FAQs

Each year clergy members and lay members attend their conference’s annual conference session for worship, fellowship, and to conduct the business of the conference. These sessions include reports of past and ongoing work; adoption of future goals, programs and budgets; ordination of clergy members as deacons and elders; and election of delegates to Jurisdictional and General Conferences (every 4 years). The bishop presides over these meetings.

Lay members of annual conference, along with clergy, interpret the work done by the annual conference session to the congregation. This is an opportunity to listen and learn from each other and to experience a greater variety of God’s human creation than you may experience in your local congregation. Take advantage of this opportunity by getting acquainted with people sitting near you and celebrate the diversity of The United Methodist Church. *2020 Local church lay members should remain the same for both sessions, August 15 and October 10.  Newly elected lay members, who are approved during their fall charge conferences, will take office the first of 2021.

The 2020 Indiana Annual Conference Session, originally scheduled June 11-13, 2020, has been postponed and redesigned to be two one-day sessions.  Instead, we will meet on two separate Saturdays: August 15 and October 10.

The first session is on August 15, 2020, 9:30am-12 noon EST, 8:30-11am CST. The second session is on October 10, 2020, 9:30-11am EST, 8:30-10am CST.

On August 15, voting members may virtually join from their home, ten regional sites*, or at Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, while the October 10 session will be virtual.

Essential Business Scheduled:
July 11, 11am EST/10am CST – Virtual Spouses of Clergy Gathering

July 18, 10am EST/9am CST – Virtual Clergy Session 

July 25, 10am EST/9am CST, replayed at 6pm EST/5pm CST – Virtual Laity Session

August 15

9:30am EST/8:30am CST: Plenary 1 – Business includes: Rules and Structure, Consent Calendar, Nominations, Lay Leader Address, United Methodist Foundation of IN, Children Matter Most, Trustees, Archives and History, Pension and Health Benefits, Boy Scouts, Emerging Leaders, Blue Ribbon Task Force, Resolutions, Church Charters, 2021 Budget Presentation

12:00 noon – Break

2pm EST/1pm CST: Retiring Clergy Recognition and Celebration of Ministry Worship Service

NOTE: All appointments will be effective July 1, 2020.

October 10

9:30am EST/8:30am CST: Plenary  – Business includes: Children Matter Most, Celebrating Legacy Churches, 2021 Budget Adoption

11am EST/10am CST: Worship – Celebration of Life – Remembering the lives of those who have joined the Church Triumphant.

Registration
Spouses of Clergy Spouses – registration will open June 10

Clergy Session – registration will open June 17

Laity Session – no registration needed, virtual link will be sent directly to voting lay members

August 15 and October 10 Annual Conference Sessions – Voting members will need to register for both the August 15 session and the October 10 session. Registration will open June 17 for the first session and on August 29 for the second session. There will be no registration cost this year. 

Per Diem
There will be no per diem offered this year.

Childcare 
There will be no childcare offered this year.

There will be no displays or vendors at the 2020 Indiana Annual Conference session.

There will be no health screenings this year. You will receive information about how to complete your screening from the Indiana Conference Health Benefits team.

This year, to avoid physically handling items, we will be accepting electronic donations during our Annual Conference Sessions.   Additional information can be found at https://inumc.wpengine.com/annual-conference/2019-missional-opportunities/.

Free parking will be available at all locations.

A booklet with additional information will be mailed to all voting members by mid-June.

Please check the Indiana Conference United Methodist Church website for additional details, which will be posted as they are available.