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Annual Conference 2022 Wraps Up at Lake Junaluska
Thank you for joining us at Lake Junaluska for the Western NC Conference of The United Methodist Church Annual Conference 2022! Here are some updates, reports, photos, and more from the end of AC2022.
Saturday Afternoon Conference Plenary Business Sessions
At two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, as the last delegates entered and scanned Stuart Auditorium for any open seat, Bishop Carter welcomed everyone back from their scattered lunch experiences, and the organ once again came alive with a familiar and welcomed hymn. The words resounded as people from every section sang in unison of a shared hope, built not on sinking sand, but the Rock that connects us all, Jesus Christ.
The theme of hope was carried forward as Bob Shepherd from the Blue Ridge District shared by video why he chose to #BeUMC, and Catherine Gantt filled the pulpit with the joy of her work in the Smoky Mountain District, bearing witness and reminding everyone that God is still in the miracle business.
Scattered throughout the stories of hope, decisions were made by the body of delegates to live into that hope. Rev. Amy Coles presented Resolutions for Closure for Elkwood (Asheville) UMC, Giles Chapel UMC, Helton UMC, Hodgin Memorial UMC, Nebo UMC, and Rockford Street UMC, proclaiming that their "light lives on" in each baptism, each Sunday School lesson, and each community member once served. Each resolution passed, and Rev. Coles offered a Litany of Thanks to celebrate the good work of each congregation.
Next, Conference Chancellor Greg Huffman presented eighteen congregations for disaffiliation on behalf of the conference board of trustees. Huffman reiterated that each congregation had completed due diligence, and were in compliance with ?2553 of the 2016 Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church. The disaffiliations of Bellview UMC, Bethlehem (Cherryville) UMC, Burnett's Chapel UMC, Carson's Chapel UMC, Cornatzer UMC, Grassy Creek UMC, Gray's Chapel UMC, Lafayette Street UMC, Ledford's Chapel UMC, Lineberry UMC, Maple Springs UMC, Martin's Creek UMC, Mary's Grove UMC, Midway UMC, Nesbitt's Chapel UMC, New Union UMC, Pleasant Grove (Denton) UMC, and West Marion UMC were approved by the delegation, and Bishop Carter offered a blessing releasing each congregation, pledging to never disparage anyone for their choice, and asking for the same in return. He then invited anyone in any disaffiliated congregation who wished to remain United Methodist to participate in an initiative aiming to help with reconnection and restoration.
In continuing the theme of hope, Rev. Rob Hutchinson presented a collaborative video which set the tone for the remainder of the afternoon by proclaiming, "God is making something new!" He spoke on vitality and recounted how vital congregations were essential and necessary to the communities that surround them. Presenters spoke about new forms of Fresh Expressions, Transformation Journey experiences, and participation in Both/And cohorts. Additionally, video stories of church plants and anchored ministries were shared.
Business resumed as Petition 17 was brought to the floor and ruled out of order due primarily to a pending declaration by the Judicial Council on a ruling which could affect the validity of the proposed pathway to disaffiliation. Out of respect, Bishop Carter allowed Jennifer Linebery to speak on behalf of the petition.
In further business, Petition 18 was presented, which was met (after debate) with an approved revision which held disaffiliating congregations responsible for clergy compensation and benefits. This petition was ultimately voted down, though there was some debate from the floor.
After a short break, Petition 19 was withdrawn, and another #BeUMC story was shared, this one by the Rev. Sam Moore, who shared his personal story of hope, and spoke of the work his ancestors had done to bring the United Methodist Church to where it is today. Mark Hicks, Founding Director of Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries of North Carolina, then introduced that organization's new branding, mission, and vision under the name Cross and Key Prison Ministries and offered a report of their good work in prisons throughout Western North Carolina Communities. Next, Rev. Rob Hutchinson introduced Jason Moore via livestream who shared about the Both/And initiative with the hope that congregations conference-wide would embrace opportunities for deeper connection through online community. He offered tips for online engagement and invited congregations to apply for the next Both/And cohort.
To close the session, Barby Bowser awarded the recipient of the Harry Denman Evangelism Award which aims to award persons who consistently introduce others to the Good News of Jesus Christ in their ministry settings, to Brittany Bethel for her outstanding work with students and Carolina Cross Connection. More information on that award can be found here.
