Looking ahead to General Conference
General Conference delegates at the 2019 called Special Session. Photo by Dave Stucke, Dakotas UMC.
General Conference is set to take place April 23-May 3, 2024, at the convention center in Charlotte, North Carolina—bringing together United Methodists from four continents who will make decisions that will shape the global denomination for years to come.
The Dakotas Conference delegation includes Kara Heagel, lay delegate and head of the delegation, Beata Ferris, alternate lay delegate, Rev. Sara Nelson, alternate clergy delegate, and Rev. Rebecca Trefz, clergy delegate. Also attending are Doreen Gosmire and Dave Stucke the Dakotas Conference communication team.
The 2024 General Conference comes as the denomination is grappling with the withdrawal of more than 7,600 U.S. congregations from The United Methodist Church. Those departures represent about a quarter of U.S. churches leaving the denomination under a disaffiliation policy passed by the 2019 special General Conference.
In the Dakotas Conference, 57 churches have disaffiliated. Based on 2022 statistics, reported by churches, disaffiliations represent a decrease of 10.2% in average weekly worship attendance or1,656 less people in worship each week. Since 2021 reported membership is down 24.1%.
Whether that church-exit policy will be extended beyond this year or expanded to include churches outside the United States will be up to General Conference. The same is true for any change in the denomination’s policies related to LGBTQ people.
The lawmaking assembly faces many proposals dealing with topics as varied as the denomination-wide budget, social teachings, ecumenical relations and international structure.
General Conference has received 1,100 properly submitted petitions — basically the United Methodist equivalent of bills before a legislature.
The lawmaking assembly faces many proposals dealing with topics as varied as the denomination-wide budget, social teachings, ecumenical relations and international structure.
