Report on The Christmas Covenant

The Christmas Covenant is proposed legislation that will be presented at the 2024 General Conference to be held April 23-May 3, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Christmas Covenant emerged from the United Methodist Church (UMC) outside the United States and is built upon the values of “connectional relationships rooted in mission, respect for contextual ministry settings, [and] legislative equality for regional bodies of the church.” It is believed that the Christmas Covenant will provide a framework for a healthy and fruitful future for the UMC – one that honors the glorious diversity of our worldwide connection.

The Christmas Covenant would transform the existing 7 Central Conferences into 8 Regional Conferences and create a United States Regional Conference. It would increase the ability of each Regional Conference to adapt the Book of Discipline to fit its missional context and create a more equitable structure for our global church. The General Conference would still meet every 4 years to consider matters that affect the worldwide UMC.

Why should we adopt the Christmas Covenant? We are stronger together. Being in mission together as a global church celebrates our unity in diversity and positively impacts the different contexts we represent. A truly global church committed to be in mission together embraces its differences and allows for self-determination. It is able to find common ground in affirming how we do effective ministry in places we serve. Acknowledging that our different contexts need different solutions is a better way forward and fosters mutuality. This path affirms a stronger common witness to the global community. God’s grace is present everywhere and in everyone. We are called to humbly respond to this grace in recognizing its many expressions around the world. This call we do best together.

What is the Christmas Covenant Stance on the Inclusion of LGBTQ persons? The Christmas Covenant legislation ensures that no regional conference can be forced to do anything against its will. No regional conference can impose on any other regional conference. Recognizing the sacred value of all persons as created in the image of God, the Christmas Covenant encourages regional conferences to consider ministry approaches that reflect the theological convictions of the missional contexts they serve.

For further information visit the web page at https://www.christmascovenant.com.