2025maycurrent

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Stephanie York Arnold, the agency’s incoming top executive, stressed that both additions are important to United Methodist ministry. She remembered as a seminary student learning how people with disabilities are among the people churches are most likely to discriminate against or simply overlook. “They are simply often not seen, heard, valued and engaged enough,” York Arnold said. “Adding ‘ability’ to our language for what can NOT bar someone from membership in our worldwide United Methodist Church is a vital step towards eradicating the pain for persons Jesus readily included, from being excluded in our church.” She added that Jesus also modeled inviting women into his ministry through the examples of Mary and Martha. The Apostle Paul also wrote of the inspiring church leadership of women such as Lydia, Euodia, Syntyche and Phoebe. “Regardless of what our culture around us models, today the church must value women equally to men in word and action,” she said. “No woman should be excluded from membership within The United Methodist Church because of her gender. It is time we add the word ‘gender’ to reasons someone can NOT be barred from membership in The United Methodist Church because we want our church to be a place women can find true empowerment and leadership.” Fighting racism and colonialism The complete revision of the constitution’s Paragraph 5, Article V aims to strengthen the denomination’s longtime stance for racial justice. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Ballot 2 – Paragraph 4 - Inclusiveness of the Church Current reading of Paragraph 4

As amended, the article would read: “The United Methodist Church proclaims that from God’s goodness and love, God created all persons as God’s unique and beloved children. Racism opposes God’s law, goodness and love and diminishes the image of God in each person. Fueled by white privilege, white supremacy and colonialism, the sin of racism has been a destructive scourge on global society and throughout the history of The United Methodist Church. It continues to destroy our communities, harm persons, obstruct unity and undermine God’s work in this world. Racism must be eradicated. Therefore, The United Methodist Church commits to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large.” General Conference delegates voted for the amendment by 621 to 59. The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race submitted the amendment. “These issues are not just societal challenges. They are spiritual issues that distort God’s image in humanity and contradict the core of Christian teaching,” the Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, the agency’s top executive, said in a video about the legislation. “Article V reminds us that our faith in Jesus Christ compels us to actively work against these evils, recognizing that racism and colonialism harm individuals, communities, and the unity and mission of the church.” Clergy-delegate elections An amendment to Paragraph 35, Article IV aims to clarify who can elect the clergy delegates who serve at General Conference, and also at U.S. jurisdictional and central conferences, which elect bishops.

Annual conferences elect the delegates who vote at all of these gatherings. Half of those elected are lay and half clergy, with the constitution requiring lay people to elect lay delegates and clergy to elect clergy delegates. The amendment, submitted by the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, specifies the educational requirements for licensed local pastors to participate in clergy delegate elections. They must be “local pastors who have completed course of study or a Master of Divinity degree from a University Senate-approved theological school or its equivalent as recognized in a central conference and have served a minimum of two consecutive years under appointment immediately preceding the election.” General Conference supported this amendment by a vote of 547 to 99. “We offered this amendment to ensure those voting for clergy delegates have completed the denominational- standard expectations for theological education,” said the Rev. Trip Lowery, who oversees theological formation and clergy education for the agency. “This revision wouldn’t increase or decrease voting access to licensed local pastors in central/regional conferences. It clarifies what an M. Div. means and clarifies qualifying theological schools and equivalents.” If regionalization is ratified, this paragraph’s reference to central conferences would be changed to regional conferences. The regionalization legislation enables that change throughout the Discipline . (Hahn is assistant news editor for UM News)

