FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2024
GCAH LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVES, BRINGS FUN AT GENERAL CONFERENCE
Madison, N.J. – In what may be the most historic legislative assembly of The United Methodist Church in 200 years, the General Commission on Archives and History (GCAH) was front and center. Passage of all submitted legislation, three press conferences to announce or promote new initiatives, a popular booth presence and a standing-room-only Methodist History Trivia Night were among the agency-related activities at the Postponed 2020 General Conference held April 23-May 3, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C., U.S.A.
“I am excited and hopeful for The UMC. General Conference’s passing of legislation that creates a church where all people have equal opportunities for ministry and mission and establishes new opportunities to both promote and preserve the history of the past as we work to imagine and live into a new future,” says Dr. Ashley Boggan D., GCAH’s general secretary.
In response to the removal of funding restrictions concerning LBGTQ+ ministries and advocacy, Boggan announced the formation of the Center for LGBTQ+ United Methodist Heritage. The center will focus on collecting and preserving Queer Methodist history.
“We celebrate that we are finally living into our true identify as people called United Methodists,” Boggan said. “The voices, ministries and witness of my Queer siblings in Christ—who for far too long have been silenced and cast aside—are examples of the stories we will intentionally collect, preserve and tell through the Center for LGBTQ+ United Methodist Heritage.”
Two other press conferences announced new initiatives to support Methodist heritage landmarks, including the appointment of David Worthington, former Global Ambassador at John Wesley’s New Room, as Global Ambassador of Methodist Heritage Sites and the 2024 soft launch of the American Methodist Pilgrimage; and the launch of the United Methodist Stories oral history app, which captured real-time storytelling by a number of General Conference delegates.
On the legislative front, all pieces of legislation submitted by GCAH had favorable results, including the naming of five new Heritage Landmarks. The new Heritage Landmarks are Helenor M. Alter Davisson's grave site at Barkley Township, Indiana; Western Union, now Westmar College campus in Le Mars, Iowa; Lakeside Chautauqua Cluster, Lakeside, Ohio; Christ United Methodist Church, Honolulu, Hawaii; and Wolcott United Methodist Church, Wolcott, Vermont.
The entire General Conference delegation from the Arkansas Conference was among the hundreds who stopped by the GCAH booth for selfies with Methodism's founders. Photo by Crystal Caviness, United Methodist Communications.GCAH brought fun to the 10-day event with the first-ever Methodist History Trivia Night held at The Public House. More than 100 United Methodists attended the evening gathering, with 23 teams vying for a selection of Methodist-themed prizes, as well as bragging rights. A team named To Become More Violent took first place, with the Intercontinental Methodists coming in second and Sophie’s Revenge placing third.
Hundreds of delegates, church leaders, observers and other General Conference attendees stopped by GCAH’s booth for selfies with Methodism's early founders. Original artwork by the Rev. Charlie Baber of the Wesley Bros. was produced into life-sized replicas of the Wesleys – John, Charles and Susanna – as well as Francis Asbury, Philip Otterbein and Harry Hosier.
“Un-Tied Methodism,” GCAH’s podcast, celebrated its 50th episode while at General Conference. The special livestreamed segment welcomed Jan Lawrence, Reconciling Ministries Network’s executive director, as Boggan’s guest.
While at General Conference, Boggan and Dr. Meredith Hoxie Schol, professor of theology at Drew University, taught a Methodist history course to a group of Drew theology students who were attending General Conference. The unique educational opportunity is in partnership with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
For more information about GCAH's General Conference presence, visit ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/GCAH-at-General-Conference.
Media contact:
Crystal Caviness
ccaviness@umcom.org
615-306-3401