2018 Arkansas Annual Conference

Name of conference: Arkansas Conference

Location of conference gathering: Bank of the Ozarks Arena, Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs, Arkansas

Dates of conference gathering: June 17-20

Officiating bishop: Gary E. Mueller

Speakers:

• Bishop Reuben Saenz Jr., episcopal leader of the Great Plains Area (Kansas/Nebraska), was guest preacher for the Service of Commissioning and Ordination. Recalling his days of playing sports and coaching, he advised that forming a huddle can be an important tool in the setting of ministry, to analyze the past and plan for the future. Consider "huddling up" in the face of fear "that causes despair and capitulation, when sin has created separation from God, when you want to quit," Saenz said. "You will find yourself in lots of huddles in your ministry. It is your role to dispel fear with the peace and hope that only Christ can bring."
   
• The Rev. Junius B. Dotson, top executive of Discipleship Ministries, led three teaching plenaries, each focused on understanding and strengthening discipleship. "Discipleship is not a class you graduate from; it's not a series of studies you attend and then you are done," Dotson said. "Discipleship is a lifelong journey … a passion every day for knowing, growing, serving, sharing Jesus."  
• Bishop Gary E. Mueller, in his episcopal address, expounded on the conference theme, "Pathways to Hope," and encouraged United Methodists to take hope in these four truths: 1) God is still God and God is not finished yet; 2) We've still got Jesus and that's all we need; 3) We can experience the fullness of God's unconditional, invitational and transformational love in Jesus Christ that changes everything; and 4) It's not how "successful" we are, it's what Jesus' power can do.

Main actions enacted by the conference:

• Bishop Mueller gave an update on the Commission on a Way Forward and the Council of Bishops' response, which he admitted did little but "muddy waters that were already muddy," adding, "I understand your confusion, frustration and skepticism." He led conference members in discussing in small groups the strengths and values of being a United Methodist Christian and "remembering who we really are." He called on members to "fast, pause and pray for our church's mission and way forward during the 2019 General Conference." In conclusion, he said, "I know this: the day after General Conference, regardless of what happens, we still need to be about the work of making disciples of Jesus Christ."

• A Camp and Retreat Ministries Task Force reported that one conference camp is currently accredited by the American Camp Association. The remaining three camps were given until Dec. 31, 2019, to obtain ACA accreditation.
• The Center for Communication announced that the Arkansas United Methodist, which has been produced by the conference as a printed newspaper since 1880, will be changed to an online digital magazine and distributed at no cost to clergy and laity, beginning in August.
• An amendment to the charter of Hendrix College was approved, reducing the total number of members of the Board of Trustees from 42 to 34.
• A Future Facility Task Force, examining current and emerging needs of the Arkansas Conference office, was granted another year to continue the assessment, collect more data and explore future building and space needs.

What did your annual conference do to reinforce the Four Areas of Focus, and what commitments has the conference made for the coming year? 

• Leaders of the 200,000 Reasons to Fight Childhood Hunger initiative (so named because Arkansas has roughly 200,000 children, or 1 in 4, who face food insecurity) reported that 66 percent of the state's United Methodist churches currently have a ministry that feeds hungry kids, up 20 percent from last year. The goal for 2018-19 is to increase church participation to 80 percent.
• The Center on Vitality (www.vitaldisciples.org) continues to celebrate faith sharing and announced plans for a Summit on Growing Disciples on Aug. 25, building on a similar discipling event in 2016 that drew more than 600 participants. The Leadership Unleashed initiative for lay leaders is expanding to emphasize Communities of Practice. Church leaders from many conferences have expressed interest in adapting materials and replicating how the center is motivating and engaging people in ministry.
• The Office of Connectional Ministry was lauded for leadership that embodies the trajectory of the conference, guided by the mission statement "Creating vital congregations that make disciples of Jesus Christ, who make disciples equipped to transform lives, communities and the world." Connectional Ministry provides the umbrella for a variety of conference ministries and services, including new church/mission engagement, campus ministry, youth and children's ministry, feeding ministries, camp and retreat ministry, Volunteers in Ministry/disaster relief, global ministry, interfaith ministries and ethnic ministries, to name but a few.

Resolutions adopted by the conference:

• A Resolution to End Child/Parent Separation, drafted in response to recent U.S. government policy of "zero tolerance" for illegal immigrants entering the country that has resulted in children being separated from parents, urged the U.S. Department of Justice to discontinue separating children from their families and called on "leaders and policymakers" to ensure that laws affirm "the inherent worth, dignity and human rights of all immigrants."
• A Resolution Regarding Native American Ministries will reinstate the Committee on Native American Ministry in the conference structure. The body vowed to actively work toward the awareness of and the inclusion of Native Americans within all aspects of the conference.

Resolution referred:

• A Resolution Affirming Women in Ministry, sponsored by a group called Arkansas Connection of Orthodox Wesleyans, called on the conference to "earnestly and enthusiastically endorse the full inclusion and equality of women as ordained elders and deacons, diaconal ministers and licensed local pastors among us." During discussion of the resolution, a group of about 50 lay and clergy women walked out the bar of the conference after voicing disappointment at what they termed "the lack of women consulted in forming the resolution." The resolution was referred, to allow for Holy Conferencing.

Number of people:

Ordained: 8

Commissioned: 6

Associate membership: 0

Number of people retired: 25

Membership stands at 127,815, down 915.

Worship attendance stands at 45,632, down 1,702.  

Church school attendance stands at 21,388, up 441.

Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2017 totaled 1,584, down 415. 

Adults and young adults in small groups for 2017 totaled 30,440, up 701.

Worshippers engaged in mission for 2017 totaled 31,969, up 1,673.

— Jane Dennis, Arkansas United Methodist interim editor