Presidents of annual conferences that increased the number of chartered organizations are honored during the February 27-March 2 meeting of the National Association of Conference Presidents

NASHVILLE, Tenn.––There are now 3,745 charted organizations of UM Men, a jump of 149 units, according to the General Commission on UM Men.

With 313 chartered units, Virginia Annual Conference has the highest number, an increase of 18 units over the number chartered in 2012.

Baltimore-Washington Conference leads the Northeastern Jurisdiction with 138 charters; Missouri tops the South Central Jurisdiction with 102; Illinois Great Rivers caps the North Central Jurisdiction with 88 groups, and California –Pacific leads the Western Jurisdiction with 65.

North Carolina Conference increased the number of chartered groups by 23 to a total of 205, the highest numerical increase in the denomination. Northern Illinois topped the North Central Jurisdiction with ten new units; New York led the Northeastern Jurisdiction with seven new charters, Missouri led South Central with 10 and California-Pacific led the West with six additional charters in 2013.

“We have groups with as few as five men that faithfully recertify their charter because of its importance, and we have groups with dozens of men,” said Joe Strausbaugh, charter administrator for the commission. “We had 73 first-time charters last year.”

“Men are responding in greater numbers to God's call to making a difference in the church and making disciples for Jesus Christ in this hurting world,” said Dan Ramsey, president of the National Association of Conference Presidents. “This is a great example of listening to and following that still small voice of God.”