Legislation to General Conference 2020

Advance Daily Christian Advocate

The Advance Daily Christian Advocate (ADCA) contains the agenda, rules, delegate listings, petitions, reports from the general agencies/commissions and study committees, information for delegates, and codes of conduct for the General Conference.  The official written languages of the General Conference for publication of the Advance edition include English, French, Kiswahili and Portuguese. Bound printed volumes of the ADCA may be purchased from Cokesbury. These PDF versions are provided for your convenience.

View and download (PDF):

• Volume 1 (Handbook for Delegates)

• Volume 2, Section 1 (Reports and Proposed Legislation)

• Volume 2, Section 2 (Reports and Proposed Legislation)

• French, Kiswahili, Portuguese

A Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation

Though not included in the ADCA, a diverse group of representatives from United Methodist advocacy groups with contrasting views and bishops from around the world has collaborated on a proposed agreement for the separation of The United Methodist Church (UMC) that has the unanimous support of all the parties involved. Proposed legislation to implement the Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation

Comparison of Proposals to General Conference 2020 from United Methodist News

This summary compares proposals from various groups about the future of The UMC. It does not include plans from individuals. Plans are listed in alphabetical order, left to right. Further details are in the plan documents and legislation. All plans will be open for amendments at General Conference and may be subject to Judicial Council review. This chart may be updated after legislation is published.

https://cdnsc.umc.org/-/media/umc-media/2019/11/08/17/05/gc2020-proposed-umc-plans-chart-nov-2019

Websites from plans included in the ADCA:

• The Indianapolis Plan, submitted by the Rev. Kent Millard and assembled by a group of centrists, traditionalists and progressives. This plan includes provisions for separating into different denominations depending on views around homosexuality. 
• New Forms of Unity, submitted by the Texas Conference’s Bishop Scott Jones. Under this plan, an annual conference could become a self-governing church or join an existing one. Jones first began working on the plan with the Michigan Conference’s Bishop David Bard. 
• The UMCNext Proposal, assembled by a group of centrists and progressives. This proposal lifts restrictions related to gay ordination and same-sex weddings, while allowing local churches that disagree to depart and organize into new forms of Methodism.
• The New Expressions Worldwide, or N.E.W., Plan, submitted by UM-Forward, a group that identifies as a collective of United Methodist liberationists. This legislation would dissolve The United Methodist Church and form four new global denominations instead: traditionalist, moderate, progressive and liberationist in orientation.

Other legislation coming to GC2020:

• legislation to add five more bishops to Africa
• legislation to revise the Social Principles
• legislation to create a new structure for U.S. decision-making
• legislation to establish the 2021-24 general church budget

Key terms to know

Like any legislative body, General Conference has some of its own lingo.

The Book of Discipline: The United Methodist Church’s policy book that contains its law, doctrine, constitution, organizational work and procedures. Each General Conference amends the Book of Discipline.

The Book of Resolutions: This volume contains resolutions or pronouncements on issues that General Conference has approved. The text of any resolution is considered the denomination’s official position on a topic.
 
Petition: A request to the General Conference for official action on a topic or issue, similar to a bill before the U.S. Congress. But not all petitions are intended to become law. A petition can suggest a change in the Book of Discipline, approval of a resolution or some course of action the denomination should take.

Advance Daily Christian Advocate (Advance DCA or ADCA): A set of volumes containing the agenda, rules, delegate listings, petitions, reports from church organizations and other information for delegates.
 
Daily Christian Advocate (DCA): The official journal of the General Conference. 

Read more of the General Conference glossary.