Please note: While the delegation interest forms have now closed, all eligible clergy will be assigned a ballot number and any lay person may declare at the beginning of the laity session his or her desire to be considered as a delegate in order to give a speech and subsequently be assigned a ballot number.
The South Georgia Conference will elect persons to fill vacancies in its delegation to the postponed 2020 General Conference (to be held in 2024) and the 2024 Jurisdictional Conference during this year’s Annual Conference Session in Tifton, Ga. on June 4-6, 2023.
The General Conference is the global gathering of The United Methodist Church where mission and ministry priorities are established and The Book of Discipline is reviewed for possible revisions. The General Conference is the policy setting body of United Methodism. The postponed 2020 General Conference will be held on April 23-May 3, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The purpose of the Jurisdictional Conference is to coordinate the connected ministry and mission of this region and to elect and assign Bishops for leadership in the Church. The 2024 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference will meet on July 10-13, 2024, at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina.
The current South Georgia Delegation roster may be found here. Those persons elected in June to fill vacancies will be seated behind the current delegation in order of election.
In total, the South Georgia Conference is allowed four (4) clergy and four (4) lay delegates to General Conference and an additional four (4) clergy and four (4) lay delegates to complete the Jurisdictional Conference delegation. Two (2) alternate clergy delegates and two (2) alternate lay delegates to the Jurisdictional Conference also serve on the delegation. The 2016 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church defines who is eligible to serve as a delegate and who is eligible to vote for delegates. Conference Standing Rule Appendix C: “General and Jurisdictional Conference Delegation Elections Policy” contains the South Georgia procedures for elections.
Each delegate is expected to attend the General and/or Jurisdictional conferences to be held in 2024, attend 4 to 6 meetings of the delegation prior to General Conference for intensive preparation, commit the time necessary to read extensively and study the issues, and pray for God’s guidance in decision making. It is also expected that anyone submitting his or herself for election is committed to The United Methodist Church and to serving faithfully through the conclusion of the General and/or Jurisdictional Conferences when they are held in 2024. Delegates should expect that they will bear a portion of the cost of travel, since the per diem rates often do not cover all costs.
Those South Georgia United Methodists who wish to be nominated as a lay or clergy delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conference may complete a self-nomination form by filling out the Delegate Interest Form.
Eligible clergy and laity may still be elected without completing this online form, but it is preferable.
Remember: the information you share online in the self-nomination form will be public, so you may receive communication from persons both inside and outside our conference.
The South Georgia Annual Conference established a policy on elections in an effort to “create a level playing field and be fair with all potential candidates.” The complete policy can be found on the South Georgia Conference website.
This elections policy is clear in stating, “The website information is intended to be sufficient and to preclude candidates or supporters from sending other forms of campaign materials printed and/or electronic such as brochures, flyers, e-mails, faxes, letters of endorsement, etc.”
Completed nomination forms must be received no later than Monday, May 22, 2023.
As a reminder, the Conference policy encourages diversity in the membership of our delegation. There are many qualified South Georgia United Methodists who may represent our Annual Conference at these two important Conferences. May clergy and laity join together in praying for the Spirit’s guidance and wisdom as the South Georgia Conference elects a diverse and representative delegation in June.
(Paragraph and page references are to The 2016 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church)
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Who constitutes the membership of the General Conference?
The General Conference is composed of not less than 600 nor more than 1,000 delegates, one half of whom shall be clergy and one half lay members, to be elected by the annual conferences. (¶ 13. Article I, p. 28)
Who constitutes the membership of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference?
The General Conference shall fix the basis of representation in the jurisdictional conferences; provided that the jurisdictional conferences shall be composed of an equal number of clergy and lay delegates to be elected by the annual conference. (¶ 25. Article III, p. 32)
The persons first elected up to the number determined by the ratio for the South Georgia Conference representation in the General Conference shall also be members of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. Additional delegates shall be elected to complete the number determined by the ratio for the SGA Conference representation in the SE Jurisdictional conference. (¶ 34. Article III, p. 36)
Who serves as reserve delegates to the General Conference and the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference?
Additional delegates to the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference shall in the order of their election be the reserve delegates to the General Conference. The annual conference shall also elect reserve clergy and lay delegates to the jurisdictional conference as it may deem desirable. (¶ 34. Article III, p. 36)
How will voting take place?
Voting will take place by electronic devices. A number will be assigned to each self-nominated person and to all eligible clergy. These numbers will be distributed prior to voting. Once balloting begins, write-in candidates receiving ten (10) votes or more will then be assigned a number on the ballot by the Conference Secretary.
QUESTIONS REGARDING ELECTION OF CLERGY DELEGATES
Who can be elected to serve as a clergy delegate to General and Southeastern Jurisdictional Conferences? (¶ 35. Article IV – as amended; Judicial Council Decision 1181)
Who is eligible to vote in the election of clergy members of General and Jurisdictional Conferences? (¶ 35. Article IV – as amended; Judicial Council Decision 1181)
Full clergy members of the annual conference who are eligible for election as delegates. (See Item #1.)
Associate members of the annual conference
Provisional members who have been judged by the annual conference to have completed the educational requirements and have been elected to provisional membership.
Local pastors who have met two criteria): completed course of study or an M. Div. degree and have served a minimum of two consecutive years under appointment immediately preceding the election.
QUESTIONS REGARDING ELECTION OF LAY DELEGATES
Who is eligible to serve as a lay delegate?
A lay delegate, without regard to age, shall have been (1) a professing member of the UMC for at least the last two years and (2) an active participant in the UMC for at least the past four years, and shall be (3) a professing, active member of a church within the bounds of the South Georgia Conference. (¶ 36. Article V, p. 37)
Who is eligible to vote in the election of lay delegates?
All lay members of the annual conference may vote (¶ 36. Article V, p. 37). This includes: lay members elected by their charge (one per appointed clergy); the Conference Lay Leader; Conference President of United Methodist Men; Conference President of United Women In Faith; Conference President of the Council on Youth Ministries; Lay Delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conference; Diaconal Ministers; Conference Lay Staff who are United Methodists; Lay Chairpersons of Conference Committees, Commissions, Councils, Teams or Boards; District Lay Leaders; District Presidents of United Methodist Men; District Presidents of United Women In Faith; District Presidents of United Methodist Youth; and one youth and one young adult by each District.
(Conference Standing Rule 3.2.2 B). District At-Large members are also voting members of the Annual Conference (Standing Rule 3.2.2 C)
Persons with additional questions may contact Meredyth Earnest, Conference Secretary, at meredyth@sgaumc.com.