2014 UM Polity Series – Jurisdictions and Central Conferences

There is a layer of administration between General Conference and the General Church and the Annual Conferences, to which local churches and individual clergy belong: Jurisdictions and Central Conferences.

In the United States the United Methodist Church is divided into five Jurisdictions: North Eastern, South Eastern, North Central, South Central, and Western (including Alaska and Hawaii.) (see map)

Iowa is part of the North Central Jurisdiction which includes Iowa as well as Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota.

Each Jurisdiction has a Jurisdictional Conference every four years in the summer of the same year as General Conference.  Delegates are the lay and clergy delegates to General Conference from each Annual Conference for the same year plus the same number of additional lay and clergy delegates which makes the delegation to Jurisdictional Conference twice the size.

The most important work of the Jurisdiction and Jurisdictional Conference is the election and assignment of bishops (more about bishops in the next article.)  However, Jurisdictions also play a key role in ensuring proportional representation on General Boards and Agencies, in the appeal process for church trials, and in coordinating mission and ministry among Annual Conferences particularly with youth, United Methodist Women, and United Methodist Men.

Outside of the United States the UMC is divided into seven Central Conferences.  There are three Central Conferences in Europe: Germany, Northern Europe and Eurasia, and Central/Southern Europe; three in Africa, Africa Central, West Africa, and Congo; and one in Asia: Philippines. (See the map which also includes membership numbers for each Jurisdiction and Central Conference.)

Central Conferences like Jurisdictions are made of the Annual Conferences within their boundaries.  Central Conferences perform the same functions as Jurisdictional Conferences: electing bishops, coordinating the mission and ministry of Annual Conferences, and relating to General Boards and Agencies and General Conference.  However, Central Conferences also have one other very special power, they can adapt some to the rules in the Book of Discipline according to their local needs.  

Pastor Brian.