and gender to existing social categories that clergy in The United Methodist Church cannot use to discriminate against a potential member. Said another way, a pastor may not deny a person membership in the church because they have a disability, are female or male, married or single, young or old. You can learn more by reading this article, shared before the 2024 General Conference session: https://www.resourceumc.org/en/ partners/gcsrw/home/content/paragraph-4-article-4- changing-the-game What happened last time? In 2016, the General Conference approved adding gender to Paragraph 4, Article IV, but the addition was not ratified or approved because the overall vote was 61 percent, which fell short from the two-thirds vote required. You can view the voting breakdown in this 2016 article by the Rev. Leigh Goodrich: https://www.resourceumc.org/en/ partners/gcsrw/home/content/paragraph-4-article-4-vote- breakdown Visit https://www.resourceumc.org/en/partners/gcsrw/ home/general-conference/paragraph-4-article-4-ratification to learn more about the significance of passing Paragraph 4, Article IV. This amendment is crucial for mobilizing voting members of The United Methodist Church to understand the ratification process and support its adoption. This content was created by the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women Things to consider 1. Within the United Methodist Church (UMC) membership in a local church is a prerequisite for participation at any level of the denomination, including as ordained clergy and lay leadership. It is imperative that “ability” and “gender” be named in the Constitution as categories of people to be protected from being denied participation or membership. Enshrining this expanded definition of mandated inclusion in the Constitution will provide stronger protection than does the frequent mention of people with disabilities in The 2020/2024 Book of Discipline (BOD). 2. The importance of the inclusion of “ability” in Paragraph 4, Article IV of the Constitution (BOD, p.26), is made clear by political leaders who openly disparage and discourage inclusion of people with disabilities. This Paragraph’s current list of scourge on global society and throughout the history of The United Methodist Church. It continues to destroy our communities, harm persons, obstruct unity, and undermine God’s work in this world. Racism must be eradicated. Therefore, The United Methodist Church commits to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege, and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large. 7 7. Amended 2000 If ratified, the paragraph would read as follows: ¶ 5. Article V. Racial Justice – The United Methodist Church proclaims that from God’s goodness and love, God created all persons as God’s unique and beloved children. Racism opposes God’s law, goodness, and love and diminishes the image of God in each person. Fueled by white privilege, white supremacy, and colonialism, the sin of racism has been a destructive

disempowered groups who are not to be denied participation or membership in the UMC brings to light the stories of those of us who have historically not been afforded the right to full participation in the church. Naming “ability” and “gender” will help prevent inequities from arising again. 3. All people, disabled and non-disabled alike, have a range of abilities. Selecting the term “ability” to encompass disability as a protected class does not mean that disabled people lack ability or that one should avoid using the word “disability.” Disability is a positive identity for many people. 4. Below are selections from The Book of Discipline (BOD) that affirm that we recognize the full personhood of disabled people and value inclusion at all levels of the UMC. The BOD names “disability” more than 80 times while “inclusiveness,” “all people,” and “accessibility” are mentioned more than 45 times. ¶ 140. Called to Inclusiveness (in Section II, The Ministry of All Christians, Section VI.) supports the addition of “ability” in stating that “Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance, and support that enables all persons to participate in the life of the Church,...inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination...” “A further mark of inclusiveness is the setting of church activities in facilities accessible to persons with disabilities.” (p. 101) ¶ 214. Eligibility (in Part VI, Chapter 1 - The Local Church, Section V. Church Membership)—states: “All people may attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments and become members in any local church in the connection ( ¶ 4). In the case of persons whose disabilities prevent them from reciting the vows, their legal guardian[s], themselves members in full covenant relationship with God and the Church, the community of faith, may recite the appropriate vows on their behalf. (p. 157).” This decrees that disability shall not be used as a reason to deny membership in the church and that therefore, “ability” should be added to the protected groups in Paragraph 4. Article 4. The 2020/2024 Book of Resolutions in #5400 "By Water and the Spirit" (pp. 776-7) and #5401 "This Holy Mystery" (p. 805) specifically affirms that all persons, including those with disabilities, are eligible to receive the sacraments. Prepared by the General Commission on Status and Role of Women and the Legislative Team of the Disability Ministries Committee of the United Methodist Church. scourge on global society and throughout the history of The United Methodist Church. It continues to destroy our communities, harm persons, obstruct unity, and undermine God’s work in this world. Racism must be eradicated. Therefore, The United Methodist Church commits to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege, and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large. 7 7. Amended 2000 What is the effect of ratifying the amendment? Article V of the Book of Discipline serves as a pivotal framework for the United Methodist Church’s commitment to addressing and eliminating racism in all its forms. Recent proposed changes to Article V, at the

