Bishops announce ratification of constitutional
amendments
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A UMNS file photo by John C. Goodwin Delegates consider legislation at the 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh.
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Delegates
to the United Methodist Church’s 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh
consider legislation. The denomination’s Council of Bishops has
announced that eight proposed amendments to the church constitution were
approved during 2005 annual conference sessions held in the United
States, Africa, Europe and the Philippines. A UMNS file photo by John C.
Goodwin. Photo #06-042. Accompanies UMNS story #032. 1/19/06 |
Jan. 19, 2006
WASHINGTON (UMNS) — The United Methodist Council of Bishops has announced
that all eight amendments to the church’s constitution passed by the 2004
General Conference have been ratified by the annual conferences.
The new amendments are effective immediately, the council said.
The process for amending the Constitution of the United Methodist Church
requires a two-thirds majority vote of delegates to the General Conference, the
denomination’s top lawmaking assembly. Annual (regional) conferences must then
ratify the amendments by a two-thirds affirmative vote.
The results of the voting are reported to the Council on Bishops, where they
are verified and counted. The results are then reviewed and certified by the
Council of Bishops.
The vote counts for each of the amendments were as follows:
Amendment I, which specifies that a fair and open process be used to elect
General Conference delegates: 36,323 yes; 1,098 no.
Amendment II, which adds home missioners to the classifications over which
General Conference has authority to define and fix powers and duties: 36,614
yes; 920 no.
Amendment III, which deletes an obsolete phrase: 36,554 yes; 830 no.
Amendment IV, which guarantees that the person responsible for promoting
work of the mission agency of the United Methodist Church is a member of the
annual conference: 36,134 yes; 1,316 no.
Amendment V, which adds home missioners under episcopal appointment to the
membership of the annual conference: 36,350 yes; 1,124 no.
Amendment VI, which supports the addition of the conference director of
lay speaking ministries to the list of lay members of the annual conference:
36,270 yes; 1,100 no.
Amendment VII, which provides a definition of clergy members of the annual
conference: 26,211 yes; 11,005 no.
Amendment VIII, which allows for adoption of enabling legislation at the
same General Conference as the amendment is voted, contingent upon required
ratification by the various annual conferences: 32,901 yes; 4,555 no.
The nearly 11 million-member United Methodist Church has 63 annual
conferences in the United States and 52 conferences in Africa, Europe and the
Philippines.
Questions about the amendments may be directed to InfoServ, the
denomination’s official information service at United Methodist Communications,
at (800) 251-8140. The full amendments can be read online at
http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=10625.
This report was adapted from a press release by the Public Information Office
at United Methodist Communications.
News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.
Related Articles
Annual conferences to consider changes to church constitution
Resources
Constitutional Amendments from General Conference 2004
General Conference 2004
2005 Annual Conference Reports
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