What is Regionalization

Glossary of terms

Central conference: One of seven geographic regions outside the United States, each composed of annual conferences as determined by the General Conference.

Jurisdiction: One of five geographic regions in the U.S., each composed of several annual conferences.

The Book of Discipline: The book outlining the law, doctrine, administration, organizational work and procedures of The United Methodist Church.

Constitution: The opening paragraphs of The Book of Discipline upon which its polity, doctrine, and procedures are based.

General Conference: The highest legislative body in The United Methodist Church, consisting of an equal number of clergy and lay delegates elected by the annual conferences.

Background

The Constitution provides central conferences with certain powers and duties, including: “To make … such changes and adaptations of the General Discipline as the conditions in the respective areas may require, subject to the powers that have been or shall be vested in the General Conference.” United Methodists in the United States do not have this power.

The issues

With no provision for U.S. delegates to decide separately upon matters that affect only the U.S., much of the agenda of the General Conference is taken up by U.S.-only matters.

Further, exactly what the central conferences may amend in the Book of Discipline has remained unclear. This has led to both hesitancies to amend and non-transparency about changes that have been implemented in central conferences.

Creating a new decision-making body for U.S. issues aims to allow the General Conference to focus solely on issues with worldwide impact. Creating a single Book of Discipline that applies worldwide with clarity about which parts of it are amendable regionally promotes regional customization and full transparency about changes made. While the General Book of Discipline is not yet complete, the legislation proposed in 2024 would enable all regions to set qualifications for church membership, establish their own standards for clergy, and determine what constitutes chargeable offenses under church law within their own region, among other things.

Petitions involving amendments to the constitution require a 2/3 majority of the General Conference members voting and a 2/3 affirmative vote of the aggregate number of members of the annual conferences meeting in 2025. Others require a simple majority of the General Conference.