for the statements that guide United Methodist public witness to be more succinct, more theologically grounded, and more globally relevant. Over the last 8 years, Church and Society held listening sessions around the globe (including a session in North Georgia) to learn from United Methodists what they thought of the social teachings and how they might be improved. A writing team of 52 United Methodists from Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the U.S., drafted the proposed revised Social Principles. That draft then received input from more than 4,000 United Methodists worldwide before the final submission. This is the first such revision in nearly 50 years.
Deacons can now preside at sacraments in their appointments
(UMNS) - Deacons can now preside at the sacraments in their appointments without needing explicit permission from their bishop. In what presiding Bishop David Graves called a “historic moment,” General Conference on May 2 passed new legislation granting authority to deacons to preside at the sacraments in their ministry settings. This means deacons can now offer Holy Communion and conduct baptisms where they have been appointed to serve, whether that is a church, outreach ministry or mission. Deacons and elders are considered clergy in The United Methodist Church, but deacons are ordained for ministries of word, service, compassion and justice — serving as a bridge between the church and the world. Elders are ordained for ministries of word, sacrament, order and service. More here.
Church court voids change to bishop expenses
(UMNS) - The United Methodist Church’s top court has declared unconstitutional a move by General Conference to have retired bishops pay for their own travel expenses to attend Council of Bishops meetings “Under ¶ 47 of the Constitution, the Council of Bishops shall be composed of all bishops of The United Methodist Church,” the Judicial Council said in Decision 1499. “All bishops (active and retired) of The United Methodist Church are authorized to attend meetings of the Council of Bishops with expenses paid.” The decision describes a petition passed by General Conference as “unconstitutional, null, and void.” The decision was one of two that the Judicial Council released May 2. Both stemmed from questions raised about bishops during this year’s General Conference. More here.
General Conference elects commission members, others
(UMNS) - General Conference has elected more than 175 people to a variety of commissions and councils, including the Commission on the General Conference, the topic of heavy dialogue earlier in the week regarding youth representation. Delegates began elections in the afternoon of May 1 and concluded May 2, adding a host of fresh faces to the groups that make important decisions for The United Methodist Church. Two days prior, when the body first addressed nominations for elected office April 29, delegate Ian Urriola of the Upper New York Conference requested a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council regarding the required membership of the Commission on the General Conference. More here.
Resources
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.:
- Closing Worship - Friday, May 3, 6 pm
Today's Schedule
*8:00 - 9:00 A.M. - Worship
*9:00 - 10:00 A.M. - Plenary Session
- Opening Prayer
- Monitoring Report
- Administrative Committee Reports
- General Commission on Finance & Administration Report
- Calendar Items & Conference Business
- Announcements
*10:20 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. - Plenary Session
- Opening Prayer
- Calendar Items & Conference Business
*1:30 - 3:40 P.M. - Plenary Session
- Opening Prayer
- Recognition of General Conference Staff and Local Host Committee
- Calendar Items & Conference Business
*4:00 - 6:00 P.M. - Plenary Session
- Opening Prayer
- Calendar Items & Conference Business
- Evening Devotion
*6:00 - 6:30 P.M. - Closing Worship
*event is live streamed; all times are Eastern
