What is General Conference?

United Methodists like to meet, or -- in the official language -- "to conference." (Yes, I'm using that word as a verb.) We have charge conferences every year for each local church to name its officers and committee chairs and set pastors' salaries. Our primary administrative units are called annual conferences, showing that the UMC's organizational

structure is based on what happens at these yearly face-to-face gatherings where laity and clergy gather to worship and make decisions. But as an entire denomination, the United Methodist Church only does it's official business at a set of meetings that occur every four years -- an event called General Conference.

It is easy to remember what years General Conference happens -- it's always the same as the US Presidential election and the Summer Olympics. Milestones in the life of the United Methodist Church (and the Methodist Church before we became "United") are marked by conference years:

• 1744 - John Wesley has his first meeting of Methodist preachers to set guidelines for the new movement.
• 1784 - First conference for American Methodists. Francis Asbury is set apart as a Superintendent, a title he later changed to Bishop. 
• 1956 - Full clergy rights were granted to women pastors.
• 1968 - The United Methodist Church was officially created from a merger of several denominations.

Even our main denominational publications, such as the United Methodist Hymnal, are approved at General Conference. (Our current hymnal was voted on in 1988.)

But the main books that come out of General Conference are our official rulebook -- The Book of Discipline -- and our official policy statements -- The Book of Resolutions. No other group, and no individual, can speak for the denomination; General Conference is the only official voice of the church. 

The 864 delegates to General Conference, equally divided between clergy and laity, sent by their respective annual conferences, are expected to vote on something like 1044 petitions over 10 days. Delegates come from every place in the world where United Methodist churches are established -- it is truly a worldwide gathering, with people from the Philippines, Africa, and Europe joining the US delegates.

This General Conference is being hosted in Portland, Oregon on May 10-20. The theme is 'Therefore, Go', based on the Great Commission of Matthew 28.

I understand that we will be able to watch the sessions online once things get underway in Portland. In the meantime, and throughout, I would encourage all United Methodists to pray for the proceedings. See this website for prayer resources: http://60daysofprayer.org/ While the details can get quite technical, the business of General Conference is important.