CHD -- ANNUAL CONFERENCE Update
Dear Pastor, Lay Member and others attending Annual Conference -- Following are details about the upcoming Pre-Conference Briefing to be held on 5/18/19, mailing of AC Registration Packets, Credentials and Resources for First Time Attendees. Read on for details.
Annual Conference Pre-Conference Briefing scheduled for Saturday, May 18. -- All members to Annual Conference are EXPECTED to attend the Pre-Conference and Annual Conference meetings.
There are two opportunities to attend the Pre-Conference Briefing. The morning session will be held at Jackson Chapel UMC, at 5609 Ballenger Creek Pike in Frederick from 9:30 a.m. until noon. The afternoon session is at St. Johns United Church in the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, at 10431 Twin Rivers Road in Columbia from 2 to 4:30 p.m. To learn more about the 235th Session of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference "We Are One United to Love".
Annual Conference (AC) Registration -- Everything is handled by Darlene Washington, Registrar, 2019 Annual Conference Registration Office, 1.800.492.2525 ext.498 and direct line: 410.309.3498; e-mail: If you get her voice mail, she will return your call.
2019 Mission Focus -- RISE AGAINST HUNGER -- On May 30, you are invited to join the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church's Meal Packaging Event at this year's Annual Conference, in the movement to end hunger by the year 2030. Learn more. (A bulletin-sized flyer art is attached.)
REGISTRATION PACKETS – were distributed as they were last year so watch the mailbox since they were sent out the beginning of May. An e-mail message was sent to the e-mail address on your Arena record. If it is not in your In-box, please check your JUNK or CLUTTER folders. This may mean your email has changed so you should log into Arena and check the address listed.
New for 2019. “If you registered on/before May 1st, 2019, you will be receiving your registration packet in the mail prior to Annual Conference. This will allow you to take advantage of our Express Check-In ("ECI") program. Please make sure to review important information regarding this program in the e-mail and how it can reduce your check-in time at Annual Conference. ..."
CREDENTIALS -- When they check-in all CLERGY and Lay Members to Annual Conference must present a completed and signed credential form in order to receive their voting unit.
~ CLERGY -- Click, download and complete BLANK Clergy Credentials
~ LAITY -- Click, download and complete BLANK Lay Credentials
YOUR PASTOR MUST SIGN THE LAY CREDENTIAL FORM BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AT AC. It is very difficult to track them do for their signature during Annual Conference!
FIRST-TIME LAY MEMBERS TO AC --- This event can be a little over-whelming if this is your first time attending but never fear there are lots of resources available BUT check them out BEFORE you get to AC:
- Lay Member to AC Job Description -- The entire job description from the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) is attached. More job descriptions can be found at that link too.
- Annual Conference Primer – This is a great overview of the event and gives you tips of what to report back to your church AFTER attending AC. Be sure to read it before attending.
- Dailies Newspaper -- During the conference make sure to pick up a “Dailies” newspaper early each day – they go very fast. They list daily schedule and other pertinent information but they go fast so make sure to get one.
- Annual Conference Laity Report Form template -- One of the assignments for the Lay Member to AC based on the BOD ¶251.2 is to … “Report to the congregation in the week following the annual conference session and to the church council at its next meeting after the close of the conference session. The Discipline states that the report to the church council must be within three months of the close of the session.“
Here is a Word document template to give you some guidelines in preparing your report and what to watch for during the Conference. Feel free to edit it as you see fit. I suggest you print an outline of the key topics/ points of the report to help you take notes. Many more resources can be found on the BWC website.
- AC Overview – In previous years, a press release is posted on the website following Annual Conference, containing details about petitions that passed and other highlights from 2019 AC BUT this is not posted until AFTER the event.
Hope to see you at Annual Conference. I will be at Laity Check-In so stop by and wave! Most times that is all I have time for!!!
Peace and Blessings,
Miss P
Penny R Gaver
Cumberland-Hagerstown District Administrator
The United Methodist Church
Baltimore-Washington Conference
Direct #: 301-788-0016
“Thank you God for work that matters!”