Throughout the postponed 2020 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, general agencies and others will be presenting new announcements, updates on legislation and providing a time for Q&A to gain clarity on the happenings throughout the conference.
Check back often as press conferences will be added periodically during the event.
Presentations/Q&As will take place in the press conference area in the newsroom.
Monday, April 29, 2024
10:00 a.m. (during first break) - GCSRW update
The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women announces that General Secretary Dawn Wiggins Hare will be available for questions regarding events and legislation impacting the agency. During the press conference, Hare will take questions and introduce the Interagency Sexual Ethics Task Force's code of conduct and the devotionals associated with each element of the code. Hare will also announce information and answer questions on the Service of Lament, Confession, and Hope to be held on Monday evening, April 29, on the Ballroom Terrace. Finally, Hare will discuss the presentation of changes to Paragraph 4, which addresses the inclusion of gender within the reasons for which people can not be denied membership into the local church.
12:15 p.m. - United Methodist Stories - an oral history app
From the General Commission on Archives and History, Dr. Ashley Boggan D., the agency’s general secretary, announces the release of an oral history app titled “United Methodist Stories” that is being launched at General Conference to capture stories from participants. The platform, designed by GCAH's digital archivist, Kevin Dusenberry, is real-time storytelling will be recorded and archived for historians, both current historians and those in the future, to have access to a variety of voices experiencing the 2020 General Conference.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Solar-powered disaster response trailer visit
See a state-of-the-art solar-powered disaster response trailer that combines environmental sustainability with the disaster ministry of The United Methodist Church. During this time, witness the trailer’s capabilities during a media preview presented by UMCOR and the North Georgia Conference. Location: Charlotte Convention Center’s “Layby area” outside on S. College Street by the main entrance. To learn more, read the press release.
2:00 p.m. - Revised Social Principles
The 2012 General Conference set The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) on an amazing journey to revise the Social Principles so statements on urgent matters of peace and justice and the integrity of God’s creation are clearer, more concise, more deeply theological, and reflect and speak to the realities across our worldwide connection.
The Revised Social Principles document addresses over 55 social topics in four categories expressing the voices and experiences from thousands of United Methodists around the world, who contributed along this amazing 12 year journey and affirm them as a powerful expression of social witness for this next chapter of our beloved United Methodist Church.
At this Press Briefing, GBCS will share updates from Church and Society Committees and answer questions about the Revised Social Principles, the process and next steps.
• Church and Society Committee 1 (Community of All Creation, Economic Community)
• Church and Society Committee 2 (Social Community)
• Church and Society Committee 3 (Political Community)
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
12:15 p.m. - UMC Heritage Landmarks
The United Methodist Church’s history is rich with Heritage Landmarks and Historic sites. To preserve and promote the significance of these sites, the General Commission on Archives and History announces the launch of a new position, a Global Ambassador of Methodist Heritage Sites. The person in the position will engage in tour hosting, public hosting, fundraising and mission engagement activities at Methodist sites throughout the world.
At the 2020 General Conference, the General Commission on Archives and History submitted a petition to designate five United Methodist-related historic sites as Heritage Landmarks: Helenor M. Alter Davisson Grave Site (Rensselaer, IN), Western Union/Westmar College (LeMars, IA), Wolcott United Methodist Church (Wolcott, VT), Christ United Methodist Church (Honolulu, HI) and Lakeside Chautauqua Cluster (Lakeside, OH) as new UMC Heritage Sites.
The historical, cultural, physical, and spatial significance of these new Heritage Sites, as well as the other 49 Heritage Sites and 575 Historic Sites, will be promoted and preserved by GCAH’s new Global Ambassador of Methodist Heritage Sites.
Previously held press conferences:
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - 12:30 p.m. - Church Budget
General Council on Finance and Administration's General Secretary and Treasurer Rev. Moses Kumar will provide media availability to answer questions regarding the total general church budget and allocations.
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - Regionalization panel