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The United Methodist Church is forging a new identity beginning with actions taken at the 2020/2024 General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina (April 23-May 3, 2024). This series will explore in some detail what elements of this new identity are already in effect, which will go into effect in January 2025, and what will go into effect beginning in late spring 2026 should 31 proposed constitutional amendments be ratified by the annual conferences in the coming months.
Parts 1-3 of this series will focus on what is already in effect now.
Part 4-6 will address the Revised Social Principles, the deletion of disaffiliation legislation, and the mandate to create processes for reaffiliation, which go into effect on January 1, 2025.
Part 7 will address the process of regionalization, assuming the 28 constitutional amendments required to do so are ratified, and the work on the Global Book of Discipline that still lies ahead.
Part 1: De-centering the United States: United States Regional Committee
Part 2: Ending some chargeable offenses
Part 3: Re-instating some clergy
Part 4: Speaking to the world with (closer to) one voice: Revised Social Principles
Part 5: Ending disaffiliation
Part 6: Opening the door to re-affiliation
Part 7: De-constructing colonialism, patriarchy, racism, and inequity: Regionalization and other constitutional amendments
You may access all of the articles in the series as they are published using the button below.
Virginia Annual Conference Resident Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson addresses disinformation about the United Methodist Church ahead of General Conference, which begins April 23 in Charlotte, NC. Click the button below to access her letter.
In this series, Ask The UMC explores the ways that regionalization already exists for central conferences and the opportunities it gives them, as well as the implications of enabling a greater degree of regionalization for United Methodists in the United States. You may access all articles in the series using the button below.
The Virginia Annual Conference held four Special Called sessions from 2022 to 2023 for churches who followed the disaffiliation process outlined in Paragraph 2553 from the Book of Discipline to be considered for ratification by the Annual Conference body. As a result, 227 local churches disaffiliated from the conference during this time.
The Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church currently has 875 churches and 261,484 members. A total of about 75 clergy and 227 churches disaffiliated; the combined membership of these 227 churches represents 10.58% of the total membership of the United Methodist churches in Virginia. Within the United States, estimates are that 23,500 churches remain United Methodist; roughly 7,286 chose to leave the denomination. Of those, 3,000 left to join the Global Methodist Church, and about 3,200 left to become independent or join another denomination. The full data is not yet complete. For more information, please go to the Virginia Conference website at vaumc.org.
The 2023 Virginia Annual Conference was held June 15-17 at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Va., with Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson as the officiating bishop. The conference theme, based on Acts 1:8b, was “United as One in Mission”. Click the link below to access the official report, including all proceedings, photos, a list of appointments, and more.
Andy and Linda Garlington served as Ebenezer’s lay representatives to the Conference. Their report is available at the button below.
AC 2023 Lay Representative Report
Click the button below to watch the new We Are The UMC video.
UM News is the official source of comprehensive information and news about the United Methodist Church. You may access UM News using the button below.
Please click the link below to learn more about the United Methodist Church’s beliefs regarding homosexuality.
Please click the button below to view a chart of the United Methodist Church organizational structure.
The Mission Rivers District is made up of 107 United Methodist churches and is led by the District Superintendent. You may access the Mission Rivers District website using the button below.
The Virginia Annual Conference (VAUMC) is made up of 875 United Methodist churches in Virginia and is led by the Bishop. You may access the VAUMC website using the button below.
The Southeastern Jurisdiction is made up of United Methodist churches from Virginia, south to Florida, and west to Tennessee and Mississippi. It is led by the Council Bishops. You may access the Southeastern Jurisdiction website using the button below.
The General Conference is made up of five Jurisdictions in the United States, plus Central Conferences in Africa, the Philippines, and more. It is led by Elected Delegates. You may access the General Conference website using the button below.