2018 Western North Carolina Conference

The 2018 Western North Carolina Conference met June 22-24 at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, with the theme: "Teaching Plants the Seeds of the Future."  Bishop Paul L. Leeland presided over his second annual conference as the resident bishop of the Charlotte area.

Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball of the West Virginia Conference preached at opening worship that led off the conference.  Her sermon entitled: "Go and Teach" focused on the theme and on the focus passage- Matthew 28:16-20.  She challenged the conference to get out of our buildings and into our communities, "Jesus said, 'Go and teach.' In too many places we have lost that sense of going, of being a movement and we have convinced ourselves that is enough to gather in our building and to wait for people to come find us."

Bishop Al Gwinn Jr., retired, preached both the commissioning service and the ordination service. His sermon at the June 22, "Anywhere but Nineveh" challenged new clergy to be willing to go where they are sent and to see each setting as an opportunity to share Good News, even in these odd and confusing times. "We may be going into a time where the church has never been before, but God is not taking us into a time where he's never been before, " he preached.

On June 23, Bishop Kenneth Carter Jr. of the Florida Conference spoke on the Commission on a Way Forward. Carter, who spent 28 years in the Western North Carolina Conference before being elected bishop, offered insight into the three plans that were discussed by the Council of Bishops and the One Church plan endorsed by the council.

He concluded, "If we conform to the world, we will divide.  The world will teach us how to divide.  But I close with these words.  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, this is Paul writing, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called.  With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love."

Some of the main business items of the conference included:

• The 2019 Budget was adopted for a total of $16,166,481 dollars, a small decrease from 2018.  Percentage of apportionments paid has grown from the previous year, and more churches are paying 100 percent than the year before.
• The conference Church Vitality Team began a process of providing micro grants for new Fresh Expressions across the conference, with nearly 170 churches expressing an interest in receiving one of the grants.
• The conference heard reports the connected ministries of the conference.  The conference continues to be a leader in missions giving and other missional services across the nation and world.  Leadership Development opportunities abound for clergy and laity, and a new emphasis on Certified Lay Servant Ministry will begin in the fall of 2018.  The Justice and Reconciliation Team is working across many constituencies of the conference to promote programs and initiatives for a more just world and church.
• Received an offering for Bennett College, a historic black, women's college in Greensboro College of $20,902.15 dollars during opening worship.
• Received an offering for the Lake Junaluska Bridge Restoration fund at closing worship.  The total was $14,450.53 dollars.

Resolutions discussed by the conference, included:

• Petition 18- "Support of NETWorX" an intitiative of the Rural Faith Development CDC that addresses poverty needs was adopted by the conference. This group has been approved to receive a special offering from churches in conference, with the suggestion that take place during Lent.
• Petition 19- Change in percentages of proceeds from sales of closed church properties was adopted by the conference. Since 2003, funds from closed churches were shared 75 percent  with the district and 25 percent with the conference.  With the passing of this resolution, the percentages are now, 25 percent staying with the district and 75 percent going to the conference Church Vitality Team for new churches, new faith communities and revitalization initiatives.
• Petition 20- "Encouraging Gracious Exit Accommodation."  This petition was ruled not properly before the conference and was not covered in conference business.
• Petition 21- "Just Policy for Local Church Employees" was adopted by the conference. This states that the conference is committed to employment practices aligned with the Social Principles and supports local church policies in which laity called to serve "are employed and dismissed solely on their gifts and graces without regard for sexual orientation or gender identity."
• A petition was brought late to the floor of the conference, entitled: "Reunite Immigrant Families."  The petition was adopted instructing the conference secretary to request the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Justice to "reunite children with their families who had been previously separated by the United States government due to the 'zero tolerance' policy in an expedient, humane and compassionate manner."

On the evening of June 22, three provisional deacons and 21 provisional elders were commissioned. On June 23, six deacons and 18 elders.  The bishop also recognized the orders of one clergy. On June 22, the conference celebrated the ministry of 60 retiring clergy.

Statistical reporting:

• Membership stands at 279,996 down 2622 from the previous year.
• Worship attendance stands at 100,839 down 3718 from 2016.
• Church school attendance stands at 41,118 down 1294 from 2016.
• Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2017- 3054 down 49 from 2016.              
• Adults and young adults in small groups for 2017- 67,510 down 4310 from 2016.
• Worshippers engaged in mission for 2017- 73,675 down 1782 from 2016.

Proceedings from the 2018 Annual Conference can be found at www.ac2018.org.  Photos from the conference are catalogued here, and video media is catalogued here.

—Chris Hampton, Western North Carolina Conference webmaster