United Methodists plan annual sessions
Feb. 13, 2006
NOTE: A list of annual conference dates and meeting locations follows this story. A photograph is available at http://umns.umc.org.
A UMNS Report By Linda Green*
United Methodists worldwide are preparing for their annual gatherings, where they will examine issues facing the church and strengthen their spiritual life together.
In 122 regional areas across the globe, United Methodists will meet to approve budgets, receive reports from conference boards and agencies, review ministries, adopt policy and programs of mission and ministry and pass resolutions. The church has 11 million members worldwide.
During the annual conference gatherings in the United States, Africa, Europe and the Philippines, one-year appointments of all conference clergy members will also be announced, new deacons and elders will be ordained, and candidates for ordination will be approved. A bishop will preside over each annual session.
While most of the gatherings will be in the spring and summer, some will be held in the winter and fall. The first session of 2006 will be in the Liberia Annual Conference, scheduled for Feb. 13-19 in Niva County, Liberia. The 63 regional U.S. gatherings will begin May 10-13 when the Troy Annual Conference convenes in Burlington, Vt., and will conclude June 25 with the adjournment of the California-Pacific Annual Conference in Redlands, Calif.
Annual conference meeting dates and places are:
U.S. ANNUAL CONFERENCES
North Central Jurisdiction
Dakotas, June 7-10, Watertown, S.D. Detroit, May 19-21, Adrian, Mich. East Ohio, June 19-22, Lakeside, Ohio Illinois Great Rivers, June 8-11, Peoria, Ill. Iowa, June 8-11, Ames, Iowa Minnesota, May 30-June 2, Saint Cloud, Minn. North Indiana, June 1-3, West Lafayette, Ind. Northern Illinois, June 11-14, St. Charles, Ill. South Indiana, June 8-10, Bloomington, Ind. West Michigan, June 1-4, Grand Rapids, Mich. West Ohio, June 11-14, Lakeside, Ohio Wisconsin, June 11-14, Middleton, Wis.
Northeastern Jurisdiction
Baltimore-Washington, May 25-27, Baltimore
Central Pennsylvania, June 8-10, Grantham, Pa. Eastern Pennsylvania, June 21-23, Philadelphia Greater New Jersey, June 1-3, King of Prussia, Pa. New England, June 7-10, Wenham, Mass. New York, June 7-10, Hempstead, N.Y. North Central New York, June 2-4, Liverpool, N.Y. Peninsula-Delaware, June 9-11, Princess Anne, Md. Troy, May 10-13, Burlington, Vt. West Virginia, June 8-11, Buckhannon, W.Va. Western New York, June 9-11, Buffalo, N.Y. Western Pennsylvania, June 15-18, Grove City, Pa. Wyoming, June 1-3, Scranton, Pa.
South Central Jurisdiction
Arkansas, June 11-14, Hot Springs, Ark. Central Texas, June 4-7, Waco, Texas Kansas East, May 31-June 3, Baldwin City, Kan. Kansas West, May 24-26, Salina, Kan. Louisiana, June 4-7, Shreveport, La. Missouri, June 9-12, Springfield, Mo. Nebraska, June 14-17, Kearney, Neb. New Mexico, May 31-June 3, Glorieta, N.M. North Texas, June 4-7, Plano, Texas Northwest Texas, June 7-10, Midland, Texas Oklahoma, May 29-June 1, Tulsa, Okla. Oklahoma Indian Missionary, June 8-11, Anadarko, Okla. Rio Grande, June 1-4, Abilene, Texas Southwest Texas, June 7-10, Corpus Christi, Texas Texas, May 28-June 1, Houston
Southeastern Jurisdiction
Alabama-West Florida, June 4-7, Mobile, Ala. Florida, June 1-3, Lakeland, Fla. Holston, June 11-14, Lake Junaluska, N.C. Kentucky, June 6-8, Bowling Green, Ky. Memphis, June 4-7, Paducah, Ky. Mississippi, June 11-14, Jackson, Miss. North Alabama, June 1-3, Birmingham, Ala. North Carolina, June 14-17, Greenville, N.C. North Georgia, June 13-16, Athens, Ga. Red Bird Missionary, May 12-13, Beverly, Ky. South Carolina, June 4-7, Orangeburg, S.C. South Georgia, June 4-7, Savannah, Ga. Tennessee, June 11-13, Murfreesboro, Tenn. Virginia, June 11-14, Hampton, Va. Western North Carolina, June 8-11, Lake Junaluska, N.C.
Western Jurisdiction
Alaska Missionary, May 26-28, Anchorage, Alaska California-Nevada, June 13-17, Sacramento, Calif. California-Pacific, June 20-25, Redlands, Calif. Desert Southwest, June 8-11, Scottsdale, Ariz. Oregon-Idaho, June 7-10, Nampa, Idaho. Pacific Northwest, June 14-17, Tacoma, Wash. Rocky Mountain, June 21-24, Greenwood Village, Colo. Yellowstone, June 7-10, Billings, Mont.
CENTRAL (OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES) CONFERENCES
(Information on some conferences is unavailable.)
Austria Provisional, May 17-21, Vienna, Austria Bicol Philippines Provisional, April 6-9 Naga City, Philippines Bulgaria Provisional, Sept. 18-22, (to be determined) Central Congo, July 10-16, Katako-Kombe, Democratic Republic of Congo Central Luzon Philippines, May 4-7, Paniqui, Tarlac, Philippines Central Russia, June 21-23, Moscow Czech & Slovak Republics, May 25-28, Plzen, Czech Republic East Congo, July 24-30, Kindu, Democratic Republic of Congo East Mindanao Philippines, May 11-13, Tagum City, Philippines Eastern Russia and Central Asia, May 4-6, Ekaterinburg, Russia Germany East, May 17-21, Sehmatal-Cranzahl, Saxonia, Germany Germany North, May 3-7, Eberswalde, Germany Germany South, May 11-14, Gerlingen & Boblingen, Germany Hungary, April 18-22, Miskolc, Hungary Liberia, Feb. 13-19, Niva County, Liberia Mindanao Philippines, May 25-28, Kidapawan City, Philippines North Central Philippines, March 24-26, Ilagan, Isabela, Philippines Northeast Luzon Philippines, March 3-5, Ramon, Isabela, Philippines Northeast Philippines, May 11-14, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines Northern Philippines, April 28-30, Gattaran, Cagayan, Philippines Northwest Mindanao Philippines, May 4-7, Sta. Cruz, Philippines Northwest Philippines, April 20-23, San Nicolas, Pangasian, Philippines Northwest Russia Provisional, May 18-20, Saint Petersburg, Russia Oriental & Equator, August 9-4, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo Pangasinan Philippines, May 25-28, San Carlos City, Pangasinan, Philippines Poland, June 9-11, Grudziaz, Poland Serbia-Montenegro/Rep. Macedonia, Oct. 18-22, Strumica, Macedonia Southern Russia, May 25-27, Voronezh, Russia Switzerland-France, June 15-18, Winterthur, Switzerland Tarlac Philippines, March 10-12, Tarlac City, Philippines Ukraine & Moldova, May 10-13, Kiev, Ukraine Visayas Philippines, April 20-23, Jimalalud, Negros Oriental, Philippines West Congo, Aug. 22-27, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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