Annual Conference 2020

Annual Conference 2020

Saturday, August 8, 1:00 p.m.

Annual Conference 2020 will be held virtually.
 

Resources

PROCEDURES FOR THE 2020 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

These special standing rules are established according to Rule 32 of the Western North Carolina Conference Organization and Rules for the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and shall apply to the 2020 Annual Conference meeting on Aug. 8, 2020.

Meeting Information and Credentialing

1. The 2020 WNC Annual Conference session will be streamed on various streaming platforms, including the WNC Facebook and YouTube livestreams. Voting will occur through the Election Buddy (https://electionbuddy.com) voting system.
2. Members will receive information through email to access the annual conference meeting stream and the voting system unless they specifically request to receive communication through the postal mail.  A link to watch to the Annual Conference meeting will be posted at www.AC2020.org. Members who expect to vote electronically and who don’t receive an email from the Conference Secretary on July 14 should contact their district office. Clergy communication will be through the conference email addresses unless there is a different email on file for retired clergy.
3. Attendance of the members of the annual conference will be recorded through the balloting system.  Clergy members do not have to request an excused absence if they cannot be present.
4. The bar of the annual conference shall be those members of the annual conference (as defined by the Book of Discipline) who are present and voting by electronic means or submitting a ballot by mail.
5. Robert's Rules of Order will not be governing any part of the Annual Conference session while these special rules are in effect.
6. The business of the Annual Conference shall include what is required by the Book of Discipline for the ongoing function of the Annual Conference and such business as may be deemed essential by the chair.
7. Required reports requested by the conference secretary coming from boards, agencies and committees are posted online at www.AC2020.org in the Program and Reports book.
8. All materials needed to conduct the business of the Annual Conference meeting will be published in the Supplement to the Program and Reports book which will be posted online July 20.
9. Questions concerning the meeting or business of the annual conference will be received through an online portal at www.AC2020.org.  Answers will be given directly to the questioner and, when applicable to all members, posted online.

Balloting and Voting

1. All votes shall be cast electronically or through a paper ballot. The electronic balloting system generates the paper ballots which ensures that no one can vote more than once.
2. All votes in an electronic meeting of the annual conference will be up-or-down votes with no amendments or debate.
3. Electronic voting will be held over the internet and shall begin by the order of the chair during the electronic meeting session and shall close at 11:59 Eastern Time, August 8, 2020.
4. Electronic voting shall be considered "written ballots" for the purposes of the Annual Conference sessions held under these rules.
5. Requests for a paper ballot and a printed copy of the Supplement should be made through the return ballot that was mailed to members of the annual conference.
6. The return-by-mail ballot must be returned by mail to the conference secretary postmarked no later than three (3) business days after the conclusion of the annual conference session.
7. The results of all voting will be certified and announced by the chair (posted online at www.AC2020.org) after the votes by mail have been received and counted.

Approved by the WNC Cabinet 7/15/2020

Latest News

Recognition of Anniversary Churches

2/15/2021

As has been the practice for some years, the WNC Conference Commission on Archives and History will recognize all churches celebrating their 100th, 150th, and 200th anniversaries in 2021.  If your congregation is celebrating one of these anniversaries this year, please contact Jim Pyatt, Archivist, at jpyatt@wnccumc.org by April 1, so that your church will be included in this year’s recognitions.

AC2020 Offering purchases oxygen for COVID-19 patients in Haiti

10/14/2020

“We are using the oxygen for the patients who have respiratory distress including patients with COVID. We receive a lot of patients with respiratory distress at this period of time. We suspect this may be due to COVID. Usually we refer those patients to another facility since we don't have enough oxygen available at the hospital. Now, we are better able to serve the Haitian people.” - Eugene Maklin MD.

Ordination service postponed until June 2021

10/7/2020

In an effort to “Do No Harm” as well as to ensure that the Ordering of Ministry Service be the high and holy moment that we all desire it to be, the Bishop and Extended Cabinet have made the difficult decision to cancel the service planned on October 11, 2020. Both the 2020 and 2021 classes will be commissioned and ordained next June at Lake Junaluska.

UPDATED AC 2020 Offering Report: Thank you for giving generously!

9/22/2020

Thanks to your generosity, we have received a total of $9,913.50 for the Annual Conference 2020 Offering. The offering will be evenly divided between the Northern Haiti Mission Connection and UMAR at a gift of $4,956.75 each. Thank you for supporting the mission of these important ministries!

Support the AC2020 offering

8/26/2020

You can still support the AC2020 offering to benefit the ministries of UMAR and the Northern Haiti Mission Connection!

Annual Conference 2020 Voting Results

8/19/2020

The results from the Annual Conference 2020 Voting Ballot are now available.

AC2020 Worship Service

8/10/2020

Enjoy the opening worship from Annual Conference 2020.

AC2020 updates now available from UMF, UMM, UMW, and Justice & Reconciliation

8/5/2020

Since Annual Conference is virtual this year, various conference ministries have provided video updates on their mission and ministry. You can watch them at www.wnccumc.org/ac2020-updates.   For the full reports from Conference Boards, Committees, Ministries, and Commissions, visit the Program and Reports book at www.wnccumc.org/ac2020.

2020 Annual Conference Awards Recipients

8/4/2020

Each year during Annual Conference, we recognize outstanding lay and clergy leaders with the presentations of the Harry Denman Evangelism Award and the Francis Asbury Award. Learn more about this year's recipients - Rev. Susan Suarez Webster, Mr. Royce Reynolds, and Dr. Dennis Carroll.

Annual Conference 2020 Livestream Information

7/29/2020

Join us for the live stream of Annual Conference 2020!