North Carolina Annual Conference 2009 Blog

It’s All About Numbers
Although I’ve never heard this comment from a bishop, a pastor, or a church that was growing, a frequently heard comment in response to our Conference Priorities, from those who have limited their ministry to decline is, “So? It’s all about the numbers.”
Though I don’t see much indication that we have become [...]

Bishop Al Gwinn fixed the pastoral appointments for 2009 to 2010 including 172 new changes. The Conference body prayed over these pastors and churches.

Reverend Carol Goehring, Conference Director of Connectional Ministries, presented the nominations to Conference teams and committees and the officers were elected. District officers and committee members were also elected as nominated in the handouts on Saturday.

The Online and Web Ministry of the Annual Conference event went to a new level in 2009 and a record number of persons logged on to watch the Conference live and read about it. According to computer records, there were 1,848 views of the live stream. The average viewer watched for 22 minutes.
The [...]

The 2009 Annual Conference determined the location of the 2010 Annual Conference as the Greenville Convention Center. The Bishop sets the time of the Conference and it was announced that the dates will be June 10th through 12th, one day shorter than usual, as a way of being good stewards of our funds.

Saturday morning was the occasion of the report from the Committee on Resolutions and Reference. They delivered four resolutions that came from the people and committees of the Annual Conference.
Resolution 1: The substitute resolution from the Committee on Disability Concerns in “Favor of Tobacco-Free Environments” was passed by the Conference without amendment.
Resolution 2: [...]

Saturday’s closing worship and sending forth included a new form of witness instead of the traditional Methodist Lovefeast. This year, four speakers came forward to share stories of God’s good work amongst us, followed by reflections from members of the congregation.
Reverend Dr. Roger Elliott delivered the final sermon on the priority of the church [...]

Our Conference Committee on Finance and Administration presented a revised 2010 budget and a 2011 budget for the Conference. Usually, budgets are determined one year, raised the next year, and spent in the following year. While this is still the normal practice, unusual economic conditions have necessitated adjustments to the 2010 budget. [...]

The 2009 Session of the Annual Conference approved 3 resolutions. You can get a PDF copy here.

Find a Wrap-Up edition of The Saddlebag newsletter, covering Saturday’s proceedings, only available online tomorrow.
Videos, blog, Saddlebag newsletters and more available at www.nccumc.org. Click on the Annual Conference banner at the top of the page.
Order DVD’s of the Worship Services (including Ordination) or Adam Hamilton’s Sessions for a small fee. Go behind the stage [...]

Burlington – Hillsborough UMC, Prayers and Squares
Durham – McMannen UMC, Reconciliation and Justice
Elizabeth City – Elizabeth City Churches, Mobile Food Pantry
Fayetteville – Solid Rock UMC, Solid Foundations, Inc.
Goldsboro – Garris Chapel UMC, Dana’s Wardrobe
Greenville – Salem UMC, Children’s Ministries
New Bern – Bethlehem UMC, Helping Hands
Raleigh – Fuquay-Varina UMC, Covenant Community Garden
Rocky Mount – Jackson UMC, [...]

An amendment to the 2010 budget was presented by the Commission on Clergy Counseling and Consultation that generated heartfelt discussion on the floor of Conference yesterday morning. The amendment would have restored $63,300 to budget line item 45 to which the 2008 Annual Conference had allotted $158,720. After reviewing a standing vote, the [...]

North Carolina Annual Conference
June 12, 2009, 5:00 PM
Ed Priestaf and Carolyn Hankins
Here’s a celebration: not long ago, if you were a woman in seminary, you looked around, and you were the only woman there. If you felt called into the ministry and you were having to hear the words, “No!, Not Yet, It’s Not [...]

Thursday, June 11, 2009
Numbers, numbers, and more numbers. In the sessions of the Annual Conference, our work as followers of Christ often seems to get reduced to numbers – program budgets, salaries, pensions. During each session, members of the Monitoring and Accountability Committee add to the inundation of numbers as we take [...]

(Check out my church blog on which I and my lay member to Annual Conference are posting: http://aventview.blogspot.com -Taylor Mills)

Reverend Herbert Lowry preached and Rev. Suzanne Dornsmith danced for the All Saints Celebration—Memorial Service yesterday in which the following clergy were remembered:
Susan Webb Lutz Allred, James Albert Auman, Walton Needham Bass, Sr., René Orville Bideaux, John Robert Blue, Clingman Carter Capps, Clyde McGee Creech, Sr., John Hammond Crum, Charles Spence Hubbard, Doris Jean Johnson, [...]

Reverend Keith Nanney preached for the Retiree Recognition Service yesterday in which the following new retirees were honored:
Milton Bailey Collier, Jr., Sandra Jean (Rose) Conner, William Thomas Cottingham III, John Quinton Covington, Jr., Simeon Dufrene Cummings, Gayle Carlton Felton, Haywood Wrenn Gillikin, Walter Lawrence Graves, Harold Harvey Harbin, Jr., Charles Malcolm Herring, Durward Douglas Jessee, [...]

Bishop Al Gwinn made a special appeal for generous giving for our mission in Costa Rica. He recalled spending some enriching time amongst the Christians there. The offering brought in $5,038 for the Costa Rican mission.

