2018 Mountain Sky Annual Conference

What began as the 2018 Joint Annual Conference Session of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area (Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone Annual Conferences) – held June 7-10, 2018 at the Eccles Conference Center in Ogden, Utah – ended with the historic vote to become one, new annual conference called Mountain Sky.

The vote followed a full day of debate and amendments on June 9, in which the delegates approved a six-section Plan of Union. Bishop Karen Oliveto, of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area, closed the two conference sessions and reconvened the body as the new Mountain Sky Conference later that evening.

The approval comes after nearly two decades of discussion about uniting Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone. For the last two years, the groundwork for a new annual conference was done through a process called Mission Shaped Future, which brought together laity and clergy from both conferences to envision and discern what it means to "live in God's grace and abundance as we lead a re-energized, peaceful and compassionate movement to claim the life-changing love of Jesus Christ for ALL people."

In the approved Plan of Union, the purpose of the new Mountain Sky Conference is to "renew and establish vital congregations; develop leaders who are gifted at empowering local churches and laity in church mission; and establish new faith communities to meet the needs of our unique mission field."

The new Mountain Sky Conference covers four states: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and one church in Idaho. It comprises nearly 400 churches and more than 70,000 members. The episcopal office is located in Greenwood Village, Colorado. For background on Mission Shaped Future and the road to the new Mountain Sky Conference, go to www.mtnskyumc.org/missionshapedfuture.

Before the delegates voted to become one, they spent the morning of June 8 in service and education around the conference theme of "Safety, Homelessness, and Justice." Participants went out to the Ogden community to volunteer and learn. Groups assisted residents of Westwood Village senior housing community with house and yard work, others installed smoke detectors in low-income communities, and additional groups assisted community organizations with painting, cleaning or sorting of supplies.

At the Eccles Conference Center, United Methodist-affiliated organizations such as Intermountain and the Crossroads Urban Center offered resources about their ministries that participants could take back to their local communities. The UMCOR West Depot based in Salt Lake City brought supplies to Ogden so participants could learn about UMCOR, sort donations, and pack relief kits that totaled more than 2,200. Ministry Immersion participants reported they appreciated the opportunity to learn and serve with others in an informal way. People spent time getting to know one another and sharing about their churches, ministries and communities.

The Ministry Immersion day of service on June 8 culminated with a tent revival worship service and missions celebration at the Ogden Amphitheater across from the Eccles Conference Center. Four Tongan United Methodist churches and one Samoan church from the Salt Lake City area held a pig-roast and Haka dance. Other entertainment was provided by the Wesley Bell Ringers and the MAD (Make a Difference) band from Christ UMC in Salt Lake City. A highlight of the evening was a Tug-o-Love competition that raised money for East Angola Conference pastors and disaster response.

Erin Hawkins, General Secretary for the General Commission on Religion and Race, was the keynote speaker for the 2018 annual conference session. She inspired the body to reflect on this year's theme of "Safety, Homelessness, and Justice" by speaking about narrative, both in our lives and others. She emphasized that there is never a single narrative, but many that work together. Erin ended her address urging the conference to "let go of our small stories and join together with God for God's story."

Rev. Donna Pritchard, elder in the Oregon-Idaho Conference and member of the Commission on a Way Forward, was the keynote speaker for the laity session during annual conference. She spoke on the ways to engage in difficult conversations around human sexuality and inclusiveness, referencing the book, The Anatomy of Peace, from the Arbinger Institute. Donna also shared about the three sketches the Commission on a Way Forward presented in a report to the Council of Bishops.

More highlights from the 2018 Joint Annual Conference Session:

• Memorial Service: The sermon was given by the Rev. Walter "Skip" Strickland, outgoing superintendent of the Peaks & Plains District of the Rocky Mountain Legacy Conference. We remembered 11 clergy and 9 clergy spouses. We also remembered two churches that closed this year: Blue Cliff UMC in Colorado and Midwest UMC in Wyoming.
• Retirees: 16 retiring clergy were honored and celebrated for their service, representing a total of 391.5 years of ministry.
• At the Ordination and Commissioning Service, 11 pastors were licensed, 8 clergy were commissioned, 14 clergy were ordained (11 elders, 3 deacons) and one deaconess was commissioned.
• Members of the Mountain Sky Conference continued to exhibit abundant generosity in their response to annual conference offerings (totals as of June 18, 2018):
• Blackfeet United Methodist Parish: $2,253.00
• Global Young People's Convocation: $2,999.03
• Clergy Covenant Fund: $3,662.77
• Laity Scholarships: $1,929.50
• Bridge of Love: $5,703.15
• Dream Big, Love Boldly, Give Believing Campaign: $25,853.00

During the business of annual conference, the following legislation was voted on:

Main action: Approval of the six-section Plan of Union to create the new Mountain Sky Conference from the Rocky Mountain Legacy Conference and Yellowstone Legacy Conference. The six sections of the Plan of Union focus on Clergy Excellence, Conference Organization, Congregational Development, Assets, Property, and Legal, Leadership Excellence, and Community Engagement.

Constitutional Amendment: Revote of Constitutional Amendment #1 from the 2016 General Conference.

Two petitions to close two United Methodist Churches – Blue Cliff and Midwest – were passed.

A petition on the compensation for the treasurer and superintendents was passed.

Resolutions submitted to annual conference were approved by the body to be referred to the new Mountain Sky Roundtable for final approval or for referral to the 2019 Mountain Sky Conference.

Rocky Mountain Legacy Conference statistics:

• Membership stood at 55,196 at the end of 2017, down 1,921 (3%) from 57,117 in 2016, while worship attendance was 25,062, down 1,155 (4%) from 26,217 in 2016. Capturing for the first time those who worshipped on line was 1,137, with 710 reported via TV or Radio and 560 reported via podcasts.
• Church school attendance stands at 6,858, up 603 (9%) from 6,262 in 2016.
• Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2017 were 1,290, up 27 (less than 1%) from 1,263 in 2016.
• Adults and young adults in Christian Formation small groups for 2017 were at 27,282, up 189 (less than 1%) from 27,093 in 2016.
• Worshippers engaged in mission for 2017 were at 22,885, down 1,258 (5%) from 24,143 in 2016 with the number of people served in this ministry increasing by 94,074 from 419,216 in 2016 to 513,290 in 2017 – a 22% increase.

Statistics for the Yellowstone Legacy Conference are still being calculated.

The Mountain Sky Conference of The United Methodist Church will hold its 2019 annual conference session in Billings, Montana. Watch the invitation video online.

--Charmaine Robledo, director of communications, Mountain Sky Conference