History
Created at the 2004 General Conference, the Connectional Table was formed to serve as both the visioning body of the church and the steward of resources to carry out the vision of the denomination worldwide.
A transition team, chaired by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher, cared for personnel, property and programmatic issues associated with the dissolution of the General Council on Ministries, allowing the Connectional Table to move forward with its work.
Purpose
The purpose of the Connectional Table is to discern and articulate the vision for the church and the stewardship of the mission, ministries, and resources of The United Methodist Church as determined by General Conference and in consultation with the Council of Bishops.
The 2004 General Conference made clear that “the Connectional Table is to be motivated by faithfulness to the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ; global in scope and holistic in understanding; inclusive in nature and collaborative in style; and while being efficient in the stewardship of resources, be transparent, accessible, and accountable in all relationships.”
Objectives
The Connectional Table objectives are to:
- Provide a forum for vision and implementation;
- Enable flow of information and communication;
- Coordinate program life of the global church;
- Evaluate the missional effectiveness of agencies;
- Recommend changes for agency effectiveness;
- Provide leadership in planning and research; and
- Collaborate with Finance and Administration (GCFA) to develop the budget.