The 2008 General Conference passed amendments to the Book of Discipline and to the Book of Resolutions. Most amendments are automatically incorporated in the new books and printed. However, the 2008 General Conference also passed thirty-two amendments to the Constitution of The United Methodist Church. This document, which is found in the beginning of the Book of Discipline, is the foundational document establishing and governing The United Methodist Church. In addition, to a two-thirds vote of the General Conference, these proposed changes to the Constitution require further approval at annual conference the following year.
Proposed Constitutional Amendments
I. The proposed amendment emphasizes the wideness of God’s mercy and the availability of the ministry of the church to all. Full text and ballot results
II. The proposed amendment requires the adoption of ethics and conflict of interest policies to ensure accountability and fiduciary integrity. Full text and ballot results
III. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
IV. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
V. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
VI. The proposed amendment allows for representation in the General Conference at other than proportional levels during a transitional period for the admission of an annual conference into the United Methodist Church. Full text and ballot results
VII. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
VIII. The proposed amendment would add “gender” to those categories of persons protected in this list of duties of General Conference. Full text and ballot results
IX. The proposed amendment would ensure a minimum basis of support for the election of bishops at jurisdictional conferences. Full text and ballot results
X. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XI. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XII. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XIII. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XIV. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XV. The proposed amendment allows definition of the lay and clergy membership of the annual conference by the General Conference without going through the constitutional amendment process. This portion of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (Section VI, Article I of the Constitution) has been amended 16 times since 1968. Full text and ballot results
XVI. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XVII. The proposed amendment would make supporting constitutional changes to allow reinstatement of legislation adopted by the 2004 General Conference and subsequently declared unconstitutional by the Judicial Council to allow lay persons on the committee on investigation to vote on matters of ordination, character, and conference relations of clergy. Full text and ballot results
XVIII. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XIX. The proposed amendment would allow additional clergy members to participate in the election of clergy delegates to general, jurisdictional or central conferences. Full text and ballot results
XX. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXI. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXII. The proposed amendment formally recognizes that the Baltimore-Washington Conference has been appointing pastors, superintending the congregations and integrating the congregations of Bermuda into the life of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. The General Board of Global Ministries and the Baltimore-Washington Conference recognize these churches as United Methodist congregations. Full text and ballot results
XXIII. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXIV. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXV. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXVI. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXVII. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXVIII. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXIX. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXX. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXXI. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
XXXII. The proposed amendment allows the General Conference to create similar structures for all of our world-wide church. Each Annual Conference would belong to a Regional Conference which would be able to organize sub-units called Jurisdictional Conferences. Full text and ballot results
Amendments III, IV, V, VII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XVI, XVIII, XX, XXI, XXIII, XXIV, XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX, XXX, XXXI, and XXXII are all part of the Worldwide Nature of the United Methodist Church proposal. The rationale is identical for these amendments.
Amendments V and VI are both for ¶ 15. Amendments VII and VIII are both for ¶ 16, but for different subparagraphs. Amendments XIV and XV are both for ¶ 32. Amendments XVI and XVII are both for ¶ 33. Amendments XIX and XX are both for ¶ 35.
