Worldwide regionalization petitions to General Conference

Includes 8 petitions submitted by the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters in collaboration with the Connectional Table and The Christmas Covenant Team.

Legislation to provide for Worldwide Regionalization reflects the strong values of equity, respect for contextual mission settings, effective mutuality in mission, and legislative equality for regional bodies of the church. Recognizing the effects of colonization, the guiding principle for the regionalization legislation is to empower each region to make certain context-specific decisions in real-time, without being dependent on General Conference, as well as de-centralizing the influence of the United States on General Conference.

The Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters collaborated with The Connectional Table and The Christmas Covenant team to submit one set of eight revised petitions that call for the creation of a US Regional Conference; amend the Constitution to establish regions around the denomination with the ability to legislate; and creates an interim legislative body in the United States. The legislation also creates a committee to discern other opportunities that emerge from regionalization. Once approved at General Conference, the legislation will require approval in the annual conferences.

The regionalization legislation puts an end to imposing cultural views of one region of the world onto another, fostering a sense of identity and belonging that’s essential in our global connection. By celebrating the diversity of our respective mission settings, regional governance offers a vibrant and hopeful vision for The United Methodist Church now and into the future.

Values

The following are values expressed by the Standing Committee for regionalization:

• Equity
• Agency—Being able to legislate/make decisions that are appropriate without having to wait until General Conference
• Decolonizing our mission, relationships, and structure
• Unity that is redefined and strengthened.
• Stewardship—providing ways for the gifts and resources of the whole church to emerge and impact the whole
• Focus on mission and ministry
• Practicing trust across regions without having to dictate from our own region to other regions of the denomination
• Maintaining our Wesleyan theological identity

The following are values expressed by the Connectional Table for regionalization:

• De-centering U.S.
• Centering theology and mission
• Simplicity
• Worldwide and contextual
• Increased relevancy
• Consistency in all regions around the opportunity to adapt the Discipline
• Honoring each region’s cultural and context
• Increase missional effectiveness
• Steps towards decolonizing our structure and decision-making processes
• Removes dominant culture
• Better stewards of resources

Legislation

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Affected paragraphs

Paragraph 9

Establishes regional conferences for the work of the worldwide church. None can be established outside geographical criteria.

Paragraph 16.17

General Conference will have authority to legislate what is non-adaptable for regional conferences by a 60% majority vote, while respecting the powers given in the Constitution, in particular Par. 31.

Paragraph 28

• States clearly that powers, duties, and privileges of regional conferences are to be exercised equitably across the regional conferences.
• Creates the US as a regional conference and all central conferences become regional conferences.
• General Conference can change the number and boundaries of regional and provisional regional conferences.

Paragraph 31

States that each conference level has legislative functions, within Constitutional limits. Delineates constitutional powers and duties conferred to regional conferences. These powers already exist elsewhere in the constitution and BOD but are included to provide clarity regarding regional conferences’ constitutional powers.

Paragraph 31.5

Gives regional conferences the ability to legislate as well as provide for rules and regulations for administration.

• Establish a regional Discipline that contains legislation pertaining to the regional, annual, district, and charge conferences within its boundaries, including qualifications & educational requirements for clergy and specialized lay ministers.
• Set standards and qualifications for admission of lay members.
• The Annual Conference is the basic body of the church, having the authority to add to requirements set forth in the regional Discipline regarding credentialing of lay and clergy.
• Establish and publish a regional hymnal with freedom to develop their own marriage and burial rites in accordance with country laws and cultural understandings.
• Allow the annual conference to adopt structures adequate to their mission while upholding mandated entities.

Paragraph 31.6

• Gives regions the authority to adopt rules of procedure governing the investigation of clergy, bishops, and laity.
• Regions can change the chargeable offenses and their penalties.

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