What is being proposed?
Four agencies of The United Methodist Church – Discipleship Ministries, Global Ministries, Higher Education and Ministry, and United Methodist Communications – are proposing a unification to create a connectional ministries agency that will be known as the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency. If approved by General Conference, this would unite their ministries and service functions into one organization governed by a board of directors and led by a chief ministry officer.
What will this unified entity be called, and how was the name determined?
The proposed combined agency will be called the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency. A committee of current board members from all four agencies, supported by United Methodist Communications’ creative team, generated a range of name options for consideration. The options were then shared with board members of all four unifying agencies, along with regional, annual conference and agency communicators, to gather input from across the United Methodist connection. Each participant was asked to respond to a survey to offer their naming preferences. The recommended name of the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency received the broadest support for its clarity and timelessness in representing the unified agency's ongoing, global, and diverse ministry work.
How did the proposal originate?
Top executives and board members of several church agencies have been discussing ways to achieve greater synergy with one another for several years. Those conversations intensified prior to the 2020/2024 General Conference. In 2023, two agencies, the Board of Global Ministries and the Board of Higher Education and Ministry, agreed to move toward greater alignment under one general secretary. The proposal to unify the four agencies as the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency grew out of discussions among their top staff executives and board members that continued into late 2025.
When will this proposal go into effect?
If the proposal is approved by the 2028 General Conference, the unification would be effective at its close. That said, the agencies will begin finding opportunities for coordination and alignment immediately. For example, all four agencies have adopted a shared privacy policy and will now be migrating to one financial and accounting system.
What are the implications for the areas of ministry represented by the current four agencies?
A key goal of the proposed unification is to ensure that each of the four ministry areas continues to thrive – and does so in a robust way, transforming lives and advancing the work of the United Methodist Church. This move would lead to better coordination of work while strengthening the viability of each area of ministry. Each of these core ministry areas will benefit from the alignment of common support services, such as human resources, information technology, finance, and travel planning. General assets will also be streamlined across these agencies.
How will the unification into the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency affect ministry with key constituents?
The agencies that comprise the proposed unified agency will continue to offer broad denominational support as they do today. In fact, the support of ministry with key partners — such as ethnic plans, the Council of Bishops, the Connectional Table, regional and annual conferences, seminaries, and universities — should be strengthened by this unification. Each partner will continue to relate to the same ministry areas in the new agency with which they currently work.
How will the unification into the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency benefit The United Methodist Church?
Four agencies that have each walked faithfully with their own partners are coming together as one. They will share one vision and mission, with every goal aligned for the good of the whole church. As a result:
- The church speaks with one clear voice. Leaders and members around the world will hear one coordinated message across websites, email and social media, not competing priorities.
- More resources directed to ministry. Shared support services (HR, IT, finance and travel planning), shared technology platforms and joint vendor partnerships remove duplication and free up more resources for ministry.
- Ministry continues and grows stronger. The work of all four agencies continues: mission and humanitarian relief, higher education and ministry, discipleship and spiritual formation, and communication. These ministries will be connected through one integrated structure for better strategic coordination.
- The church is more ready for the future. Shared leadership positions the church to be nimbler and more faithful in the years ahead, and open to what the Spirit may do.
How will the unification into the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency benefit local churches, conferences and other ministry partners?
The four agencies have built strong relationships with local churches, ethnic plans, the Council of Bishops, the Connectional Table, regional and annual conferences, seminaries, and universities. Unification strengthens those relationships in four ways:
- One relationship instead of four. Partners will work with one agency through a single, holistic strategy. A request that once went to several agencies is now handled once. Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry already share this kind of strategy and are seeing the benefit.
- Clear, timely information. One coordinated message gives partners what they need without confusion, so they can act on it quickly.
- More integrated support. Shared program operations and policies, a single grant process, and joint fundraising draw on the best practices of all four agencies. That gives partners more connected and effective support.
- A shared path forward. Partners and the unified agency will move ahead together, toward a common mission.
