During the opening worship service of the United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 23, 2024, Bishop Lanette L. Plambeck blesses a delegate during a period in which participants were encouraged to remember their baptism. Plambeck is bishop of the Dakotas-Minnesota Episcopal Area. Photos by Paul Jeffrey, UM News.

UM News service April 23 wrap-up

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — United Methodist bishops marched to the altar to the strains of Charles Wesley’s “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” as the long-delayed United Methodist General Conference began April 23. Joey Butler reports on the first day’s happenings, including an update from the Commission on General Conference on delegate numbers.

Connections for the Dakotas Conference for April 23 are:  Rev. Donald E. Messer, former president of Dakota Wesleyan University, co-chaired the Breaking Barriers AIDS Conference. During opening worship, Bishop Plambeck, resident bishop for the Dakotas-Minnesota Area, assisted with the baptismal remembrance.

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Today's schedule*
*EDT—Eastern Daylight Time
View entire agenda here.  Watch the livestream.
*EDT—Eastern Daylight Time
8 a.m.  Worship
8:30-10:30 a.m. Plenary Session
     Episcopal Address
     Monitoring Report 
     Report on the Social Principles Revision
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Plenary Session
     Young People’s Address
     General Book of Discipline Report
     Financial State of the Church
     The Pathway to Our Next Expression 
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Organization of the Legislative Committees
There are 14 legislative committees. Rev. Rebecca Trefz, Dakotas Conference clergy delegate, serves on the Ordained Ministry legislative committee. Kara Heagel, lay delegate for the Dakotas Conference, serves on the Higher Education / District Superintendency legislative committee. View the list and membership for each of the legislative committees beginning on page 108 of the Advanced Daily Advocate.