Governance
United Methodists are sometimes asked where their church is headquartered, or what officer is "in charge."
Deliberately, The United Methodist Church has no single central office, no archbishop, no pope. This reflects the representative nature of the church's organization - which also provides a system of checks and balances.
The church created a system that in some ways parallels that of the U.S. government when it came to America. The church has a General Conference, its legislative branch; a Council of Bishops, somewhat like an executive branch; and a nine-member Judicial Council, the judicial branch.
It's helpful to recognize the structure of the church, but it is the mission, ministry and love of God through Jesus Christ that is of primary importance.
General Conference
Who makes decisions for The United Methodist Church if there is no one person in charge? Good question. The only body that can set official policy and speak for the denomination is the General Conference.
The General Conference is an international body of nearly 1,000 delegates that meets every four years. The delegates are elected by annual conferences (at annual conference sessions) to attend General Conference. They represent all annual conferences around the world. Half of the delegates are laity (non-clergy members), half are clergy.
Bishops attend the General Conference but cannot vote. Different bishops serve as presiding officers during the conference. Other bishops cannot speak unless permission is specifically granted by the delegates.
During General Conference, delegates discuss and vote on petitions and resolutions proposed by individuals, agencies, annual conferences, and other groups within the denomination. These actions result in a revision of the Book of Discipline, the denomination's book of law, and Book of Resolutions, policies of the denomination on current social issues.
It is at General Conference where delegates wrestle with today's issues in light of scriptural teachings and the church's understanding of that teaching. Here is where the church's official stands and church policies are made regarding such issues as human sexuality, abortion, war and peace, as well as determination of ministries and funding.
General Conferences are held in years divisible by 4, such as 2000, 2004, etc.
Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church uses an episcopal system of governance, which means bishops provide the top leadership.
All bishops (active and retired) are members of the Council of Bishops, which is required to meet at least once a year.
Bishops are directed to provide oversight of the entire church but have specific leadership responsibilities in a geographical area, called an episcopal area. An episcopal area is comprised of one or more annual conferences. There are 50 episcopal areas in the U.S. and 18 episcopal areas in the central conferences.
Both men and women can be elected bishop. The only requirement to be elected bishop is that the person is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church. Bishops in the U.S. generally serve one area for eight years (two four-year terms) before they are assigned to another area.
The Executive Secretary (a retired bishop serving a four-year term) is the chief operating officer for the council in their permanent, staffed office in Washington, D.C.
Go to Council of Bishops website
Find out who the Bishops are for each Episcopal Area
Judicial Council
The Judicial Council is the highest judicial body or "court" of The United Methodist Church. Its nine members, comprised of both clergy and lay members, are elected by the General Conference for eight-year terms and receive no pay for their work. The five-to-four ratio of membership alternates every eight years between having a majority of clergy member and a majority of lay members.
The Judicial Council determines the constitutionality of acts or proposed acts of the General, Jurisdictional, Central, and Annual Conferences. It acts on these either on appeal of lower rulings or through requests for declaratory decisions. It also rules on whether acts of other official bodies of the denomination conform to The Book of Discipline. This is done in accordance with procedures established in The Book of Discipline. When the Judicial Council makes its decision, it is final.
Find out more about the Judicial Council, its procedures and rulings
Connectional Table
In 2004, the General Conference created a new structure called the Connectional Table to guide the work of the church. The Connectional Table, a place for collaboration, conversation and decision, is the first significant restructure for The United Methodist church since 1972. This body oversees the coordination of mission, ministries and resources across the denomination.
The 47 member body consists of equal numbers of lay persons and clergy; female and male, including at least 10 percent youth and young adults; at least 30 percent members of racial-ethnic minority groups, and no fewer than seven members from The United Methodist Church in Europe, Africa and Asia. It also includes bishops and staff executives and officers of denominational agencies. Top executives of the general boards and agencies have the right to speak, but cannot vote.
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