Structure
The United Methodists Church is connectional, made up of local churches, regional districts, Annual and Central Conferences, Jurisdictional Conferences, and the General Conference, as well as various committees and boards. The links below provide further information on the structure and bureaucracy of the United Methodist Church.
The United Methodist Church is made up of connections from the local to the global level.
https://www.umc.org/en/content/organization-church-as-connection
Infographic on the structure of the UMC
https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/connectional-structure-graphic
Bishops serve as a general superintendent for their annual conference. Bishops are clergy elected and consecrated to the office of bishop. They are tasked with teaching, equipping, and encouraging mission and service, and should serve as shepherds of the entire church, providing a prophetic witness for justice and unity.
The Bishop for the Virginia Annual Conference: Sue Haupert-Johnson. Bishop Haupert-Johnson was elected to the Episcopacy in 2016 and previously served in the North Georgia Episcopal Area. She began her service in the Virginia Annual Conference in 2023 after being assigned to VA by the 2022 SouthEast Jurisdictional Conference.
Address: P.O. Box 5606
Glen Allen, VA 23058
Phone: 804-521-1102
Fax: 804-521-1178
Email Bishop Haupert-Johnson through her administrative staff person: TerriBiggins@vaumc.org
https://vaumc.org/bishop/
Made up of nine members - laity and clergy - the Judicial Council acts as the "court," and meets twice a year to consider whether actions of the various church bodies adhere to the constitution and follow the rules outlined in the Book of Discipline.
General Conference is the legislative body of the UMC, and the only entity with the authority to speak on behalf of the entire United Methodist Church. The General Conference meets every four years to consider the business and mission of the church.
https://www.umc.org/en/who-we-are/structure/general-conference
In the US, the UMC is divided into five regional jurisdictions. The Virginia Annual Conference is in the Southeastern Jurisdiction (SEJ)
Outside the US, annual conferences are organized in seven central conferences. Africa includes three central conferences, Europe has three central conferences, and the Philippines constitutes one central conference.
The term “annual conference” refers to: a geographical entity; an organizational body; and a yearly meeting.
Virginia Annual Conference: https://vaumc.org/
Each annual conference is divided geographically into districts. The Virginia Annual Conference currently has 16 Districts.
https://www.umc.org/en/content/southeastern-jurisdiction-district-offices#Virginia