The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. – Isaiah 58:11
This strong promise of God will be the scriptural focus for the 2021 Annual Conference Session. We acknowledge the parched places in our lives, in our nation, and our world. We are disappointed that pandemic projections prevent safe indoor gatherings in June. However, we are God’s people, bound together, trusting God’s promises and provision.
The 2021 Session of the Annual Conference will be virtual, using a platform to allow interaction in our worship, celebration, and decision-making. We will work to help all lay and clergy members engage and participate fully. The Rules Committee is working to formulate conference rules for this unique session.
Please continue to hold June 16-19 for Annual Conference. The clergy session will convene on the morning of June 16. The annual conference session will take place on June 17 and include a Memorial Service for clergy and their spouses who died in the last two years and recognition of those retiring in 2020 and 2021. A series of small outdoor ordination services are envisioned on June 18 and 19, carefully planned for the safety of 2020 and 2021 ordinands and their families. Each service will be recorded, and clergy colleagues, congregations, and friends will have access to a viewing of the combined recorded Ordination service.
Loving our neighbors and guarding their health and well-being is central to our discipleship and mission. We will continue to provide updated information as we confer with public health advisors and carefully monitor the pandemic realities in North Carolina.
With gratitude for your partnership in this time of challenge and great opportunity,
Hope Morgan Ward
For answers to potential questions and further updates about Annual Conference, visit the Annual Conference 2021 website.