Annual Conference Semi-Annually

Pastors Gwyneth and Jamie attended the second session of Annual Conference last Saturday, September 30. The New England Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church meets every June. However, last year and this year the budget portion of the conference was scheduled to meet in the Fall (with the hopes this is the last year necessary to do this).

Bishop Weaver shared that the conference is 4% ahead in mission shares (the local church tithe to the conference) than last year this time. Although we are just one church, some of this 4% is Peoples Church because of the Finance Committee's decision to step out in faith and send out our mission shares each month rather than waiting until the end of the year to see what's left. Thank you for your faithfulness in giving that has made this possible!

In addition, Bishop Weaver shared that the conference has now pledged $15 million toward the conference capital campaign Together For Tomorrow, when the goal was only $10 million! Thank you to all of you who have also pledged toward this capital campaign in addition to your stewardship at Peoples. If you have any questions about any of these financial details, please feel free to contact the pastors, Fred Wade as Finance Chair, or any member of the Finance Committee.

We also saw many friends at Annual Conference, some of whom you may know too -- Rev Bill Beddie, Pastor Mike Gray, Rev. Meg Queior and others. Then after conference, we attended a "young clergy" party (there was a miracle - that we are still considered young!) and met several other clergy couples and clergy with young children.