Special sessions of United Methodist annual conferences 2022

For a number of U.S. annual conferences, the sessions earlier this year are just the beginning. At least 17 conferences plan to have or have held special sessions to deal mainly with church disaffiliations. Most of these sessions will be online.

The South Georgia Conference was held on Aug. 20.
The Great Plains Conference on Sept. 10.
The Central Texas Conference on Sept. 17 at Arborlawn United Methodist Church, Fort Worth.
The Mountain Sky Conference on Oct. 21-22.
The Oklahoma Conference on Oct. 21-22 at Church of the Servant, Oklahoma City.
The Virginia Conference on Oct. 29.
The Alabama-West Florida Conference on Nov. 12.

The Louisiana Conference on Nov. 12.
The Arkansas Conference on Nov. 19 at the Hot Springs Convention Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
The Dakotas Conference on Nov. 19.
The Indiana Conference on Nov. 19.
The North Carolina Conference on Nov. 19 at Huff Concert Hall at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
The West Ohio Conference on Nov. 19.

The Northwest Texas Conference on Dec. 3.
The Texas Conference on Dec. 3 at First United Methodist West, Houston.
The Kentucky Conference on Dec. 4.
The North Alabama Conference on Dec. 10.

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Social Concerns

Pastor Laquaan Malachi of Brunswick United Methodist Church in Crystal speaks to the appointive council of the Minnesota Conference and to fellow members of the Wisdom Council, a panel designed to make sure historically underrepresented people have a say in the Minnesota Conference. Image from video by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

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Social Concerns

The Rev. Noé Gabriel López, director of social impact and belonging in the Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey conferences, and his wife, Iliana López Matos, who serves as the Cultural Competency Consultant for the conferences’ Bridges program, take part in “Faithful Resistance: A Public Witness for Immigrant Justice” Feb. 25 in Washington, D.C. The Rev. López chartered buses so church members from the conferences could join in the United Methodist-led event. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Sarah Borgstrom Lee.

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West Ohio delegates raise their arms in praise during morning worship at the 2024 United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. From right are the Revs. April Casperson and Dee Stickley-Miner and Tracy Chambers. On Nov. 5, the Council of Bishops announced annual conference voters ratified four ballots of constitutional amendments passed at General Conference. In addition to regionalization, the ratified amendments deal with inclusion in church membership, racial justice and educational requirements for clergy. Casperson helped lead the task force that championed the passage of the amendment on inclusiveness. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

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