The Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church met June 15-17 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, PA to worship, celebrate, and conduct the business of the annual conference. Pressing on to Higher Ground, based on Philippians 3:14, was the theme for the 2023 conference and was evident in the music, stage design, logo, and worship themes. The session included worship, ordination, Bible studies, and plenary sessions, concluding on Saturday with a memorial service.

Legislation

Members of the Annual Conference approved the Consent Calendar, with legislation focused on: accountable reimbursement and clergy allowances; nominations; special weekends; Conference evangelists; benefits for retired clergy; and more. Read all legislation.

A Connectional Budget for 2024 of $4,752,662 was approved, reflecting a decrease of $3,585,342 from the 2023 budget.

Notable Legislation

  • RS 611 Prioritizing Ethnic/Racial Ministries: This legislation charges the Director of
    Connectional Ministries, Conference Treasurer, Coordinating Cabinet, and structures of the annual conference to mitigate the additional risks posed to Ethnic/Racial ministries during this present time of systemic change by prioritizing the funding and resourcing of Ethnic/Racial ministries within our conference. In addition to allocating financial resources, The Western PA Conference will prioritize providing support for the identified new and existing Ethnic/Racial ministries at the conference, district, and local church levels, including spiritual and prayer support, advertising and promotion, administrative assistance, training for clergy and laity, and facilitating appropriate conference and general agency staff engagement.

  • RS 309 Congregations To Pay Royalties When Using Negro Spirituals in Worship: Congregations are strongly encouraged to establish a Negro Spirituals Royalties Project by identifying and tracking all music used by the congregation that is considered to be a Negro Spiritual; offering the opportunity to collect a financial offering every time a Negro Spiritual is used in worship or other church gatherings; identify a partner organization to receive the offering, preferably one committed to teaching and developing African American musicians and/or performing artists, and to provide educational opportunities. Discussed on the floor, amended, and passed.

Legislation Pulled from the Consent Calendar:

  • P5 To Proactively Care for laity, clergy, and churches remaining in The United Methodist Church following the completion of the Disaffiliation Process: Amended and ultimately referred to the IMAP Task Force for report back to Annual Conference 2024.

  • RS 403, which aimed to establish the IMAP Household Alignment plan, was tabled until Annual Conference 2024. The reasoning for this action was to allow time and space for grief and healing. The IMAP task force was approved to continue its work.

Disaffiliation

The Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church ratified the disaffiliation agreements for 298 churches, 3 from the Pittsburgh District, during a special session in Erie, PA on June 14. Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi presided. Voting on churches in blocks by districts, the body overwhelmingly affirmed all the disaffiliation agreements with no contestations. Churches must fulfill their settlement obligations in order to complete the disaffiliation process, which many did immediately following the session.

In an emotional show of gratitude after the completion of voting, Bishop Moore-Koikoi thanked the Board of Trustees for the difficult work they’ve done through this process. “This has been difficult work to do,” she began. “It has been challenging spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally. These persons before you were here for such a time as this. Because of their deep spirituality, their deep faith, because of their trust in God, they were able to carry out this painful process.”

Bishop Moore-Koikoi urged everyone to leave the special session with a spirit of peace and to bless each other. “I am begging us to show the world who God is through the actions of those who are remaining in the conference and the actions of those who have disaffiliated,” she said during remarks following the final vote. “Begging us to show the world who God is through how we will love each other and choose the better way.”