Delegates gathered in person for the last SEJ Conference, held in July 2024. The virtual session in August will vote on one item. Photo by Derek Leek.
South Carolina Advocate | July 21, 2026
Twenty-seven South Carolina delegates, led by delegation chairs Jackie Jenkins and the Rev. Ken Nelson, will gather with delegates from across the SEJ Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. to consider whether to approve the unification being presented by the OneGeorgia Taskforce.
South Carolina’s elected lay and clergy delegates will be part of a called virtual session of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church this month to consider merging the North and South Georgia annual conferences.
Twenty-seven South Carolina delegates, led by delegation chairs Jackie Jenkins and the Rev. Ken Nelson, will gather with delegates from across the SEJ Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. to consider whether to approve the unification being presented by the OneGeorgia Taskforce.
Both North Georgia and South Georgia Approve Unification Plan
Both the North and South Georgia conferences approved the unification at their respective annual conferences this summer. On June 1, the South Georgia Conference approved the unification plan by a vote of 96.6 percent, and on June 18, the North Georgia Conference approved the unification plan by a vote of 96 percent.
Serving as lay and clergy delegates are those most recently elected by their annual conferences—or their alternates. Those delegates were elected in 2019 to serve in the 2020 conference, which was postponed to 2024 because of the pandemic.
Jenkins said serving the church as both a delegate and a member of the SEJ and Interjurisdictional Committees on the Episcopacy is “an absolute pleasure.”
“It’s a blessing serving and working as God’s hands and feet in determining and exploring areas of episcopal leadership as well as missional and ministry needs of the UMC,” she said. “I’m confident in the delegation’s eagerness and commitment to do the work of the church.”
Nelson said much the same.
“The called session of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference is a powerful reminder that God’s mission continues to flourish among the people called United Methodist,” he told the Advocate.
Voting Similar to Special Session
Uniting the two conferences is the singular voting purpose of the special session, called by the SEJ College of Bishops. In addition, the session will receive an informational report from the SEJ Committee on Episcopacy related to their work in preparation for the 2028 Jurisdictional Conference.
“The SEJ Conference will receive the formal petition, hear the report of the College of Bishops and act upon the request in accordance with jurisdictional authority and disciplinary requirements. No other business will be considered,” noted Bishop Connie Shelton, president of the SEJ College of Bishops, in her letter to delegates.
Under the proposal, the Georgia Annual Conference would officially be established Jan. 1, 2027, if approved, with a Service of Worship and Celebration planned for January 2027. The first session of the Georgia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church would be held in Athens in June 2027.
The two conferences have been working on the unification since fall 2024 through prayerful study, engagement, discernment and other diligent work.
Jessica Brodie
Jessica Brodie is editor of the South Carolina Advocate, the news journal of the South Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. This article is republished with permission.