This year, however, the focus was on unity efforts by the Commission on a Way Forward and others, culminating in a special called session of General Conference Feb. 23-26 in St. Louis.
These are articles describing what happened at the Special Called General Conference of 2019 in Saint Louis.
Special general conference tops the news in 2019
For the second year in a row, The United Methodist Church’s struggle to stay together despite longstanding division over homosexuality was the denomination’s top news story of 2019.
What is the General Conference of The United Methodist Church?
General Conference sets the rules and establishes procedures for virtually every aspect of the church’s life. It also communicates the denomination’s official position on a variety of issues and cultural challenges.
Every four years, United Methodists from around the world assemble and connect in worship, prayer, Communion, fellowship — and the legislative work that shapes our shared life.
With “full legislative power over all matters distinctively connectional” (The Book of Discipline 2016 (BOD), ¶16, ¶501), General Conference delegates confer and vote on proposals for resourcing and regulating the life and work of The United Methodist Church. ... Read more.
From the Love Your Neighbor Coalition:
- Last Day, February 26, 2019 - Decision Day
- Monday, February 25, 2019 - Legislative Committee
- Sunday, February 24, 2019 - Priortization Day: Pick-a-Plan
- Saturday, February 23, 2019 - Day of Prayer
- Friday, February 22, 2019 - Pre-Conference Activities
From the Western Methodist Justice Movement:
- GC2019 Outcomes
- The One Church Plan Is Now the Minority Plan
- From the "Pick A Plan" Day: Traditionalist Plan Ranks High
- Pre-Conference Progressive Gatherings
- What did GC2019 Accomplish?
See also this March 2019 newsletter of WMJM after the Conference
Rev. Dr. Mark R. Holland, Executive Director Mainstream UMC
August 21, 2019
New revelations of voter fraud have further damaged the legitimacy of the United Methodist General Conference. There are individuals within our denomination so desperate to consolidate power in the church that they are posing as someone else to cast votes. One must ask if voter fraud is simply an outgrowth of other unscrupulous behavior by traditionalist organizations at General Conference?
Read more: Confirmed: Voter Fraud at General Conference 2019
UPDATE: The Judicial Council, in decision 1401, ruled that the Commission on General Conference had no authority to declare a vote null and void. The correct reading of Par. 2553 is as printed in the errata from Cokesbury. Text of Paragraph 2553 as certified from the 2019 General Conference (Cokesbury official addendum, page 4). Note that this paragraph expires December 31, 2023 and cannot be used for disaffiliation after this date.
By Heather Hahn
Aug. 10, 2019 | LEXINGTON, Ky. (Original at UM News)
General Conference organizers have determined enough improper voting likely took place at the 2019 special session to nullify a key vote on how congregations can leave The United Methodist Church.
The Commission on General Conference — meeting behind closed doors during its Aug. 7-9 meeting — reviewed an investigation that found “credible objective evidence” of four ineligible people casting votes using the credentials of delegates who were not present.
Read more: Improper voting at GC2019 voids key disaffiliation vote