United Methodist Church Set to Restructure

May 1, 2024136 views0

United Methodist Church Set to Restructure

2024-05-01T10:35:26+01:00

By Church News

The top legislative body of the United Methodist Church (UMC) passed a series of measures to restructure the worldwide denomination to give each region greater equity in tailoring church life to its own customs and traditions.The primary measure, voted on as the United Methodist Church General Conference met at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina, was an amendment to the church’s constitution to divide the denomination into four equal regions — Africa, Europe, the Philippines and the United States.According to the plan, each region would be able to customize part of the denomination’s rulebook, the Book of Discipline, to fit local needs. While church regions in Africa, the Philippines and Europe have already enjoyed some leeway in customizing church life, the United States has not.The two-week worldwide meeting is the first meeting of the General Conference in five years, due mostly to delays associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.The Rev. Dee Stickley-Miner, executive director of missional engagement for the General Board of Global Ministries who has worked on the plans alongside non-U.S.-based church leaders, said this time around, the measures are more clearly stated and have been shaped and vetted by Methodists in the various regions.Also Read: Prayer at the Worst of Times – Rev. Daniel Forster