The work of the 2019 Annual Conference begins Thursday with clergy and laity sessions.
At 10 a.m. all clergy (licensed, deacons and elders) who are currently under appointment, retired, or in extension ministry, are invited to attend the Clergy Session at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, 88 South Kanawha St., Buckhannon.
All others are invited to attend the laity session at the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts at 10 am.
The performing arts center is a new location for the laity session. It is behind Wesley Chapel, on the opposite side of College Avenue from the main campus. Handicap parking is available and there is a circle in front of the building for dropping off passengers. In addition, golf carts will be available for transportation needs.
The laity session will include information about the voting processes and things that laity will need to know about other Annual Conference activities. Ken Willard, the conference director of discipleship, leadership and congregational vitality, will remind us of our mission and the importance of spirit-filled, called lay leadership in the conference and in the world. Rich Shaffer will share highlights from the meeting of national Annual Conference Lay Leaders that he recently attended.
It is important that each person have the Conference Workbook and the information that is distributed at registration when attending the business sessions. These documents will be referred to by page number or document number throughout the sessions.
Also, during business sessions, it is important that all those with a vote sit within the “Bar” of the conference. The Bar includes most of the floor seating in Wesley Chapel (excluding the two back rows, which are for guests who are unable to go upstairs to sit on the sides of the balcony) and most of the center balcony section. There will be instructions at the first business session.
During worship and at other special times, seating is permitted anywhere except in specially reserved marked areas.
Detailed information about who may vote for and who may be elected as clergy delegates to the 2020 General or Jurisdictional conferences is printed on Page 212 of the Conference Workbook.