2021 General Conference Information and Update
It’s official! The 51st Quadrennial Session of the AME Church General Conference will be held July 6-10, 2021. The Connectional Lay Organization Biennial will open the morning of July 11 and close the afternoon of July 12, 2021. Please see ameclay.org for the latest information.
The General Conference will utilize the “Orlando Hybrid” model with meetings in two cities: Orlando, Florida, and Cape Town, South Africa. The “Orlando Hybrid” meeting design will decentralize the convention. Rather than meeting as one large group in one large room, we will meet in smaller rooms and multiple locations according to delegations. Each room and location will be virtually connected for all General Conference proceedings. Within each delegation meeting room (DMR), delegates will be able to use the speaker queue system to address the General Conference assembly as well as vote in real-time.
With the unfortunate, yet improving, situation of COVID-19, the question was raised, “How to best hold an in-person General Conference in the safest manner possible?” The answer to the question led to the development of a meeting plan with several goals in mind. First, provide an opportunity for a safer gathering to conduct the necessary business following CDC, Florida Department of Health, and local government guidance. Second, reduce the size of crowds gathered at any one time, in any place or space, to reinforce physical and social distancing. Third, institute CDC recommended measures to help control the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak and minimize the impact if one should occur. Fourth, protect the AME Church and its membership.
Due to international travel concerns, the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) in Cape Town, South Africa location was added. AME Church leadership, delegates, alternates, chaplains, college deans and presidents, and paid observers from Episcopal Districts 1-13 and 16 will meet in Orlando, Florida. AME Church leadership and delegates from Episcopal Districts 14-15 and 17-20 will meet at the CTICC in Cape Town, South Africa.
In Orlando, there will be a General Session Hall in the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) and separate meeting rooms for each Episcopal District delegation, chaplains, and paid observers. We will seat a maximum of 250 people in each room to ensure physical distancing guidelines. DMRs will be in the OCCC and partner hotels.
Attendees in the General Session Hall will include active and retired bishops and supervisors, active and retired general officers and their spouses, connectional officers (including the WMS and CLO delegates), the Judicial Council, members of the Board of Incorporators college deans and presidents, other guests, and program participants. Onlycredentialed delegates, alternates, and district leadership will be allowed in the DMRs.
In the General Session Hall and DMRs in both Orlando and Cape Town, seating will be limited to 50% capacity. In the DMRs, delegates will be seated at assigned classroom tables spaced to accommodate one person per six-foot table. Alternates will be seated in assigned chairs behind the delegation spaced six feet apart. Daily temperature and badge checks will be required for entry into all meeting spaces.
Meeting locations will be cleaned and disinfected regularly during scheduled breaks. Likewise, equipment will also be cleaned and disinfected regularly. This includes computers, projectors, sound systems, microphones, and voting machines, which will be individually packaged for each person.
Paid observers in Orlando will be seated in a separate meeting room and view the proceedings through a live feed from the General Session Hall. They too will be physically distanced and seated in assigned seats, though households will be allowed to sit together. Daily temperature and badge checks will be required for entry into this space.
Candidates for service will be challenged to campaign in new and different ways as COVID-19 protocols will not allow for the traditional campaign representatives in the lobby and halls of the convention centers and partner hotels. Pop-ups will only be allowed in designated areas. Candidates are encouraged to utilize the virtual vending platform and develop short videos to be shared in Orlando and Cape Town. There are also two Eat and Greet the Candidates events in the current program schedule.
To stay abreast of up-to-date General Conference information on-site, a mobile app has been created. The app should be downloaded on your device(s) before arrival. AME Church leadership, delegates, and alternates will access all legislation, reports, other material, and information through a secure section on the mobile app. Paid observers are also encouraged to download the app before arrival where the agenda and other general information will be provided.
Various food and beverage options will be available in the convention centers and partner hotels in both Orlando and Cape Town. These include covered plated meals, buffet meals served by masked and gloved staff behind plexiglass barriers, and pre-packaged grab-n-go meals and snacks. Restaurants are open and operating safely. Many offer touchless payment options.
To minimize lines, registration times for AME Church leadership and districts will be scheduled in staggered time frames. Plexiglass partitions will be set up at each counter and physical distancing will be required while in line. Attendees will be able to view their badges in advance to help minimize changes on site.
Revisions, Rules, and Credentials Committees will meet in Orlando and Cape Town as scheduled. Committee members in Cape Town will join their Committees via Zoom. All applicable COVID-19 protocols will be followed. The Revisions Committee will begin its work on June 30, 2021. The Rules and Credentials Committees will meet July 3-5, 2021.
Our partner hotels have also instituted many health and safety measures to assist in minimizing direct contact and interaction with others. Some of these measures include keyless room entry via cell phone, housekeeping by request only, hand sanitizing stations throughout the property, and required face coverings in common areas. Self-parking is strongly recommended.
There will not be a vendor exhibit hall on-site for the General Conference. However, a virtual vendor option is being developed by the 11th Episcopal District.
COVID-19 protocols will follow CDC guidelines for meetings and large gatherings. The guidelines are being monitored and adjustments are being made accordingly. All attendees will acknowledge their understanding of these protocols and requirements for the General Conference and Connectional Lay Organization Biennial.
Despite any lessening of national protocols, the AME Church will continue to enforce strict COVID-19 meeting protocols and guidelines for the General Conference and Biennial. These include a strong recommendation for vaccination before arrival in Orlando or Cape Town; face coverings for all attendees two years old and older; daily temperature checks, self-evaluations, and other screening measures; physical distancing; and one-way entrances and exits to the General Session Hall and DMRs. Additionally, attendees will adhere to a safety and operations plan reviewed and certified by healthcare professionals at Orlando Health.
Healthcare professionals will be in place in Orlando and Cape Town during both meetings. They will manage all COVID-19 issues as well as other medical emergencies and health concerns; provide screenings, staff first-aid clinics, provide telehealth options, and offer other health and safety support.
For additional information about General Conference, visit the official AME Church website at www.ame-church.com. Additionally, check your email for e-blasts from the CIO Office and The Christian Recorder or consult with your Episcopal District office. Observers with questions about registration or housing can call 1-833-628-6180, Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST, or email support@amec-2020gc.org.
The meeting plan has been designed with many safety protocols to help ensure a safe and healthy meeting. However, it will take all of us working together, following the protocols and guidelines, to ensure we have a safe and successful General Conference and Biennial. We look forward to seeing you in Orlando and Cape Town…Two Cities, One Church!
