Today is our Sabbath in Charlotte, North Carolina after the first week of the 2020, held in 2024, of the General Conference of the  United Melodist Church. 

The General Conference convenes every four year but as a results of the COVID the Conference was not held in 2020 so the 2024 Conference is 2020 delayed. The General Conference is the only body that can make changes to the policies and laws of the United Methodist Church

 Lat week approximately, 1000 delegates from around the world  together to attend daily worship, listen to reports and speeches, and worked on communities in order to make decision and vote on items regarding the future of the United Methodist Church.  

Last week the most significant  item discussed and approved was a new Regional structure that will allow United Methodist churches in different parts of the world to make decisions with regards to social issues, finances, and structure that best fit their context for ministry. Details of this structure still need to be worked out.

 In this coming week legislation will be consider regarding the revision of the Church’s Social Principles, as well as the revision of the book to  the Book of Discipline to remove harmful language and policies,

 The theme of this General Conference is “ . . . and know that I am God”. I ask that you  keep me and the entire Missouri delegations in your prayer  that God will bless us with the patience, the wisdom and the love of Jesus as we journey through the next 5 days. 

My prayers and hopes are that after this General Conference, and the delegates return their respective homes  the United Methodist Church will be  more open to reaching,  inviting and welcoming all people to follow Christ. 

Blessing my  friends