| The Ordering of Ministry Service The 2022 Ordering of Ministry Service opened with the Annual Conference Worship Team performing with beautiful harmonizing music as the congregation took their seats. All the families, friends, colleagues, and supporters excitedly anticipated the procession of all those to be licensed, ordained, and commissioned. There were 30 Candidates to be Licensed as Local Pastors, 16 Candidates to be Commissioned as Provisional Members, 2 Candidates to be Ordained as Deacons, 8 Candidates to be Ordained as Elders, and 1 Transfer from The Church of God of Cleveland, TN. All 57 people stood to be presented before the congregation and The Annual Conference. Bishop Carter offered a message on "The Parable of the Soils". He opened with a personal story about his first appointment at a rural church in Western NC. "It was an honor to teach and preach the word of God there". He proceeded to reflect on the tragedies that happened in Buffalo, Charleston, Parkland, Uvalde, Birmingham, and Orlando. "What seeds are we planting? What seeds are we planting that lead to life and not death? What kind of soil are we? What kind of soil are our local churches?" he said. Bishop Carter offered his wise words about leadership to the candidates. "To those being Commissioned, Licensed, and Ordained: Ask the hard questions! Jesus had hard conversations. What kind of church can I help to cultivate? You are the sowers. The planter of seeds. The word of God is powerful, rearranges our identities, our relationships, and the Word of God is NOT simple. Be a part of the solution to the pain and the injustice that our world is experiencing today. Love your enemies, go the extra mile, give a lot of grace, and be the Holy people that God wants us to be," he passionately preached. The Bishop ended his sermon with these reassuring words: "In all of this, God will give you everything you need." The service continued with the official Licensing of Local Pastors, Commissioning of Provisional Members, Ordaining of Deacons, and the Ordaining of Elders. The congregation celebrated with their fellow brothers and sisters who received the apostolic tradition of the laying on of hands by Bishop Carter and Bishop McCleskey. All 57 newly Licensed, Commissioned, and Ordained persons were sent forth for ministry in the world by Bishop Carter and The Western NC Annual Conference of The UMC. A huge congratulations to all the new clergy in our conference! May God be with you every step of this new journey! |
| | Closing Worship with Bishop Carter The congregation filled up Stuart Auditorium for one final worship service of the 2022 Western NC Annual Conference at 10am on Sunday, June 19. Bishop Carter opened his sermon by joking that he spends a lot of the summer writing "thank you notes" to a lot of people who helped make the Annual Conference possible. He thanked Rev. Amy Coles (Assistant to the Bishop), Rev. Kim Ingram (Conference Secretary), DeEtta Rivens (Executive Administrative Assistant to the Bishop), Rev. Justin Lowe (Annual Conference Worship Team Leader), all the musicians, and the Lake Junaluska staff. The Bishop continued with a note about today being Juneteenth. He encouraged the congregation to learn more about the struggle for freedom and emancipation in our country and our world. "As followers of Jesus who came to set the captives free, we can all be a part of this," he said. Bishop Carter's message was a personal reflection on the theme of Annual Conference: Connect, Imagine, Engage. Connect: How we connect to God's purpose in our lives. As a junior in high school, his parents' marriage came to an end. He and his family attended church every Sunday and sat in the same spot every week. Their family had deep roots in this church. When his parents separated, some members of the church felt that the Carter family should find a different church which left a young Bishop Carter feeling left out. At the recommendation of a school teacher, they decided to try a United Methodist Church called Epworth UMC in GA. This church helped Bishop Carter to feel included. That is how he became a United Methodist and felt connected to the Church and to Jesus. His wife, Pam, jokes that the Bishop "...was not born a Methodist, but got there as quickly as he could." Everyone has a story of connection. "Are we going to include someone or not?" He posed this question as a conclusion to his story on Connection. Imagine: God is at work in us. While in college, East Highland UMC in Columbus, GA called and asked if Bishop Carter would be the Youth Pastor at this church. He "had zero experience doing this kind of work," he joked. The youth group was the center of these kids' social lives. With the leadership and mentorship of Bishop Carter as their youth pastor, between 12-15 youth became baptized and then members of East Highland UMC. "That helped me to imagine a different life for myself," he said. He was studying biology and enjoyed it but more and more of his heart was with the Church and youth. "You may think your church is not significant. In every church, there is something at stake. God is doing something. God is connecting people. God is giving people something to imagine," he concluded. Engage: The Lay People have taught him how to engage. He started this section with a realization that the Lay People of his previous churches were the ones pushing him to be engaged, not the other way around. "The laity are immersed in the world and we as clergy's job is to support that and walk with them," The Bishop stated. "Holiness is being made perfect in love in this life. It's not running from each other but running toward each other. What does holiness mean? What does righteousness mean? If we get that wrong a lot of people are harmed. If we get that right, then God is able to work through us. In a very fearful time, in a very polarized time, God is still speaking to us," Bishop Ken Carter concluded as he bowed his head to pray. The Offering for today will be divided evenly between two important ministries: The preservation and infrastructural improvements of the historic George R. Stuart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska, and toward grant funding that will be distributed among small, rural, and churches of color in the Western NC Conference that are ready and willing to explore how digital resources can impact their worship, discipleship, hospitality, and leadership. The Bishop then prayed for each District Superintendent as well as the Clergy and Lay People that serve in the Conference. He called up each DS one at a time: Rev. Lory Beth Huffman- Appalachian DS Rev. Mark Ralls - Blue Ridge DS Rev. David Christy - Catawba Valley DS Rev. Dan Pezet - Metro DS Rev. Bev Coppley - Northern Piedmont DS Rev. Jae Lee - Smoky Mountain DS Rev. Laura Auten - Uwharrie DS Rev. Sam Moore - Yadkin Valley DS Bishop Carter officially fixed the 2022-2023 appointments to the local churches, appointments beyond the local church, and appointments to extension ministries. Thank you to the Davidson UMC Youth Handbell Choir led by Rev. Dr. Kevin Turner for sharing their beautiful talents of music with the congregation this morning! That's a wrap for The 2022 Western NC Annual Conference! The meeting was adjourned by Bishop Carter. Many made their way to the Nanci Weldon Pavillion for the Juneteenth Celebration that took place this afternoon on Lake Junaluska's campus. |
