Changes Ahead from 2025 General Assembly

More Congregational Participation

Some important changes were approved by the 2025 General Assembly to the structure and operations of our Church in GA-2517 – Amendments to The Design. Some highlights that impact Congregations include:

• Each Congregation is entitled to name 3 delegates of their choosing as voting members of the General Assembly, with one delegate selected each year, beginning January 1, 2026, to serve a three-year term on a rolling basis. Each Region is also entitle to name 3 delegates of their choosing as voting members of the General Assembly. These delegates are in addition to any clergy with standing who are also considered voting delegates.

• The General Assembly will meet at least one time every calendar year for an Annual Meeting, set by the General Board, of which the first two will be held digitally. The dates of the digital meetings of the General Assembly in 2026 and 2027 are TBA.

• Every third year the Annual Meeting will be known as the Triennial Meeting and will be held both in-person and digitally. The next in-person Triennial Meeting of the General Assembly will be held in summer 2028, with the time and place to be announced in 2026.

Other changes approved to the way the General Assembly operates can be found in GA-2518 – Changes to the Special Rules of Procedure for the General Assembly and include:

• “Statements of Witness” and “Alternate Perspective Reports” for Statements of Witness may be submitted for consideration by the General Assembly through the process described. These replace the current “Sense of the Assembly” resolutions and process.

• “Topics for Education, Discussion, and Prayer” are a way for the General Assembly to engage in learning, dialogue, formation, discernment, and prayer on matters of social witness and other matters deemed essential to the witness and ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The General Board shall approve at least one Topic for Education, Discussion, and Prayer (TEDP) for each Annual Meeting of the General Assembly, with the church and its ministries to be widely consulted, including through surveys, about topics. Each Annual Meeting will include opportunities for further study, discussion, and prayer related to these topics.

 Curious about just how congregations engage with the General Assembly through resolutions? Check out this short (and informative) video here.