2018 Greater New Jersey Conference

The Greater New Jersey Annual Conference met May 20-22 in the Wildwood Convention Center, Wildwood, New Jersey, with Bishop John Schol presiding. The theme: Miracles Everywhere.

Bishop Hector Ortiz of The Methodist Church of Puerto Rico addressed the conference to honor GNJ's commitment to and partnership in helping the island recover from hurricanes Maria and Irma. The partnership engages cross cultural immersion experiences and laity and clergy leadership exchanges to develop a better understanding of each other's uniqueness, culture, history, spirituality and mission. The partnership will be funded through the Miracles Everywhere Campaign to support the recovery, rebuilding and renewal of communities impacted by hurricanes.

"My beloved island was devastated but the spirit of the people was not destroyed," Ortiz said. "We are a people who fight against adversity and are led by the Holy Spirit."

Bishop Mande Muyombo of the North Katanga Episcopal Region of the Tanzania Annual Conference honored GNJ's commitment and partnership to start a pastors' school, support pastors' salaries, start new congregations and support a Hope Center that will house a health clinic, a primary and secondary school for orphans and a host site for mission teams from around the world.

"Please, don't be shy, come and challenge us [Tanzanians], we have to be transformed," said Muyombo, who affirmed the vital importance of women leadership in the church.

The Rev. Junius B. Dotson, General Secretary of Discipleship Ministries, spoke on making, shaping and engaging passionate disciples of Jesus Christ. He challenged United Methodists to unpack what it means to truly be a disciple, holding an altar call where he invited members of GNJ to come forward and publicly commit to disciple-making. 

"In order to make disciples you have to first be one," Dotson exclaimed. He described discipleship as "'a lifelong journey discovering who you are and whose you are."

The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe, General Secretary of Church and Society, spoke to the Annual Conference about eliminating poverty, the realities of its root causes, and how we as the church ought to address the issue. "When did we start caring about ourselves more than we care about those who serve and work for us?" she asked. She challenged United Methodists to imagine an economy that works and honors the dignity and worth of all people.

"We must reject the premise of an economy in which people, community and creation are disposable," said Henry-Crowe. "In the church, it's about ministry with those in poverty, living on the margins, wounded by the church and living in deep relationship with one another. Let's roll up our sleeves and do the hard work of living into that vision."

In his Episcopal Address, Bishop Schol said, "Lead on for justice! Lead on to start new faith communities. Lead on to make the next generation of disciples. Lead on to grow vital congregations. Lead on to be one church. Lead on to grow our diversity and to be culturally competent. Lead on to proclaim that God wants women to lead men. Lead on to end segregation in our schools. Lead on! Hope on! God is ready to do miracles everywhere! Lead on!"

Main actions enacted by the conference

In a historic move, GNJ took action to bring an end to school segregation for 271,000 Black and Latino students who attend New Jersey schools.  New Jersey, while being one of the most diverse places in the country, also has one of the most segregated school systems.  In legislation, GNJ affirmed joining a lawsuit filed by the Latino Action Network, the NAACP NJ Sate Conference, and other social justice groups coordinated by the New Jersey Coalition of Diverse and Inclusive Schools (NJCDIS).

The GNJ Connectional Table presented legislation for a new strategic plan for 2019-23, which has a focused goal of cultivating and equipping 100 new clergy and 100 new laity leaders to make disciples who make disciples.  The legislation was passed and the goal will be measured by worship attendance in congregations growing from one level to the next.  Strategies will include building new faith communities, developing intercultural competencies, cultivating the next generation of disciples, repurposing church property into vibrant assets for ministry and developing Hope Centers, for church-based community ministry. 

GNJ committed to a $5.2 million campaign – Miracles Everywhere, which will transform and deepen the lives and faith of the Next Generation, partner with Puerto Rico in hurricane relief, launch Hope Centers across GNJ and partner with the Tanzania Annual Conference to train new pastors, build new congregations, and build a Hope Center for mission engagement.  As a part of this campaign, Bishop Ortiz and Bishop Muyombo joined Bishop Schol in a signing of a partnership covenant before the entire body.

For the second straight year, GNJ passed legislation to lower the apportionment formula to 16.3%. The formula has been lowered recognizing GNJ's commitment to keep resources in the local church.  GNJ's Council on Finance and Administration is committed to a five-year plan to lower apportionment formula to 15.6% by 2022 without reducing but expanding mission and ministry. 

GNJ passed legislation that called upon United Methodists to respond to acts of prejudice, harassment, bullying, abuse and violence against all persons, including our LGBTQ youth, with acts of compassion and justice and to minister to all at risk youth regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Resolutions adopted by the conference:  15

Number of people ordained, commissioned or received into associate membership:: 42

Number of people retired: 24

Membership stands at 86,810, down 882 from the previous year

Worship attendance stands at 43,307, up from the previous year

Church school attendance stands at 10,724, down 27

Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2017: 2,025, down 117 from 2016

Adults and young adults in small groups for 2017 16,171, down 1,896 from 2016

Worshippers engaged in mission for 2017: 24,787, up 1,613

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

Ministry with the poor:  

GNJ strategic plan set a goal of starting 100 Hope Centers with 30 by the end of 2019.
A workshop on God's Divine Economy of Abundance and Strategies for Church and Community Development was offered by Katelin Hansen.
The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe, General Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society spoke about eliminating poverty, a living wage, equal pay for equal work and proclaiming the sacred worth of all people.

Global Health:

Campaign to raise $5.2 million with more than 1 million going to Puerto Rico and Tanzania for ministries that will improve the spiritual, emotional and physical health of people.
GNJ United Methodists helped pack 30,000 meals with Rise Against Hunger in an effort to contribute to saving lives in places struggling with hunger and malnourishment.

Christian Leadership:

The new strategic plan seeks to develop 100 clergy leaders and 100 lay leaders who make disciples who make disciples.
A workshop on moving children from Sunday School to Covenant Discipleship.
Junius B. Dotson, General Secretary of Discipleship Ministries spoke on stepping up in leadership to make disciples who make disciples.
GNJ committed to seeking justice for 271,000 Black and Latino students in segregated New Jersey schools by joining a lawsuit and committing to becoming advocates for solutions and remedies to the issue.
GNJ committed to a new mission campaign – Miracles Everywhere, which will transform and deepen the lives and faith of the Next Generation, partner with Puerto Rico in hurricane relief, and launch Hope Centers across GNJ.

New and Renewed Congregations:

A workshop on Creating Effective Pathways to Fruitful Discipleship was offered by Ken Willard.
Through a strategic plan for 2019-23, commitments were made to work on strategies of new faith communities, Next Gen ministries, community development, Hope Centers, cultural shifts and equipping and cultivating 100 clergy and 100 laity who make disciples who make disciples. 
GNJ committed to a new mission campaign – Miracles Everywhere, which will partner with the Tanzania Annual Conference to train new pastors, build new congregations, and build a Hope Center for mission engagement.

Contributed by Josh Kinney, editorial manager, Greater New Jersey Conference