Missouri Annual Conference Amendment Rationale
Adapted from West Ohio Rationale document
Subject I. Worldwide Nature of the Church – Regional Conferences
Action to Allow Creation of Regional Conferences, replacing Central Conferences outside the U.S. – Amendments
IV, X, XXIII, XXVI
Constitution paragraphs 10, 28, 38, and 48
The constitutional amendments in this group were proposed jointly by the Connectional Table and the Council
of Bishops. They would allow the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide
church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference. If ordered by the General Conference,
AC’s in the United States could become a Regional Conference just as there would be Regional Conferences in
Europe, Asia and Africa. In the United States a Regional Conference would be able to organize sub-units called
Jurisdictional Conferences. The General Conference approved these proposed amendments with votes in favor of
67% (592-295), 77% (649-195), 70% (590-255) and 67% (560-275), respectively.
Rationale FOR
Currently, economic and political power in The United Methodist Church is centered in the United States. This
damages our witness as the body of Christ and dis-empowers central conferences.
Creating the possibility of similar structures across our worldwide denomination will enable the witness of the
global community of faith within our connectional spirit and structure, increase a sense of parity in decision-
making across the UMC, and strengthen on-going discussion about specific structural changes to be proposed.
The proposed constitutional amendments do not change our jurisdictions within the United States, change the
way bishops are elected or assigned, or change the way the Social Principles are decided upon or amended.
Specifically, the proposed constitutional amendments will prepare the way for The United Methodist Church in
the United States to be structured as a “regional conference or regional conferences.” (per Judicial Council ruling
1100) This structure would provide a venue for The United Methodist Church in the United States to address
issues unique to this nation.
Rationale AGAINST
No specific plan for restructuring of The United Methodist Church around Regional Conferences has been
presented or agreed upon. Full details for implementing Regional Conferences should be agreed upon before
changing the Constitution.
The United Methodist Constitution requires a super-majority for passage of amendments to ensure that
fundamental revisions of our doctrine, polity and missional structure are not made without clear understanding
of the new directions being proposed. Passage of these amendments will eliminate this protective standard and
allow a future General Conference to enact sweeping changes by a simple majority.
The creation of a regional conference centered in the United States may cause an inward focus and reduce the
sense of relationship between The United Methodist Church in the United States and our United Methodist
church in other parts of the world.
Implementing Name Changes to Reflect Structural Changes in Part A – Amendments III, V, VII, XI, XII, XIII, XIV,
XVI, XVIII, XX, XXI, XXIV, XXV, XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX, XXX, XXXI, XXXII
Constitution paragraphs 9, 15, 16.3 and 16.10, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 40, 46, 49, 50, 51, 52, 56, 61
This group of Constitutional amendments was recommended to the General Conference by the Connectional
2009 Missouri Annual Conference C-25
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