Delegates urged to ‘restart’ church with less

United Methodist leaders challenged General Conference delegates to chart a brighter future for the denomination — but to do so with significantly less funds and fewer bishops.

At the first gathering of the policymaking body since a quarter of the denomination’s U.S. churches left, the delegates heard sobering news about the financial state of The United Methodist Church.

Before the delegates is a proposed denomination-wide budget that would be its lowest in 40 years. It also represents the biggest budget drop in the denomination’s history.

“This is a General Conference that must send clear signals to the local church,” said incoming Council of Bishops President Tracy Malone, “that we are keenly aware that the loss of membership and the decline of sustainability has a direct influence on the amount of funds available to support ministry.”

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