General Conference 2024 Week One
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Mike DuBose Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News
Bishop's Sermon on Sexual Violence Broke Open My Lasting Silence
Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling didn't know about the editor's lasting silence about past sexual assault. Nonetheless she proclaimed April 25 that the church's silence obscures the fact that gender-based violence isn't about sex.
Apr 26, 2024
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Let Bishop Easterling's Words Ring Out
A suvivor of clergy sexual assault, the Rev. John Sumwalt calls on bishops and General Conference delegates to lead services of lament back home to help other suvivors begin to heal.
May 1, 2024
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Church Broadens Defense of Human Rights
General Conference delegates approved the first batch of Revised Social Principles, including an affirmation of the basic rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Apr 27, 2024
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A Journalist and a Cartoon Fish Can Point the Way
Laity Address speakers at General Conference urged United Methodists to work together and keep the faith despite the setback of more than 7,000 disaffiliated churches.
Apr 25, 2024
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Delegates Urged to ‘Restart’ Church with Less
The budget presentation included the need to reduce the number of bishops in the U.S. and add less bishops to Africa than initially planned. Still, delegates also heard hope for the denomination to pivot from church exits to revitalization.
Apr 25, 2024
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Young People Share Fears, Hopes for Future Church
Young delegate Alejandra Salemi of Florida said she sees similarities between the current state of the church and a family torn apart due to divorce. Senesie T.A. Rogers of Sierra Leone said he believes there is hope for a bright future and unity.
Apr 25, 2024
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South Carolina Bishop Calls UMC to Become 'Who God Needs Us to Be'
In one of the most visual addresses in decades, Bishop L. Jonathan Holston built his message around a series of videos that contrasted traumatic world events of the past eight years with United Methodist events and activities that show God's reign.
Apr 24, 2024
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Creation Advocates Stage Bank Protest at General Conference
On the opening day of General Conference, United Methodist creation justice advocates held a prayer vigil and march at the Charlotte, N.C., headquarters of Bank of America to call for the bank to stop funding fossil fuels.
Apr 24, 2024
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UMC's High Court Says General Conference Decides Leader Elections
The United Methodist Church’s top court said it’s up to General Conference to determine how to handle the elections of the court’s membership. In a separate decision, the council also ruled that agency board members elected in 2016 can serve again.
Apr 24, 2024
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Bishop Challenges Conference to Move Forward from Conflicts under God's Power
Bishop Thomas Bickerton challenged delegates to the 2024 General Conference to cast off the trauma of past conflicts and move forward "under the power of the Holy Spirit" to create a new United Methodist Church.
Apr 24, 2024
UMC Now
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Sager Brown Depot to Close as UMCOR Shifts Relief Kit Work
The United Methodist Committee on Relief said the changes will reduce costs while strengthening its disaster response ministry. Millions of relief supply kits have been assembled at Sager Brown and shipped to communities facing crisis worldwide.
Feb 11, 2026
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Todd Rossnagel
Additional Context and Next Steps Following UMCOR Sager Brown Decision
Since the announcement that the United Methodist Committee on Relief will conclude operations at the Sager Brown Depot , leaders have heard from clergy, churches, volunteers, and community members who have expressed surprise, sadness and concern.
Feb 11, 2026
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Council of Bishops Releases List of Gathering Participants
Under the theme “Emboldened by the Spirit: Imagining a Church Yet to Be,” the gathering will take place Oct. 20–24 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, bringing together nearly 300 participants, including bishops, clergy, lay, young adults and global leaders
Feb 12, 2026
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What We Would Do If We Took Discipleship Seriously, Part 3
In another installment of the Discipleship series from Greater Northwest Episcopal Area, the Rev. Kathy Neary and communicator Patrick Scriven Exploring an alternative approach to her idea of turning local churches into Discipleship Centers.
Feb 11, 2026
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Souper Bowl Food Drive Challenge Unites Churches in Generosity and Service
Pacific Northwest United Methodists collected more food items, while New England Conference folks donated more money to the annual Souper Bowl Food Drive Challenge.
Feb 11, 2026
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More Than a Meeting: Clergy Find Connection and Clarity at Canyon Camp
When clergy from across the Oklahoma Conference gathered at Canyon Camp Jan. 9–11, they came carrying a wide range of experiences — joy and fatigue, hope and uncertainty, questions . What they found over the weekend was a shared space for renewal.
Feb 11, 2026
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Members of First United Methodist Church in Clinton, Okla., served 227 meals to unhoused neighbors Jan. 24-27 during severe winter weather. (Oklahoma Conference Photo)
Oklahoma UMC Opens Doors During Winter Storms, Serves 227 Meals
When a local homeless shelter closed in advance of a winter storm, First UMC in Clinton stepped up to shelter and feed their unhouse neighbors.
Feb 11, 2026
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Podcasts Help Pastors Take Faith Beyond Church Walls
Jesus, John the Baptist and John Wesley preached in the open air. Today, thanks to the internet’s capacity to draw audiences from around the world, blogs, YouTube videos and TikTok testimonies are transforming hearts and lives.
Feb 11, 2026
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Commission Celebrates 70 Years of Women's Ordination in The UMC
Seventy years after women were first granted full clergy rights in The United Methodist Church, the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW), in collaboration with agencies and others, offers a new downloadable worship resource.
Feb 11, 2026