Seventy-nine churches across our Conference were recognized yesterday by Bishop Gwinn and the Conference as “Acts 2 Churches” who exhibit radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional spiritual formation, and risk-taking mission and ministry to the world.
Nomination forms for being recognized as an Acts 2 Church are available every year online before Annual Conference. This year, [...]

On Thursday, Rev. Jim Mentzer presented the good news to the Conference that the Insurance Committee recommends no increase in upcoming health insurance premiums. Rates have remained unchanged for the last six years for active clergy and the last four years for retirees.
The Task Force on Retiree Health Benefits recognizes an unfunded liability of [...]

North Carolina United Methodists are on the move and this includes the Conference headquarters. As per the 2008 Conference overwhelming action, the Glenwood Avenue and Wade Avenue properties in Raleigh went up for sale. This included the office building and the Raleigh Townhomes. The office building and the 2.5 acres on which [...]

Bishop Al Gwinn recognized the new presidents of two of our United Methodist-related colleges. Dr. James Gray III takes over as leader of Rocky Mount Wesley an College. Louisburg College welcomes Dr. Mark La Branche as president. Finally, the Conference was introduced to Robert (Bobby) Harris III, the new director of the [...]

“What if church was more than a building?” This is part of a new message and media campaign by United Methodist Communications, (UMCom) the media ministry of The United Methodist Church.
In 2000, UMCom launched Igniting Ministry whose message was “Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.” While this slogan remains relevant, the [...]

HUGE Congrats to the Newly Commissioned and Ordained Clergy of the NC Annual Conference……..
Provisional Deacon: Kristina Johnson Yeatts
Provisional Elders: Joseph David Beam IV, Harriett Taylor Bounds, Timothy Davis Catlett, Dalma Lynn Garrell Cribb, Alice Wade Davis, Christi DeSha Dye, Elizabeth Ann Gaines, James Haywood Henderson, David Lewis King, Laura Fine Ledford, John Michael McAllister, Donald [...]

The Committee on Finance and Administration (CF&A) proposed a newly revised 2010 Conference budget that generated discussion yesterday afternoon. In addition to the $367,409 of reductions reported in Wednesday’s The Saddlebag, the amount for the Minister’s Transition Fund (line 83) is recommended to be $0 because the Fund is now self-supported by its cumulative [...]

2009 Ordination and Commissioning Sermon
“In The Midst of New Dimensions”
John 15:1-8
Bishop Al Gwinn
This is a high and holy moment for obvious reasons – but also because the Lord is here! That’s right; the head of the Church is here! Behold the Son of God walks among us tonight! So take a moment [...]

The Honorable Patricia Dunn, Mayor of the City of Greenville, welcomed members and guests of the Annual Conference yesterday to her great city. This was followed by a special welcome to two Mrs. Gwinns: the bishop’s wife and his mother.
Also at our conference is Rev. Dr. Belton Joyner, the Secretary of the Judicial Council [...]

The special offering taken for the Marion Edwards Recovery Center Initiatives (MERCI) brought forth a generous $10,966.92 in giving!

Just checked with the Treasurer’s Office to get the total of the offering for the MERCI center that was just taken. Usually, they are done by now. But they said that the offering is so big, they haven’t finished counting it yet! We’ll get it for you when they’re finished.

STATE OF THE CHURCH ADDRESS
Bishop Al Gwinn
June 13, 2009
J. B. Phillips, once wrote a book with the title, Your God Is Too Small. Whether you agree with his theology or not, his premise is right on target. It doesn’t matter how smart you are, how good you are, or how attractive you are. [...]

As I write this, members and guests of the Annual Conference are coming forward for Communion. The Bishop gave his passionate State of the Church address which we hope to post soon. Elise Eslinger is leading moving new music for us to sing.

This year there will be four resolutions presented to the Annual Conference. Three of this come from conference agencies and will simply be scheduled by the Committee on Resolutions. The fourth resolution will be presented with a recommendation for concurrence, nonconcurrence, or referral (to another committee or team).
Resolution 1:  In Favor of Tobacco-Free Environments comes [...]

Check-in at the registration table upon arrival.
Wear your nametag with colored lanyard at all times.
When speaking from the floor, clearly state your name and church or Conference affiliation.
No Conference-wide meals are served.
Please silence your cell phone and other electronic devices.
We gather for what John Wesley called “holy Christian conferencing.”

This year’s Annual Conference will vote on two budgets instead of the usual one. Along with the 2011 budget, a revised 2010 Conference budget will be presented from the Conference Connectional Table and the Council on Finance and Administration. This is in response to economic conditions that have changed since 2008.
The new revised [...]

Workshops for lay and clergy members and guests of the North Carolina Annual Conference will be offered for the first time this year. This is in keeping with the 2009 focus on Learning as a part of our theme: A Future With Hope. Five workshops will be held Thursday evening from 7:30PM to [...]

The Greenville Convention Center is the site of the 2009 Annual Conference of the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church from June 10 through 13. The theme for the 2009-2012 quadrennium is “A Future With Hope.” For 2009, the focus will be on Learning.
Bishop Al Gwinn will preside over the conference [...]

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