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United Methodist News provides a summary of the events of each day of General Conference 2020.
These daily wrap-ups include legislation, celebrations, worship, and other news of the day.
On the final day of a General Conference eight years in the making, delegates turned to setting the budget that will fund the ministries of the denomination for the next four years — one that is about 40% lower than the budget passed in 2016.
The church’s top legislative body on May 2 voted to remove the denominational stance that declares homosexuality to be “incompatible with Christian teaching” — language that has been in place since 1972.
A source of heated, often painful, division at General Conference for the past 40 years was removed without debate: The denomination’s ban on ordaining “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” has been lifted.
On the second full day of General Conference voting, delegates fast-tracked a large number of items via consent calendar.
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After resting on Sunday, General Conference delegates hit the ground running in the legislative assembly’s second week.
During the morning plenary, delegates approved a statement expanding defense of human rights as part of the first batch of revised Social Principles to come before the body.
Delegates enjoyed a rousing worship service before heading into the last weekday of committee meetings.
Day 3 produced two historic moments: the passage of a constitutional amendment that aims to put The United Methodist Church’s different geographic regions on equal footing and the approval of four Eurasia conferences’ official departure from the denomination.
The second day of General Conference shifted from the celebratory opening worship to doing the business of the church, as delegates began working in their legislative committees and electing their chairs.
The long-delayed 2020 General Conference began April 23 with another slight delay, this time by the fire marshal.
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