¶ 4. Article IV. Inclusiveness of the Church – The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ. The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth. All persons without regard to race, gender, ability, color, national origin, status, 4 or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection. 5 In The United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status or economic condition. 6 6. See Judicial Council Decisions 242, 246, 340, 351, 362, 377, 398, 594, 601, and Decisions 4 and 5, Interim Judicial Council. If ratified, the paragraph would read as follows: ¶ 4. Article IV. Inclusiveness of the Church – The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ. The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth. All persons without regard to race, gender, ability, color, national origin, status, 4 or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, 4. Amended 1992. 5. Amended 2000. participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection. 5 In The United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status or economic condition. 6 6. See Judicial Council Decisions 242, 246, 340, 351, 362, 377, 398, 594, 601, and Decisions 4 and 5, Interim Judicial Council. What is the effect of ratifying the amendment? The amended portion of the Constitution adds ability 4. Amended 1992. 5. Amended 2000.

Ballot 1 - Regionalization: Effective Ministry In Every Culture

Regionalization allows United Methodists throughout our connection to best serve their unique communities as they share the love of God, make disciples and transform the world. What Is Regionalization? • Regionalization allows each region of the church to make decisions that will best support outreach and ministry efforts in their specific setting. This ability is already in place in the central conferences; regionalization will bring that ability to the U.S. as well. • Regionalization was developed collaboratively by United Methodists across the globe. • It was adopted by an overwhelming majority of General Conference delegates. • Nine regional conferences will comprise The UMC: one in the U.S. and eight in Africa, Europe and the Philippines. What Can’t Regional Conferences Do? • Create their own constitution or adopt any policy in violation of the constitution contained in the General Book of Discipline • Alter The Doctrinal Standards, Our Theological Task, The Ministry of All Christians or The Social Principles What Can Regional Conferences Do? • Draft and publish their own regional Book of Discipline, hymnals, books of worship and other liturgical resources • Set requirements for ordination and licensed ministry with respect to their needs and resources • Set standards for lay membership

• Develop practices around marriage ceremonies, funerals and other rites that align with cultural contexts and laws in each country • Reorganize their annual conferences, districts or charge conferences to best serve their missional needs and convene their own judicial courts • Work with annual conferences to ensure policies and practices align with the laws in each country What Now? • The regionalization plan will require amending the United Methodist Constitution. Constitutional amendments must be passed by at least 2/3 of General Conference, which already happened. • Now, the amendments must be ratified by annual conferences. Amendments must be supported by 2/3 of the total voting members of all the annual conferences combined – this process could last until 2026. • The Council of Bishops will announce when the amendments have met the threshold to become church law. “Regionalization is a pathway to make manifest the world-wide nature of The United Methodist Church. It will expand the Church’s witness, embrace the cultural diversity, strengthen the connection and empower each missional context.” BISHOP TRACY SMITH MALONE, PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS

Ballot 3 – Paragraph 5 – Racial Justice Current reading of Paragraph 5

¶ 5. Article V. Racial Justice – The United Methodist Church proclaims the value of each person that from God’s goodness and love, God created all persons as a God’s unique and beloved children. child of God and commits itself to the healing and wholeness of all persons. The United Methodist Church recognizes that the sin of racism has been destructive to its unity throughout its history. Racism continues to cause painful division and marginalization. The United Methodist Church shall confront and seek to eliminate racism, whether in organizations or in individuals, in every facet of its life and in society at large. The United Methodist Church shall work collaboratively with others to address concerns that threaten the cause of racial justice at all times and in all places. Racism opposes God’s law, goodness, and love and diminishes the image of God in each person. Fueled by white privilege, white supremacy, and colonialism, the sin of racism has been a destructive

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