Reflections from 2017 Annual Conference
June 12, 2017
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This past week I, along with our lay delegate Donna Winters and District UMW chair Karen Leonard, attended our annual Conference in Indianapolis. It was a jam packed three days of relationship building, voting on delivered reports and resolutions, and, most importantly, worshiping together as the body of Christ. I wanted to share with you some of the highlights as well as some links to videos compiled and made by our conference about our time together at Annual Conference:
1) For the first time in a long time our conference had a financial surplus meaning that we ended the fiscal year with more money than we had budgeted to spend. That is mostly due to the faithful giving of local churches like First Church who understand and value our connectional system.
2) Our annual conference, which is over one thousand local churches, raised just over $400,000 dollars for global health through our miracle offering! The donations given will go towards efforts to eliminate malaria, and treating individuals and communities local and globally who are struggling with HIV/AIDS.
3) Our Annual Conference voted to become greener and a more just conference through efforts to become more environmentally aware and seeking to reduce the amount of youth becoming homeless and/or committing suicide with an added emphasis on LGBTQ youth who are statistically more at risk of depression, suicide, and homelessness.
4) During the service of commissioning and ordination, appointments were fixed for the 2017-2018 appointment year which continues our ministry together as your pastor. I am honored to serve with you and be a “lead follower” as Bishop Mike Coyner once said helping lead our community to Jesus Christ.
If you would like more information about annual conference or specific reports approved please click here.
If you would like to watch a recap of annual conference in video click here.