NORTH ALABAMA ANNUAL CONFERENCE PRECONFERENCE BOOK 2021 JOURNAL VOLUME I Greetings, You have received this workbook because you are a member / reserve lay member / potential equalizing lay member of the North Alabama Conference or you have a relationship with the Annual Conference and are receiving this information as a courtesy. The 2021 North Alabama Annual Conference will be a virtual meeting held on June 4 and 5 with satellite venues for those without reliable internet capabilities in their area. Please read this book to be informed about this year’s meeting. More Annual Conference information, Zoom Webinar links and voting credentials will be shared by email. If you are not receiving Conference emails please contact Conference Registrar Doris McCullers at [email protected] or 205-226-7950 or Conference Director of Communication Danette Clifton at [email protected] or 205-226-7973. For more information visit www.umcna.org/ac2021. Tentative Schedule Times listed below are tentative. The plenary schedules will be adjusted throughout the live event based on the pace business is conducted. This means the Bishop may call on presentations at times other than those listed below. All members are encouraged to attend the entire Annual Conference in order to not miss any matter of business, worship service or learning time. Friday, June 4 5 p.m. Clergy Session 6 p.m. Laity Session Saturday, June 5 9 a.m. Opening Worship Includes Service of Ordination, Commissioning and Licensing 10:45 a.m. Morning Business Plenary • Opening Business • Reports Noon Lunch Break 1 p.m. Afternoon Business Plenary • Teaching by Tony Morgan and the Unstuck Group • Laity Address • Reports 3:45 p.m. Closing Worship Includes Celebration of Life Service and Fixing of Appointments The tentative program and reports to be presented to the Annual Conference of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church June 4-5, 2021 Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett Resident Bishop of the Birmingham Area presiding Dr. Dedric Cowser Conference Secretary Entrance of Methodism into Alabama through Matthew P. Sturdivant 1808 Alabama Conference, Methodist Protestant Church Organized 1829 Alabama Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South Organized 1846 Alabama Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church Organized 1867 North Alabama Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South Organized 1870 Central Alabama Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church Organized 1876 Uniting Conference, the Methodist Church 1939 Merger Conference, the United Methodist Church 1968 Merger Conference, North Alabama Conference and Central Alabama Conference, Making the North Alabama Conference Organized 1972 The One Hundred Fifty-second Annual Session of the North Alabama Conference since organization in 1870. The Forty-ninth Session of the North Alabama Conference since organization in 1972. NORTH ALABAMA ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2020 Table of Contents Welcome Reports (continued) Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett .......................................... 7 COSROW ..................................................................... 49 Conference Lay Leader Lisa Keys-Mathews ...................... 8 Deaconess / Home Missioner ......................................... 50 Conference Secretary Rev. Dr. Dedric Cowser .................. 9 Embrace Alabama Kids .............................................50-51 Equitable Compensation ...........................................51-57 Conference Guide Finance and Administration ......................................58-69 Clergy Session ................................................................ 15 Hinton Rural Life Center ............................................... 70 Clergy Voting Priveleges ................................................. 15 Huntingdon College ...................................................... 71 Equipment Needed ........................................................ 13 Methodist Homes .......................................................... 72 Guest Teachers ............................................................... 16 Ministry with the Poor ................................................... 73 Laity Session ................................................................... 15 Mission and Advocacy .................................................... 74 Online Training .............................................................. 14 Nominations .............................................................75-80 Public Livestream ........................................................... 14 Pension and Health Benefits ......................................81-87 Reserve Members ........................................................... 14 Safe Sanctuaries .........................................................88-92 Satellite Locations .......................................................... 14 Seminary Reports Special Offering .............................................................. 17 Boston University School of Theology ...................93-94 Unstuck Church Assessment .......................................... 16 Candler School of Theology ..................................94-95 Virtual Meeting .............................................................. 13 Duke University Divinity School ...........................95-96 Webinar Guide: Zoom, Voting, Getting Recognized ..18-19 Memphis Theological Seminary .............................96-97 Worship ......................................................................... 17 St. Paul School of Theology ...................................97-98 Meeting Rules United Theological Seminary ..................................... 98 Ministry Rationale ....................................................23-24 Wesley Theological Seminary ...............................99-100 Standing Rules ..........................................................24-33 Society of St. Andrew ............................................100-101 Session Rules .............................................................34-37 Sumatanga Camp and Conference Center .............101-102 Parliamentary Procedures ..........................................38-39 Superannuate Homes ............................................102-103 Trustees ........................................................................ 103 Reports United Methodist Foundation ...............................104-105 Conference Operational Teams ....................................... 43 United Methodist Women............................................ 105 Adult Discipleship .......................................................... 44 Upper Sand Mountain Parish ....................................... 106 Africa University .......................................................44-45 Wesley Foundation, Jacksonville State University ......... 106 Archives and History .................................................45-46 Wesley Foundation, University of North Alabama ........ 107 Birmingham-Southern College ..................................46-47 Communication ............................................................. 48 Forms Connectional Ministries ............................................48-49 Journal Order Form ..................................................... 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Welcome 4 Welcome Welcome 5 Welcome 6 Welcome Resident Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett Dear Friends, I am pleased to invite each of you to our 2021 North Alabama Annual Conference on June 4 and 5. Due to the pandemic, Annual Conference will again be virtual. In addition, satellite sites at Florence First United Methodist Church and Alexander City First United Methodist Church will be available by pre-registration only for voting members of the Annual Conference who are without technology or internet access to participate from their homes. Our Annual Conference COVID-19 protocols (Do No Harm Recommendations) will be observed at each of the satellite venues. Many thanks to Danette Clifton, Rev. John Fleischauer and Dr. Adlene Kufarimai from our Connectional Ministries staff as well as the Annual Conference planning team for investing countless hours in preparing for our June event. The planning team consists of Nancy Beard, Dr. Nathan Carden, Danette Clifton, Rev. Toby Chastain, Rev. Sherill Clontz, Dr. Dedric Cowser, Rev. Andy Curtis, Rev. John Fleischauer, Dr. Randy Kelley, Dr. Adlene Kufarimai, Doris McCullers, Terry McElheny, Rev. Ron Schultz, Rev. Sarah Smoot and Tyler Smoot. A special thank you to Dr. Kip Laxson and the staff and volunteers at Asbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham for hosting the ordination, licensing, commissioning and licensing service. Asbury UMC will also be the broadcasting site for business sessions. Our 2021 Annual Conference will launch on Friday, June 4 with the executive clergy and laity sessions taking place at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively. Saturday, June 5 will begin at 9 a.m. with our credentialing service at which time we will commission a deaconess, license local pastors, and commission and ordain deacons and elders. The business session will follow opening worship with our day concluding by 6 p.m. with a Celebration of Life/Sending Forth service. This year’s theme is “Disciples Building Disciples” with an emphasis on disciple-making. Each North Alabama Conference church is invited to send a special offering that will be utilized by New and Renewing Churches for grants for discipleship initiatives in our local churches. The offering is to be sent to the Conference Treasurer’s office or