Efforts for regionalization move forward

A plan to put the different geographic regions of The United Methodist Church on equal footing has received two key endorsements that it is heading in the right direction.

The Connectional Table, meeting online on July 13, and the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters, meeting online on July 22, each unanimously affirmed the work so far on a regionalization proposal for the global denomination.

The Connectional Table coordinates denomination-wide mission, resources and ministries. The standing committee is a permanent committee of General Conference, the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly, and deals with matters in central conferences — seven church regions in Africa, Europe and the Philippines. The standing committee is the most internationally representative body in the denomination outside of General Conference.

Together, the two United Methodist leadership bodies in February agreed to form a joint task force to combine two regionalization proposals that aim to provide parity between the U.S. and the central conferences. The successive July meetings gave both bodies a chance to review the task force’s work.

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