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Proposed General Conference legislation

The 2020-2024 General Conference passed several proposed amendments to the Constitution of The United Methodist Church. These unique pieces of legislation only become official once they are ratified by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the aggregate majority of members to the annual conferences. Four items of business relating to General Conference will be presented to the 2025 Upper New York Annual Conference, and each one will be handled as four seperate ballots/votes. They may be debated, but cannot be amended. 

In order to prepare you for each vote, please take time to review each item. Click here to read an article about the proposed amendments. 

Proposed constitutional amendements

• Ballot 1: Worldwide Regionalization
• Ballot 2: Paragraph 4, Article 4 Ratification 
• Ballot 3: Article V: Racial Justice
• Ballot 4: Educational requirements for clergy members

Ballot 1: Worldwide Regionalization

Click here for a one-page resource that explains regionalization and how it’ll allow United Methodists to better live into our mission. 

Watch a recording of the webinar about the worldwide regionalization & ratification webinar held on February 20, 2025. Click here for a link to the YouTube recording.

Ballot 2: Paragraph 4, Article 4 Ratification

Click here to learn about ratifying the United Methodist Constitution to amend Paragraph 4, Article 4 to include the words "gender" and "ability" protects membership for all people. 

In this video, the Rev. Stephanie York Arnold, General Secretary of GCSRW, encourages support for Ballot #2, which proposes adding gender and ability to the list of protected categories for church membership in the UMC Constitution. A “Yes” vote affirms that all persons—regardless of gender or ability—are welcome in the life and membership of the Church.

Ballot 3: Article V: Racial Justice

Proposed changes will strengthen our commitment by explicitly recognizing the church's role in combating racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege, and white supremacy. Click here to learn more from Rev. Dr. Giovanni Arroyo, General Secretary of General Commission on Religion and Race.

Ballot 4: Educational requirements for clergy members

General Conference approved changes to the constitution regarding educational requirements for clergy voting eligibility. Find out more by clicking here.

Click here for a helpful guide explaining the changes by the General Board of Higher Education & Ministry.

What's new in the Book of Discipline? An Ask UMC series explores shifts in five different areas. Click here to learn more.

• Local Churches, Annual Conferences and General Agencies       
• Bishops
• Clergy
• Churchwide
• Human Sexuality