The United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Christian denomination and worldwide movement rooted in the Wesleyan and Methodist traditions.
- Overview
- The United Methodist Church
- Social Principles as Adopted by General Conference Charlotte, 2024
- Resolutions Adopted by General Conference Charlotte
- Board of Directors
- Meet the Staff
- Annual Conference Connections
- The United Methodist Building
- Celebrating the United Methodist Building's 100th Anniversary
- United Nations Ministry
- Careers and Internships
- Partnerships
- Contact Us
Its mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The United Methodist Church is made up of 12 million members with Annual Conferences (a geographically designated episcopal area of local ministries and churches) across five continents in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America.
The United Methodist Church was formed in 1968 out of both the dissolution of the racially segregated Central Jurisdictions in the United States, and the union of two previous bodies – The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church. Methodism and Wesleyan marks of social holiness, grace for all, and the love of Jesus Christ are central to the tradition. Foundational documents of the Church include the Book of Discipline (including the Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith), the Book of Resolutions and the Social Principles.
Church and Society is the agency within the Church that educates, advocates and connects in an effort to implement the Social Principles and other policy statements of The United Methodist Church. Continually advocating with policy makers, organizing the grassroots, and educating future leaders, Church and Society works to live faithfully, seek justice, and pursue peace.
Learn more about The United Methodist Church’s history, organization, and structure here.
Are you interested in attending a United Methodist church? Find-A-Church near you!
Ministry With the Poor
The United Methodist Church has affirmed four areas of focus for the denomination including developing principles Christian leaders, creating new places for new people, engaging in ministry with the poor, and improving global health. Church and Society is the lead agency on the denominational focus on Ministry With the Poor, which seeks to engage in relational ministries to address the root causes of poverty. For more information on Ministry With the Poor, click here.
Other United Methodist Agencies and Ministries
Church and Society enjoys partnerships with the fellow general agencies, commissions, and administration of The United Methodist Church. Click below to learn more.
- General Board of Discipleship
- General Board of Global Ministries
- General Board of Higher Education and Ministry
- General Commission on Archives and History
- General Commission on Religion and Race
- General Commission on the Status and Role of Women
- General Commission on United Methodist Men
- General Council on Finance and Administration
- United Methodist Communications
- United Methodist Publishing House
- United Methodist Women
- Wespath Investments and Benefits
Inter-ethnic Strategy Development Group and Caucuses
Church and Society collaborates with and helps foster the initiatives of the five official U.S.-based ethnic caucuses of The United Methodist Church. These caucuses work to elevate the causes of their membership, advocate for issues within and outside of the Church that affect them, and increase diversity within Church leadership. The five caucuses can be found here:
- Black Methodists for Church Renewal
- MARCHA (Metodistas Asociados Representando la Causa de los Hispano-Americanos)
- National Federation of Asian American United Methodists
- Native American International Caucus
- Pacific Islander National Caucus of United Methodists
The Council of Bishops
Bishops of an Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church offer spiritual leadership to United Methodists around the world. They are each assigned to one or more Annual Conference and are responsible for the spiritual and temporal life of the Church. Offices of the Council of Bishops are in the United Methodist Building in Washington, D.C. For more information on the Council of Bishops, click here.
- Overview
- The United Methodist Church
- Social Principles as Adopted by General Conference Charlotte, 2024
- Resolutions Adopted by General Conference Charlotte
- Board of Directors
- Meet the Staff
- Annual Conference Connections
- The United Methodist Building
- Celebrating the United Methodist Building's 100th Anniversary
- United Nations Ministry
- Careers and Internships
- Partnerships
- Contact Us