1 WELCOME AND GREETINGS FROM OUR BISHOP 2 3 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 4 Welcome to the second consecutive virtual annual session of the 5 Florida Conference! We live in an unprecedented season. COVID has 6 changed how we work, gather, travel, eat meals, worship, see our 7 families and friends. As I write we acknowledge that over 500,000 8 Americans and 30,000 Floridians have died of COVID. Lord, in your 9 mercy, hear our prayers! 10 11 We join together during these days as disciples of Jesus Christ and 12 leaders in his mission (Matthew 22 and 28). We will also do the work 13 of our annual conference which is focused on three commitments: vital and sustainable local 14 churches, the journey toward antiracism as an expression of discipleship, and the health and 15 resilience of clergy. 16 This year’s Annual Conference theme is “A Community of Love and Forgiveness”, which is a 17 phrase taken from our liturgy of baptism when we welcome new persons into our churches. In a 18 world beset by multiple pandemics and many challenges, this can be a source of guidance and 19 purpose in our time together. 20 21 Our conference will be marked by music and worship, study and prayer, debate and conferencing, 22 business and visioning. We will commission and ordain men and women for set apart leadership 23 in the church. We will send clergy into congregational and extension leadership for the coming 24 year. We will make important decisions as an Annual Conference around the vital mission of our 25 church, especially in this season of disruption. In order to assure trust and fairness, and in 26 consistency with the church’s jurisdictional and general conferences, we will not take up matters 27 of complexity that merit our face to face conversations. We will honor retiring clergy and 28 remember those who have died in the past conference year. And we will return to our local 29 churches, more aware of our connection as Florida United Methodists. 30 31 We will receive two offerings—one for the Bishop John Yambasu Scholarship at Africa University 32 in Peace, Leadership and Governance, and a second one for scholarship support for Gammon 33 Theological Seminary, in honor of their new president-dean, Rev. Dr. Candace M. Lewis. 34 I urge each of you to access the materials that will be made available to you in anticipation of 35 annual conference. This will include a district gathering and a forty-day time of spiritual 36 preparation. As I anticipate presiding in a ninth annual conference with you, I want to thank you 37 for serving as a faithful leader in The Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. And I 38 look forward to our gathering in June. 39 40 The peace of the Lord, 41 +Ken Carter 42 Resident Bishop, Florida Area 43 The United Methodist Church 44 1 1 CAMERA READY WORKBOOK REPORTS 2 All content included in the Workbook is generated by conference departments, committees, 3 ministries, etc. Reports are submitted for publishing as “camera ready.” The Florida Conference 4 publishing staff does not edit camera ready reports. 5 2 1 Contents Voice and Vote ........................................................................................................................................................... 7 WELCOME AND GREETINGS FROM THE FLORIDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE LAY LEADER .............................................. 8 EVENT INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................................. 10 PROCEDURE AND AGENDA REPORT ........................................................................................................................... 11 STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP TEAM REPORT ..................................................................................................................... 12 CONFERENCE TABLE ................................................................................................................................................... 13 CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON LEADERSHIP REPORT 2021-2022 .............................................................................. 14 STANDING RULES COMMITTEE ................................................................................................................................... 66 CONNECTIONAL AND JUSTICE MINISTRIES ................................................................................................................. 73 CONNECTIONAL RELATIONS ....................................................................................................................................... 75 BOARD OF CAMPS AND RETREAT MINISTRIES ........................................................................................................... 76 CONFERENCE YOUTH MINISTRY ................................................................................................................................. 77 BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAMPUS MINISTRY (BHECM) .......................................................................... 79 BEYOND 50 .................................................................................................................................................................. 80 SPIRITUAL FORMATION .............................................................................................................................................. 80 WOMEN’S RETREAT DESIGN TEAM ............................................................................................................................ 81 COMMISSION ON ARCHIVES AND HISTORY................................................................................................................ 82 SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE ...................................................................................................................................... 85 COMMISSION ON RELIGION AND RACE ...................................................................................................................... 86 COMMITTEE ON NATIVE AMERICAN MINISTRIES (CONAM) ...................................................................................... 87 BLACK METHODIST FOR CHURCH RENEWAL .............................................................................................................. 89 COMMISSION ON THE STATUS AND ROLE OF WOMEN ............................................................................................. 90 THE OFFICE OF MISSIONAL ENGAGEMENT ................................................................................................................ 91 METHODISTS UNITED IN PRAYER – MUIP ................................................................................................................... 91 EAST ANGOLA/FLORIDA PARTNERSHIP ...................................................................................................................... 92 MISSIONARY SUPPORT ............................................................................................................................................... 93 FLORIDA CONFERENCE ADVANCE SPECIALS ............................................................................................................... 94 DISASTER RECOVERY MINISTRY .................................................................................................................................. 96 UNITED METHODIST VOLUNTEERS IN MISSION ......................................................................................................... 98 PRISON AND JAIL MINISTRY OF THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE OF THE UMC ................................................................ 99 FLORIDA JUSTICE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS ................................................................................................................... 100 HAITI FLORIDA COVENANT ....................................................................................................................................... 101 3 YOUNG ADULT MISSIONAL MOVEMENT .................................................................................................................. 101 CREATION CARE ........................................................................................................................................................ 102 THE HAITIAN COMMITTEE ON MINISTRY ................................................................................................................. 104 OUTREACH MINISTRIES ............................................................................................................................................ 105 VITAL CHURCH INITIATIVE ........................................................................................................................................ 106 THE OFFICE OF CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY ........................................................................................................... 106 REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF HISPANIC/LATINO .................................................................................................... 108 FRESH EXPRESSIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 109 SUMMARY OF STATISTICS BY YEAR .......................................................................................................................... 110 BOARD OF LAY MINISTRY .......................................................................................................................................... 111 REPORT