Why an Annual All-Church Conference?

Saturday, October 7 th , we will gather as a church family at 7:00 pm in the God’s Hall Basement under the convening leadership of our Puget Sound Missional District Superintendent, Rev. Mark Galang. Some might liken this meeting to an organizations annual share-holders meeting. At this annual meeting, our church must answer to eight accountability questions dealing with financial audits, corporate status, insurance, parsonage, safe church policies, apportionments, as well as updated church and clergy profiles.

We also account each year of the membership rolls of our church family, both in gains and losses. We honor saints who have died. We also publicly present the pastor’s annual salary package for adoption each year as a means of transparency and accountability in stewardship. We will also be electing a new slate of officers for our ministry teams for the new year beginning January 2024. We have done better than expected this year in our ministry placement work. The Trustees, SPPR, and Finance Teams are fully vested, but we still lack a Council Recording Secretary, a Lay Leader, a Lay Member to Annual Conference, an Auditor, and a Mission Team Leader. Our Lay Leadership team (Officer election) will need some more participants, unless buttressed by the Executive team next fall. Nominations will always be received from the floor at the meeting for any vacancies that still remain.

As is stated in ¶ 247 of the UMC Book of Discipline, “Powers and Duties-1.3”: “The primary responsibilities of the charge conference (elected leaders only) in the annual meeting shall be to review and evaluate the total mission and ministry of the church (¶¶ 120-124), receive reports, and adopt objectives and goals recommended by the church council that are in keeping with the objectives of The United Methodist Church.”

Our church has always utilized the provision of the larger body of members gathering to voice and vote on all matters; ¶ 248. The Church Conference - “To encourage broader participation by members of the church, the charge conference may be convened as the church conference, extending the vote to all professing members of the local church present at such meetings. The church conference shall be authorized by the district superintendent.” For a full read of all the detailed duties, powers and expectations, log on to the UMC website:
https://www.umc.org/en/content/book-of-discipline-246-ff-the-charge-conference

It is a sacred task t give an account for our mission and ministry as followers of Jesus. Paul undergirds this idea of accountability and fruitfulness in our work and ministry. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthains 4:2 NIV). I want to thank this church family for its faithful devotion and commitment to staying in the story.

Faithful membership is about attending to things that matter in the life of Jesus’ mission. Showing up and participating in life with our “Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service, and Witness” is the covenant we make when we join a United Methodist congregation. I hope you I will join me and Cara as we again imbed our lives in this local family and mission outpost to engage our lives in discipleship that is transformational across the street and around the world.

Never Done Until He Comes!

Pastor David

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