This apology statement was read in its entirety during General Conference 2020, held from April 23 to May 3, 2024. All United Methodist bishops around the world are expected to read the apology at their own upcoming annual conferences in 2024. You may view the statement below and download a pdf version to be used in your ministry context.
Introduction
Sexual misconduct is a current and real problem within The United Methodist Church. Today, we acknowledge there are people here who have been mistreated, abused, and assaulted by clergy and lay leaders in the Church.
We honor those who have shared their stories and those who have sat with their stories in silence. We commend the courage of all survivors of sexual misconduct to walk a path they did not choose.
Too often those who suffer from sexual misconduct are silenced, ignored, or not believed by the Church.
Sexual misconduct includes psychological, emotional, and spiritual abuse. This apology is a beginning point for confession and hope in prevention and response to sexual misconduct in The United Methodist Church.
View accompanying liturgy
We enocurage you to view and utilize the liturgy in your own ministerial context. Litrugy available in English, French and Portuguese.
Apology
The United Methodist Church apologizes for the times we allowed our desire to protect the Church to outweigh our desire to care for victims and survivors of sexual misconduct. We have allowed polity and protection of the institutional Church prevent us from holding persons accountable, thus perpetuating harm within our local churches and other ministry settings, and damaging the whole United Methodist connection.
We apologize for the times we have not listened to you, doubted your stories, ignored your wounds, and have not tended to your pain. We believe this has contributed to allowing an unsafe culture to exist.
An apology is worthless without a commitment to the challenging work which must follow. The United Methodist Church pledges to:
- Apologize in every annual conference across the connection.
- Educate Church leaders regarding sacred trust in ministerial relationships and power imbalance within those relationships.
- Provide healing resources to all affected in accordance with ¶ 362. Complaint Procedures.
- Develop a trauma-informed response to complaints of sexual misconduct.
This apology alone is insufficient for healing. The United Methodist Church accepts our responsibility and publicly states our commitment to carry out the steps named to do no more harm. May God’s blessing and never-ending love guide our work and see it through.
Download PDF
Information and guidance for all parties involved in a complaint process related to sexual misconduct is available at www.donomoreharm.org
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The United Methodist Church's official focus on sexual ethics began in 1992, when the General Conference, the denomination's top legislative assembly, adopted its first resolution acknowledging and denouncing sexual misconduct. Thirty-two years later, on May 3, 2024, the Rev. Gary Graves, secretary of the General Conference, apologized on behalf of the church for the way the denomination has prevented people from being held accountable for sexual misconduct, thus perpetuating harm within local churches and other ministry settings and damaging the United Methodist connection. This apology and resolution was submitted by the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women.
Contact: info@gcsrw.org