United Methodists’ understanding of General Conference can range from complete unawareness to deep appreciation to frustrated confusion. Help your congregation better grasp what General Conference is, its purpose and its impact with the help of the tips and resources listed below. Share them in upcoming meetings, gatherings, newsletters and social media posts to ensure everyone feels informed and connected.

Before General Conference

Don’t hesitate to go back to the basics. Assume that everyone needs a refresher course on the definition of General Conference and what it means to the worldwide denomination.

• The video “What is… the General Conference?” provides a quick overview of General Conference and how it serves the denomination.
• A General Conference page on UMC.org offers a curated collection of member-friendly explanations.
• Ask The UMC is a key source of information about General Conference. An article that might be of interest to your congregation at this time is “How are General Conference delegates chosen?”
• The name of the General Conference taking place in 2024 is actually the 2020 General Conference. Learn more in the video “2020 General Conference…in 2024.”
• Those yearning to learn more about how General Conference works are encouraged to register for the free, on-demand training course “Exploring General Conference.” If members wish to better grasp what it means to be a part of a worldwide connection, they should register for the “What it means to be United Methodist” course, which is also free and on-demand.

During General Conference

Encourage your church members to pay close attention to publishing sources when they see articles online or on social media. Getting news and updates from official sources will ensure the information is accurate and truthful.

• The website of the 2020 General Conference contains details specific to the gathering taking place in 2024. Congregants wishing to know more about how the event has come to fruition and what is taking place during the meeting can peruse this page to find articles of interest.
• Congregants who desire to keep up with the day-to-day happenings at General Conference can rely on UM News’ General Conference News and Commentary page to provide the latest information and updates as they are available. Subscribing to the Daily Digest makes it easy to stay in-the-know, as it delivers the latest news directly to email inboxes.
• Your annual conference will share ongoing updates, often with contextualization that makes the business of General Conference relevant and relatable to your local church. Sharing annual conference newsletters, social media posts and website articles with your congregants can boost appreciation for how the local church connects to the worldwide denomination.

It is important to remind congregants that the work of General Conference moves quickly and changes rapidly. For example, something discussed on Monday might be null by Thursday. Very little is fully set until a final vote takes place.

After General Conference

As General Conference ends its meeting, your annual conference, UM News and ResourceUMC.org will post articles and videos that sum up key happenings – from voting results to highlights of special presentations and much more. Share this content with congregants so that they are aware of what took place at General Conference and how the business handled there will impact the denomination’s future.