May 3 wrap-up: Historic conference comes to a close

On the final day of a General Conference eight years in the making — the Rev. Gary Graves, General Conference secretary, referred to it as “the multipurpose 2020 and 2024” meeting — delegates set the budget that will fund the ministries of the denomination for the next four years, a budget significantly lower than the one it set in 2016.

It could be argued that this was the most consequential General Conference since the 1968 assembly that created The United Methodist Church. The church going forward from here is different than it was just a few weeks ago. Not all agree with the more inclusive stance the delegates took, but the passage of worldwide regionalization ensures all may continue ministry in their own context while remaining part of the connection.

Church leaders are already looking at how members can remain united despite having different views, and delegates created a path for churches that have left the denomination to return in the future.

The votes that changed the church’s stance on sexuality may have garnered the most attention, but they were not the only actions taken in Charlotte.

Read more at this link.