General Conference News
2008 General Conference News Summaries
The 2008 General Conference session continues in Ft. Worth, TX. General Conference meets once every four years, and this year's conference includes 992 delegates from United Methodist churches in the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe. Click here to see the list of delegates from the New England Conference: NE Conference Delegates
Visit www.neumc.org/gc2008 for regular updates on General Conference.
Issues Before General Conference
The General Conference assembly is considering action and legislation on a number of issues, including abortion, AIDS, budget, divestment, environment, global church, immigration, ministry study, race relations, sexuality, social creed, stem cell research, and war. For a summary of these issues, along with related news updates, click here:
General Conference Issues Summary
Daily Wrap-up
Click on the dates below to get the daily news summaries from General Conference, in session April 23 through May 2, 2008.
Key items:
- Opening Worship
- Council of Bishops meets
- Orientation sessions
- AIDS Conference
Key items:
- Episcopal Address
- First Ever Young People's Address
- Laity Address
- Explanation of Four Areas of Focus, Seven Pathways
- Budget Plans.
Key items:
- UMC receives $5 million grant to fight malaria and other diseases of poverty
- Legislative committee work begins.
- Task Force on Immigration holds press conference
Key items:
- Delegates Renew Baptism
- Planting Seeds of Hope,
- Nothing But Nets benefit game raises $300,000
Key items:
- Central Conference Commission meetings
- Black Church Initiative
- Global Warming Task Force created
- Cote d'Ivoire formally admitted as a United Methodist Conference
- Bishop Gregory V. Palmer installed as President of Council of Bishops
Key items:
- Africa Education
- Study of the Global Church
- Faith & Order Committee created
- Judicial Council elections held
Key items:
- Address by Liberian president
- Study of Ministry continued
- Higher Education banquet
- Mission Statement updated
Key items:
- Assembly retains stance on homosexuality
- Pastoral authority and membership
- 100 years of men's ministry
- Africa University report
- Human rights in Philippines
Key items:
- A witness for inclusion
- Pension and health benefits
- Gates thanks United Methodists
- Support for Tibet, Sudan, Taiwan
- Constitutional amendments
- Boundaries
- Budget issues
- Social issues
- Closing: A message of hope
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For full coverage of General Conference, visit