| Connect @ Annual Conference Events "This is the most fun I've ever had at Annual Conference!" I heard this several times this year as I checked in on our Connect @ AC events throughout the weekend. On Thursday morning, Jonathan Brake and the Creation Care Ministry of the WNCC led a hike up Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which included some time of spiritual preparation for Conference. Wayner Dickert, our resident Olympic paddler, led a group of various ages paddling on Lake J. Two participants connected as they paddled and planned to partner in ministry on Lake Norman when they return home. Jeremy Morris and Patrick Ledford gave fly fishing lessons (Patrick brought the metronome). Jaidymar Smith led a time of intergenerational Bible Devotional Art by the lake. She leads a fresh expression of church called Growing Together that gathers like this every month in Ramseur. Two groups went out for a round of golf and had a great time. Friday evening was one for the books. As the Recognition of Retiring Clergy let out, Martha Basset and her band kicked off a lively set of folk, Americana, and jazz music. Folks grabbed dinner from the food trucks and pulled up chairs to visit and listen. Meanwhile, a group gathered at the cross looking over the lake for an old-fashioned hymn sing. Jarvis and Keith Wilson and several members of the Greensboro Ensemble were there so you know there was some heavenly worship happening! Across the pond at the Nanci Weldon Gym things were getting messy. Robin Cannon of Messy Church USA, Mary Miller, Cathy Davis, and Charles Dirico led an incredible Messy Church for all ages. As Martha Basset and the band wrapped up, I started passing out headphones for the Silent Dance Party. I was a bit worried that Methodists might be too shy to bust a move in the courtyard but at least 50 people stopped by to dance, including Kim Ingram who led us in the electric slide. Up in the Terrace a group gathered to attend a live stream of the Seventh Mother Emanuel AME Commemorative Service for the Martyred. There was an unexpected delay in the live stream, so each person offered a prayer. Bill White, who led the group, told me it was a solemn and sweet gathering. Offsite, folks gathered for dinner and others met up for drinks at Boojums. The longest event of the evening was D&D. Dan Pezet, Metro District Superintendent, led the group as they defended the kingdom from a raging goblin horde. They were still going strong when I was cleaning up around 8:30. In our denomination we are passionate about connectionalism. Connectionalism is more than working together. Building relationships—whether by playing together, worshipping together, or lamenting together—is vital for connectionalism. So as we leave the lake and return home, may we not cease to worship together, lament together, and throw good parties. -Luke Edwards, Associate Director of Church Development |
| | Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. In churches across our Conference, people of all races are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. At the 2022 Annual Juneteenth Gospel Celebration, hosted by Lake Junaluska and the Smoky Mountain District, we joined with Americans across the nation to tell the stories of our past and celebrate the hope that comes through freedom! We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing it along to the next generation— God's fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done. -Psalm 78:4 In the fall of 2020, Ken Howle reached out to The Smoky Mountain District on behalf of Lake Junaluska to partner and plan a worship service to show solidarity with African Americans all over the country who were protesting gross injustices such as the death of George Floyd. Those conversations led to the formation of the Smoky Mountain District's Justice and Reconciliation Team and the Juneteenth Gospel Celebration was conceived, with the first annual celebration held on June 19, 2021. This year's Juneteenth Gospel Celebration focused on telling our stories through the power of song. Three phenomenal musical acts headlined the event: The Catamount Singers from Western Carolina University, Dr. Tiffany Jackson, who performed her one woman showFrom the Hood to the Ivy League, "an autobiographical account of a girl raised in the hood and born to a sharecropper's daughter, whose gift to sing paves a path for her to travel the world singing classical music, but whose heart recognizes the need to return to the hood to serve in purpose," and The Community Gospel Choir led by Rockell Scott. The spirit of the Juneteenth Gospel Celebration is one of community and festivity. Friends and family gathered at the Nanci Weldon Open-Air Gym at Lake Junaluska for food, fellowship, and of course gospel music! The kids enjoyed bouncing on inflatables and running around the field. Everyone enjoyed good food from the food trucks and free watermelon and cake. Old friends were able to connect and new friendships were formed. It is the hope of the planning committee that through these annual celebrations, strangers and neighbors will build relationships from this shared experience, which will in turn help to break down barriers and stereotypes. There is still much work to be done as we attempt to combat the forces of racism in our churches and conference, but we will not stop this good and right work. Together, with God's strength and grace, we will build a better tomorrow for our churches, communities, and children. |
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The Conference Office will be closed on Monday, June 20 in honor of Juneteenth.
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