Minnesota Reconciling Ministries Spring Social at Hennepin!

Saturday, April 13, 11:30am-2:30pm at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Art Gallery

We are so honored that we have been chosen to host the Reconciling Ministries Spring Social!

All are invited to attend the MN Reconciling Congregations annual spring gathering at Hennepin Avenue UMC. This is an opportunity to gather with other Reconciling United Methodists to share lunch (bring a dish to share!) and hear a program presented by Rev. Carol Zaagsma and Dave Nuckols, the MN Annual Conference delegates to General Conference. They will provide information about how the General Conference works, the key issues that will be considered and how you can follow what is happening at General Conference. 2024 is a momentous General Conference; this is a good way to learn more about it and what it will mean for our congregation and the greater UMC.

Please contact Marty Shimko (shimkomarty [at] gmail.com) if you can help out on this day to make sure that our hospitality is exceptional for this important work.


  • Gather at 11:30am
  • Potluck lunch at noon – bring a dish to share, flatware, utensils, and beverages will be provided
  • The program, “What is General Conference” begins at 1:00. Rev. Carol Zaagsma and Dave Nuckols, MN Annual Conference delegates to the General Conference will speak. The program will be live-streamed on Facebook HERE and recorded for those who can’t attend in person.
  • Information about how to view the program will be on the Minnesota Reconciling Congregations web page. https://www.mnrcumc.org/
  • There will be a free-will offering that will be shared between Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) and MN Reconciling Congregations.

The General Conference of the UMC April 23-May 3

This year the General Conference takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina. This is the first General Conference since the pandemic and after a cantankerous 2019 Special Conference. The last General Conference was set to happen in Minneapolis, Minnesota until the pandemic made it necessary to postpone the quadrennial legislative event until 2024. At the upcoming conference, legislation slated for GC2020 will be addressed. At the end of March this year, an ad hoc group of 270 US delegates outlined their priorities, often called the “three R’s”: regionalization, the Revised Social Principles, and the removal of exclusionary language against LGBTQ people. The delegates noted, “They are part of the 75% of U.S. congregations that remain United Methodist. They also say they are eager to work with fellow United Methodist delegates in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines in healing, reconciliation, and rebuilding the denomination.” (“US delegates name General Conference goals,” by Heather Hahn, March 22, 2024 | UM News, accessed 4/2/2024).

“My heart really yearns for a church that, first of all, is Christ-centered,” said the Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm, one of the delegate signers. “I also yearn for a church that really embodies what it means to have open doors and open hearts and enables some contextualism in our global connection.” She goes on to say ““Methodism began as a movement, in small groups around kitchen tables. The ministry of Susanna, John and Charles (Wesley) reflected the contextual needs of the day,” she said. “I see that same spark now as delegates come together dreaming and planning for a church that is Christ-centered, celebrates diversity … and models collaboration locally, regionally and worldwide.” (“US delegates name General Conference goals,” by Heather Hahn, March 22, 2024 | UM News, accessed 4/2/2024).

You can read more about the General Conference HERE

What is the General Conference?

General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church. The assembly meets at the beginning of each quadrennium to consider revisions to church law, as well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for church-wide programs for the next four years.