Nashville, Tennessee: Meeting in Nashville, the Connectional Table voted to submit legislation to General Conference in May 2016 to examine how the church may better model worldwide connection through its Connectional Table membership. The proposed restructuring is part of the Connectional Table’s vision as it moves forward.
Currently, only 10 percent of the Connectional Table members reside outside the United States. The proposed restructuring, which may be potentially amended by 2020, would better represent the global membership of the denomination.
“The Connectional Table is committed to more faithfully modeling our worldwide connection in our membership, ministry, and function,” said Ricky Harrison, Connectional Table member and Master of Divinity student at Duke University. “As we continue to move forward in our work of stewarding the mission, vision, and resources of the global church, we are committed to using the upcoming quadrennium to deeply consider how the structure, membership, and function of the Connectional Table might best facilitate this.”
Centered on mission and values, the church body stated goals to build relationships that strengthen the denomination as part of the Body of Christ, cross bridges across the church, connect strategies for great impact on mission and connect the story to inspire transformation in Christ throughout the world.
The Connectional Table remains steadfast in its purpose to be a geographically representative and intergenerational body exemplifying the diversity of the worldwide connection, while guiding with a unique Wesleyan theology and enabling new things by fostering creativity and enhancing ministry at all levels of the church.
The church body also stated that it would work to build trust in three primary relationships:
- Relationship to General Conference through partnership with Commission on General Conference
- Relationship to Annual Conferences through partnerships with the Active Bishops and Directors of Connectional Ministries; and
- Relationship to General Agencies.
About the Connectional Table
The Connectional Table oversees the coordination of mission, ministries and resources across the denomination. Created at the 2004 General Conference, the Connectional Table was formed to serve as both the visioning body of the church and the steward of resources to carry out the vision of the denomination worldwide.
Contact: Diane Degnan ddegnan@umcom.org
615-742-5406 (office)
615-483-1765 (cell)
