2020 Oklahoma Annual Conference

Officiating bishop: Bishop James Nunn

Guest speakers and memorable points or quotes by speakers:

“Worship is a gift. It is a gift of God; it is not a right of state. Ordination is a gift of God; it’s not a right secured by our efforts. It’s not about the rights we possessed; it’s about the gifts we received. We received the gift of creation, we received the gift of redemption, the gift of salvation, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of the church, the gift of ordination, the gift of eternal life…God’s calling, and God’s not through with our church.” — Bishop James Nunn

“When we focus on our rights we look inward; when we focus on our troubles, our tribulation, our distress, we look inward. The call of Jesus is not just ‘look inward,’ so look around. The call of God is fulfilled not when we look inside ourselves, but when we look around at our neighbor and we say, how can we love you, how can we serve you?” — Bishop James Nunn

The 2021 annual conference budget was approved. In addition to regular budget cuts, this included the removal of funding for both New People New Places grants and the conference’s payment of CCLI/CVLI license fees on behalf of its churches.

No churches closed due to coronavirus financial challenges and none left the conference.

The 2021 annual conference will be Oct. 8-9, 2021.

Names of delegates for 2021 General Conference:

Elected Delegates (2019):

• General Conference Lay delegates: Tom Junk, Don Kim, Cara Nicklas, Barbara Jean Perry, Herschel Beard, Kent Fulton, Janey Wilson.
• General Conference Clergy delegates: Joseph Harris, Derrek Belase, Sam Powers, Jessica Moffatt, Charla Gwartney, Valerie Steele, Tom Harrison.
• Jurisdictional Conference Lay delegates: Chuck Stewart, Kira Dawn Calhoun, Andrea Beth Dollarhite, Gloria Aijnomisangham, Holly Joy, Piper Nigel Freese, Aly Elizabeth Shahan.
• Jurisdictional Conference Clergy delegates: Carol Cook Moore, Fuxia Wang, D.A. Bennett, Matt Judkins, James Lambert, Carlos Ramirez, Tish Malloy.
• Alternate Delegates: Lay Alternates: Evan Hal Nicklas, Kyla Powers, Courtney Blacksten. Clergy Alternates: Lesly Broadbent, Jennifer Long, Adam Shahan.
• Delegate Executive Leadership Team (In order of election): Tom Junk, Cara Nicklas, Joseph Harris, Derrek Belase, Jessica Moffat

The conference did not have to elect replacement delegates due to the delay.

Number of people ordained, commissioned or received into associate membership, and average age:

Elders: Tracy Hoskins (58), John Miller (54), Ben Pascoe (31), Matthew Patrick (28), Jay Smith (38). Average age: 41.8 years old

Deacon: Joshua Coats (age unknown)

Number of clergy retired: 27

Membership 2019 is 213,537, down 7,435 from 2018.

Worship Attendance 2019 is 45,207, down 1,241 from 2018. (Online Worship Attendance 2019 is 8,012, up 4,223 from 2018).

Church School Attendance 2019 is 22,837, down 479 from 2018.

Professions or reaffirmations of faith 2019 is 1,616, down 107 from 2018.

Adults and young adults in small groups 2019 is 38,697, down 1,019 from 2018.

Worshippers engaged in mission 2019 is 38,014, down 1,959 from 2018.

—Meagan Ewton, editor of publication, Oklahoma Conference.