How will the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency ensure diversity in its governance, leadership, staffing, and advisory structures?
The unified agency’s structure will reflect the broad diversity of The United Methodist Church in governance, leadership, and staffing. The governance structure will include representation across geographies, laity and clergy members, and will reflect the broad diversity of the church as described in the Book of Discipline ¶ 705.3c.
The new structure will also bring advisory and leadership expertise across the core ministry areas of mission and humanitarian relief, discipleship formation, education, and global communication. This will ensure the voices, experiences, and perspectives of the worldwide church are represented in leadership and decision-making.
The new entity will continue to keep staff diversity front and center in its hiring practices and decisions, as each agency does today.
How will the proposed the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency’s work be mindful of accessibility for persons with disabilities?
Across all units, the agency shall promote accessibility, disability competency, and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the life, leadership, communication, education, worship, and ministry of The United Methodist Church. All programs, resources, communications, digital platforms, meetings, events, and leadership-development opportunities shall be developed and provided with consideration for accessibility and the diverse needs of persons with disabilities.
If the proposed legislation is approved, how will the current four agency boards function during the transition?
Each board of the four unifying agencies will elect up to 10 of its 2025–2028 members to serve on an interim board, which then collectively serves as the oversight and accountability board for the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency until the new board is organized after regional conferences convene to elect board members. This should aid in facilitating a smooth transition as it ensures that prior knowledge is carried forward to the appropriate new business unit in the unified agency.
Within six months of the closing of the regional conferences following the 2028 General Conference, the new board members will be selected. This new board will then carry the new agency through the 2029-2032 quadrennial.
How does this unification proposal from the four agencies differ from Plan UMC and Plan UMC Revised?
The Judicial Council—the denomination’s top judicial branch—ruled in 2012 that Plan UMC, and in 2016 that Plan UMC Revised, had portions that were unconstitutional because these proposals delegated authority in ways that conflicted with powers reserved for the General Conference and the Council of Bishops.
What the four agencies are now proposing in this unification is fundamentally different. The proposal does not create a new superstructure or oversight body with authority beyond that granted by the General Conference. Instead, it brings together four existing agencies and their current ministry functions into better alignment in a structure designed to strengthen ministry effectiveness, reduce redundancy, improve stewardship of resources, and increase the church’s impact around the world.
The Judicial Council itself noted in Decision 1310 that the Constitution gives the General Conference authority “to establish such commissions for the general work of the Church as may be deemed advisable.” Consistent with that authority, this proposal requires approval by the General Conference before it could take effect.
In addition, the proposal preserves accountability to the General Conference and maintains the constitutional role of the Council of Bishops, just as the individual four agencies function today. The proposed governance structure builds upon the work and expertise already present within the four agencies while creating a more coordinated and efficient framework for shared mission and ministry in support of local churches with contextualization across regional conferences.
Is this proposal mindful of regionalization?
The United Methodist Church has changed with the ratification of regionalization after the 2020/2024 General Conference. In this new regional structure, agencies must be open to new ways of doing ministry that support and adapt to regional needs, while also staying true to shared needs among all United Methodists. Amid this context, the unification of these four agencies into the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency helps to strengthen connections across the church, clarify communication pathways, and provide collaborative alignment of resources to support the church’s worldwide mission. By better coordinating ministries and resources, this unification helps to ensure longevity of support in the areas of mission and humanitarian relief, discipleship formation, education, and global communication to enable every region to participate fully in the shared mission of The United Methodist Church, while meeting its contextual opportunities for making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
What are the next steps for the remainder of 2026 and then 2027 in the unification proposal process?
Legislation is being presented to the four agency boards during their fall 2026 meetings to receive draft approval. This draft will then be referred to the Standing Committee on Regional Conference Matters (SCRCM) for feedback and incorporation into their work on developing a Global Book of Discipline. Depending on the SCRCM response, the legislation could be brought back before the four agency boards during their spring 2027 meetings if there are changes. Once finalized, the draft will be submitted to the General Conference with the rest of the Global Book of Discipline coming from the Standing Committee.
