A Central Conference Primer

The 2019 General Conference: Central Conferences 101

The United Methodist Church is organized into annual conferences on a world-wide basis. In the US, the annual conferences are grouped together into 5 jurisdictions. Outside of the US, the annual conferences are grouped together into 7 central conferences with an 8^th in formation in mainland Asia. The map above shows the most recent membership of the UMC by jurisdiction and central conference. Because United Methodism is growing in Africa and the Philippines, the UMC is seeing a shift in its membership to outside the US.

The number of delegates to the 2019 special session of the General Conference from a particular area is determined by a number of factors with a very strong emphasis on membership. The 864 delegates are divided as follows:

• 58% (504 delegates) from the US
• 30% (260 delegates) from the 3 Sub-Saharan African Central Conferences
• 6% (50 delegates) from the Philippines Annual Conference
• 5% (40 delegates) from the 3 European Central Conferences
• 1% (10 delegates) from Concordant Churches (other Methodist Churches around the world)

So, it is practically impossible to pass any plan without some support from Central Conference delegates. And, it is impossible to pass any plan without some support from US delegates.

The Commission on a Way Forward crafted a plan – the One Church Plan – so it could gather support from both US and Central Conference delegates. To US delegates, it offers allowing contextualizing the Discipline for full inclusion of GLBTQAI+ folk – including same sex marriage and GLBTQAI+ ordination. This allows full inclusion to become stronger and more widespread because it is legal. To Central Conference delegates it offers keeping the United Methodist Church together in a strong, connected way. And to progressives and social activists all around the world, it offers the possibility of connecting across global boundaries to work together on a wide variety of social justice concerns that can only effectively be addressed on a world-wide basis.

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