2018 Minnesota Annual Conference

"When we remain in Jesus, his joy is our joy, and we discover fully mature, fully complete joy for our lives," Bishop Bruce R. Ough said in his episcopal address to members of the 2018 Annual Conference Session, which took place May 30-June 1 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He reminded them that Jesus' big idea — around which all his praying, teaching, healing, miracle-working, dying and rising is aligned — is about loving God and loving neighbor.

"Let us make the first and essential commandment of Jesus the very core of our lives, and the very core of our congregations," Ough said. He explored what it means to be Love First congregations — focused on loving God and loving our neighbors. The three most distinctive characteristics of Love First churches are that they live the United Methodist way, tell their Jesus stories, and generate Love First fruit, he said.

Drawing on John 15:1-17, the theme of this year's annual conference session was "Discover Joy: Live Deeply!" Conference attendees focused on the pathway to a deep, well-lived life, which comes as through abiding in Jesus. They connected to our collective story of how God has named and claimed us, heard a variety of "Why Jesus" stories and explored practices that sustain them and give depth to their spiritual lives. They also celebrated the multitude of ways that we are sent into the world to offer the goodness we have discovered in living in the way of Jesus.

In two teaching sessions, the Rev. Olu Brown explored the importance of knowing, claiming and reclaiming our personal "why" stories and underscored the critical task of staying connected to the vine so we can be inspired to transform the world. "One of the worst things that can happen to you is to become a professional Christian—we simply do church and we do worship and we do prayer by the numbers," he said. "If you just discover Jesus again and again, you would be amazed at the life that comes from the vine."

Brown, lead pastor at Impact Church in Atlanta, told attendees: "Whether you're clergy or lay, the work of evangelism and discipleship is the most important thing that you can ever do."

Prior to hearing about the work of the Commission on a Way Forward and what's next as The United Methodist Church seeks a way forward around the issue of human sexuality, two clergywomen shared TED-style "Vine and Branches Talks" related to staying connected to the vine that is Jesus and living with love, compassion, and respect. The Rev. Carol Zaagsma focused on the importance of listening deeply to others, saying at one point: "We don't always see eye to eye on things, but you have come to be my friends, and I love being in the body of Christ with you. So no matter where you place yourself on any given issue, I'm just saying that we could all stand to listen better to one another. Can we not see past the argument to see the person…maybe try to see the other as Christ would?" Meanwhile, the Rev. Rachel McIver Morey talked about our obligation to share our stories from where we stand and to listen to other people tell their stories as they would have them be told.

Through a spoken Missional Report on the first day of annual conference, attendees learned about and celebrated a variety of Holy Spirit breakthroughs in our midst—places where we are shaking things up and changing people's lives by helping them come to know Christ more deeply. Examples include starting a faith community in St. Michael, creating a culture of call and helping laity to pursue new ministry paths, and clergy participating in covenant groups for support, learning and accountability.

Attendees also explored various art forms as spiritual practices at a festival. They engaged with local artists at stations where they could try out sculpture, spoken word, body movement, drawing and paper cutting. Then nationally known singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer performed a 90-minute concert.

At a Celebration of Life in Ministry worship service on the final afternoon, hundreds of Minnesota United Methodists gathered to remember 21 friends and colleagues who have died over the past year and honor 22 retiring clergy. They also celebrated nine people being ordained, two people transferring in from other denominations, four being commissioned as provisional members, and 17 newly licensed local pastors.

Conference attendees also rejoiced in having given nearly $70,000 to the 2018 Love Offering—an annual offering that benefits international, national, and local missions—as of the time they left Annual Conference. This year's Love Offering will go to Puerto Rico Hurricane Recovery Trips (65 percent), Park Avenue UMC Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools Program (20 percent), and NUMAS Haus (15 percent), which provides emergency shelter and support services to homeless single women.

Conference members voted to approve a 2019 apportioned budget totaling $6,327,706. That amount represents a 2.4 percent increase over this year's apportioned budget. With an "uncollectible contingency" of $725,000, the total amount to be apportioned in 2018 is $7,052,706. The uncollectible contingency accommodates anticipated shortfalls in some churches' apportionment payments. Two significant items in the 2019 budget are $150,000 to help 10 local churches double by 2024 and $20,000 for a new residency program for clergy.

Members debated and voted on a number of pieces of legislation on Thursday. They approved changing the location of the 2020 Annual Conference to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, so that the Minnesota and Dakotas Annual Conferences can engage in two shared days of learning, worship, and celebration, and they approved raising the minimum clergy salary. They also approved resolutions related to preventing gun violence and advocating for the rights of children living under Israeli occupation.

They also approved a request that the Rev. Walter Lockhart brought forth for a declaratory decision from the United Methodist Church Judicial Council related to mandatory registration fees that will be charged to all non-delegates who will attend and observe the 2019 special session of General Conference. One specific question posed to the council is whether the fees function as an "unlawful economic obstruction to the openness and accountability function" of being present to participate.

The number of professing church members within the Minnesota Conference as of the end of 2017 was 60,592, down 3.3 percent from the previous year. Average weekly worship attendance stood at 27,040, down 4.5 percent; 71,579 people worshiped online. Last year, 756 individuals were baptized, and there were 1,200 new professions of faith. Sunday church school average weekly attendance stood at 7,808 in 2017—representing a 16.1 percent increase. Worshippers engaged in mission totaled 14,156 last year—up 7.3 percent.

-Christa Meland, director of Communications, Minnesota Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.