Throughout 2027, bylaws and detailed plans will be developed by a working committee of the four boards. Conversations with stakeholders and staff will continue, and transition planning for post-General Conference will begin.
Does the draft of Book of Discipline (BOD) paragraphs include how the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency will operate?
The draft BOD paragraphs are one component of the new agency’s overall governance structure that is still being developed. The United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency BOD paragraphs offer a high-level, stable framework for the agency that is focused on key responsibilities of the agency and board governance; it gives permission for specific details requiring greater agility or flexibility to be addressed elsewhere. Additional important elements of agency governance and structure will be addressed in the proposed new United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency bylaws that are under development by the existing four boards, in the 700s paragraphs of the BOD that contain policies common to all general agencies, and in individual policies that the new agency’s board and staff will adopt. Agency leadership is working to ensure that all important governance, structural and operational details are covered across these various sources.
Will the independent reporting of UM News be impacted by the unification?
UM News covers the news of the global church with objectivity and strives to be inclusive of the voices, views, and contexts of the denomination. This will remain the same for the news reporting team in the case of unification into the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency.
How will the culture of the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency be developed?
One of the top priorities of the chief ministry officer and executive staff will be to lead the development of the new agency’s culture by engaging all staff in identifying core values, sharing best practices, building transparency, and fostering a spirit of teamwork. In so doing, the new agency can celebrate the best cultural components and practices of all four predecessor agencies, while setting a unified vision for the future.
Will the denominational brand be impacted by unification?
The existing Book of Discipline assigns responsibility for denominational branding to United Methodist Communications. That responsibility would continue under the Communications unit of the proposed United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency. The unit would set brand standards and guidelines for the denomination, secure trademarks and copyrights, and continue to partner with the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) to enforce them.
What will success look like if the unification plan is approved?
Success will be measured incrementally as the unified United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency transitions and adapts to its new structure and the ever-changing needs of the United Methodist Church. The new board of directors will set goals and accountability structures for the unified agency. It is the desire of the four unifying agencies to offer robust, yet streamlined, services and communications that alleviate confusion for partners, while strengthening ministry.
Where will the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency be based?
The location of the new agency has not been determined. The component agencies are currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Nashville, Tennessee, with additional offices in other countries. Today, all four agencies have remote staff who work across the U.S. and in many countries globally.
What impact will the unification into the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency have on agency staffing?
No immediate impact on staffing is expected as part of this announcement. More details on how jobs and staffing could be affected post-unification will become available as the proposal is developed and planning continues. Everything will be done to minimize the stress and uncertainty that comes with such a major change, including communicating with staff as quickly and clearly as possible, while maintaining a commitment to transparency.
Could other United Methodist agencies join the United Methodist Mission and Ministry Agency in the future?
The top executive leaders of the other general agencies are aware of this proposal, and it has been discussed at the General Secretaries’ Table. Other agencies will continue to discern the best structure and partnerships for their effective ministries in the future.
How can ministry partners proactively stay informed about the proposal, legislation, and transition?
The dedicated UnifyingForImpact.org webpage provides information and resources to help ministry partners across the UMC better understand the proposal and see how they can play a role in supporting it.
Once legislation has been submitted through the Standing Committee on Regional Conference Matters Outside the U.S.A., delegate-specific educational materials and events will be shared on the page.
How will information be shared with staff going forward?
Each agency’s executive leaders are committed to keeping staff informed throughout the process. Information will be shared via internal emails, town hall meetings, and other means.
Can stakeholders and employees ask questions as this proposal is developed further?
Stakeholders may ask their questions by visiting UnifyingForImpact.org and submitting via the provided online form. Employees are welcome to ask questions or share concerns at any time directly with their general secretaries and other leadership staff or via the form.
With the proposal and legislation already underway, stakeholders and employees are encouraged to make inquiries as soon as possible.