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Annual Conference Session 2022

Annual Conference Session 2022

The session was held June 8-11, La Vista Conference Center in La Vista, Nebraska

The theme, "Reimagine Discipleship," is particularly important in this season of resetting our ministry baselines and relaunching with new missional energy and imagination for who we are called to be in the world as God’s people. In an effort to have rich and vibrant discussions about what that reimagining looks like for our mission fields, the Great Plains clergy and laity met in one physical space. Read a short summary of the conference.
 

Videos from the conference

Day 1: Wednesday, June 8

Photo Album

Annual Conference Photo Album

Check out more than 700 photos from the 2022 Great Plains Annual Conference session from our Flickr album.

• Opening worship and communion (full service)
  • Opening worship – sermon by Bishop Bob Farr

Day 2: Thursday, June 9

• Opening motions and agenda
• Laity Address
• Episcopal Report
• Episcopal Address
• Plenary teaching: Discipleship that Fits
• Board of Ordained Ministry
• Honoring Retirees
• Commissioning of Interns
• Clergy Excellence
• Lay Leadership Development
• Nominations Report
• Campus Ministry
• Memorial Service, preaching by the Rev. Hyemi Jones

Day 3: Friday, June 10

• Devotion with the Rev. Portia Cavitt
• Congregational Excellence
• New Church Development
• Camps Restructure (passage Friday and rescinding of action Saturday)
• United Women in Faith
• United Men's Ministry
• Communications Recognition
• Delegation Report
• Archives and History
• Nebraska United Methodist Foundation
• Kansas Methodist Foundation
• Connecting Council
• Personnel Committee
• Pension & Health Benefits
• Boogie with the Bishop
• Lydia Patterson Institute
• Council on Finance and Administration
• Treasurer's Report
• Trustees Report
• Closing Churches
• Disaffiliations
• Mercy & Justice
• DEI Task Force (Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity)
• Resolutions
• Workshops
  • Where the Rubber Meets the Road – an introduction to the Local Church Playbook with Congregational Excellence
  • Mercy and Justice Now: Understanding God’s Call - Rev. Sarah Marsh
  • Embracing Cultural Diversity - Reverend Kathy Williams
  • Ministry Architects – Rev. Melissa Gepford
• Service of Ordination and Baptism, preaching by Bishop Saenz
  • Bishop's Sermon

Day 4: Saturday, June 11

• Youth Worship
• Nominations (final report)
• Annual Conference Planning Team
• Introduction of the Extended Cabinet
• Closing Motions
• Closing Worship - Fixing of Appointments

Special Session - September 2022

The special session of the 2022 Annual Conference was held via Zoom webinar on Saturday, September 10, 2022.

The session included:

• Consideration of resolutions ratifying the disaffiliation of local churches from the United Methodist Church 
• Consideration of action affirming the “GP Camps 2.0” governance model as adopted by Great Plains United Methodist Camps, Inc.
• Consideration of the 2023 budget for the Great Plains Annual Conference.

Coverage of the special session:

• Watch video from the special session
• Bishop formally calls for special session in September
• Connecting Council approves increased budget be sent to annual conference
• Special session approves 55 disaffiliations, increased budget for '23