Connectional Table Approves Legislation Creating New U.S. Structure

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2019

Chicago, IL—The Connectional Table approved sending legislation to General Conference 2020 that will create a new structure for churches in the United States, called a regional conference, during an online meeting July 18, 2019.

The proposed legislation stipulates that the U.S. Regional Conference will have geographic boundaries congruent with the territory of the U.S. annual conferences. Jurisdictions will continue to function with their current powers and duties, including their process to elect bishops.

“The current proposal will help the General Conference to focus its work on matters truly global,” says Bishop Christian Alsted, chair of the board, “and offers the church in the United States a connectional structure to deal with matters pertaining specifically to the U.S. context, including the development of strategies and priorities, pension and healthcare issues and, not least, adaptations to the Book of Discipline.”

During the Connectional Table’s meeting in April 2019, the body approved bringing a legislative proposal to GC2020 to create a U.S. Central Conference and sent the proposal back to the U.S. Contextual Ministries Advisory Group for further work. Concerns surfaced at this meeting and in the Council of Bishops about calling the U.S. structure a central conference. Calling it a regional conference instead acknowledges the painful, racist history and still-existing wounds associated with the former Central Jurisdiction in the U.S.

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