Alumni Testimonials from Historic 2024 UMC General Conference
Information for this article came from The United Methodist Church’s website pages entitled “General Conference” and “General Conference News and Commentary.” Photography credits to Anastasia Kidd (STH ‘04, STH ‘18), Andrew Kimble (STH ‘19), and Emily Ling (STH ‘19). Special thanks to our alumni and current students who provided quotes.
Between April 23, 2024 and May 3, 2024 The United Methodist Church gathered in Charlotte, North Carolina for their long-anticipated 2020 General Conference. The General Conference is the highest legislative body for United Methodists and includes representatives from the worldwide Church who vote on the Church’s budget and policies related to the overall functioning, beliefs, and mission of the denomination. This quadrennium’s meeting dealt with the standard business of the Church, but also sought to address the schism within the denomination around human sexuality. Prior to and during the Conference, this debate led to the disaffiliation of many churches who are against affirming the LGBTQ+ community and then, during the Conference, the revising of UMC policy to allow for greater flourishing and inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals.
As a historical United Methodist seminary, Boston University School of Theology has a strong contingent of alums — including Bishop LaTrelle Easterling (STH ‘04), Bishop Sally Dyck (STH ‘78, CAS 76), and Bishop Deborah Kiesey (STH ‘76) — who attend and participate in the General Conference, in addition to sending a group of students to the Conference on a travel seminar.
One of these students, Kenna Bartholomew (STH ‘25), said of their experience: “Going to General Conference with my friends and peers has 
been such a blessing. As someone raised in the UMC, it’s been wonderful that I’ve been given the opportunity to watch as our delegates make important decisions about who we want to become as a church. There’s truly nothing quite like working on ordination paperwork during a break while surrounded by my Methodist family!”
BU STH hosted an alumni dinner during the conference, of which one alumna, Reverend Lauren DeLano (STH ‘16), wrote in a social media post:
“There are not enough words to express my gratitude for Boston University School of Theology and its impact on my life and ministry. Last night, BUSTH hosted an alumni dinner and seeing the faces of those who mentored and cared for me in seminary, as well as classmates, sent so many memories flooding back.
While in seminary, I learned so much about my vocation and who I am called to be as a pastoral leader. I made some of the best friends I will ever have. I always say, my undergraduate experience was formative, but when I got to STH, I realized, these are my people. This is where I was always meant to be.
I am still friends with a tight knit group of women (Amy Aub, Alyssa Baker, Amanda Cherry, Kristin Sutrave, Lyndsey Janelle Medford, Sarah Alphin) who have continued over the last eight years to nurture each other and cheer each other on as we have figured out what our calling is, as we have gotten married, made career moves and our first friend has had a baby and everything in between. These women are the best thing my seminary education gave me.
And now two of my best friends from seminary (Haley Jones Wells and Eva Englert-Jessen) are in Arkansas serving as deacons in the UMC and doing amazing work with people who are often neglected or dismissed.
Thanks to STH, I worked in the alumni and development office, strengthening my skills in networking and stewardship. I had amazing contextual education and internship opportunities at the local church and in college chaplaincy with Robin Olson. I traveled to India on a travel seminar for 10 days and after graduation (with classmates who became great friends – 
Kate Froehlich, Wes Conn and Eva). And, as an alum in 2018 I got to join a trip to England to learn about Methodism in the post-Christian world thanks to Chris Evans invitation.
If this is how BUSTH has enriched my life in the last 11 years, since I began
attending the Fall of 2013 and graduated in 2016, I cannot imagine how it will continue to make a difference in my life in the years to come. While I’d give anything to go back to three of the best years of my life, I’m grateful that other students are receiving the benefit of an education at BUSTH, a place that cares for students beyond just their academic life.”
Another STH alumna, Emily Ling (STH ‘19), shared that “My soul feels such rejuvenation after this weekend in Charlotte Thanks to the UMC General Conference being in town, I was able to attend a Boston University Alumni dinner. I appreciated meeting Dean Pak & learning about all the new developments happening at the School of Theology. And I had a truly delightful time catching up on post-seminary-life with Dean Moore & friends.”
We are grateful for all of our alumni and students who participated in this historic UMC conferencing over the past two weeks, and for the opportunity to connect with one another during this event.