Meeting Minutes List

Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasiConferences Commission
Meeting Minutes
December 4, 2025
Members Present: Clark Atkins, Lori Smith, Bradley DeHaven, Mickey Wheeler, Bishop Scott Jones, Wilton Odongo, Elizabeth Sullivan, Bishop Leah Gregory, Virgilio Olonan, Walter Khalonyere
Loving
I. Joys & Concerns
a. Family members and the persecuted church were lifted in prayer.
II. Opening Prayer
a. Lori Smith opened the meeting in prayer.
Learning
I. Discussion Around Possible Legislation to General Conference
a. The Commission discussed the need for legislation regarding annual conference structures and guidelines. They will focus on the 700s sections of the Book of Doctrines and Discipline. The team will work on enabling legislation that provides flexibility for different annual conferences, especially concerning district structures.
b. Bishop Jones volunteered to lead a work team along with Mickey Wheeler, Elizabeth Sullivan, and Wilton Odongo to develop proposals for the February Conferences Commission meeting.
Leading
I. Approve Minutes from 06 November 2025 Meeting
a. Bradley DeHaven made a motion to approve the minutes. Second by Bishop Scott Jones. Approved.
II. Reports
a. Commission Chairs Meeting Report
i. The Connectional Council has adopted a public minutes policy, requiring most commissions to make their minutes available to the public, with the exception of the Council on Appeals and the Global Episcopacy Committee. In some instances regional areas will be used for public minutes to avoid redaction and to protect the GMC churches and clergy serving in persecuted areas. We will continue listing numbers of clergy and churches rather than names in public minutes to protect sensitive information.
ii. This Conferences Commission's two-year term is nearly over, with General Conference elections for a six-year term approaching in Johannesburg next year. The commission was reminded to consider whether they want to
continue serving and communicate their intentions to their general conference delegations, as nominations will be happening in January and February.
iii. Clark Atkins informed the group that the portal for submitting petitions to General Conference will open on January 5th. Bishop Scott Jones and several other commission members will be working on legislation proposals for
General Conference consideration.
1. Clark Atkins expressed interest in potential legislation to improve
annual conference structures and guidelines, particularly regarding
flexibility for conferences in persecuted areas or with small
memberships, suggesting a need for enabling legislation in the 700s
section of the Discipline.
2. The team will work on enabling legislation that provides flexibility for different annual conferences, especially concerning district structures.
III. Old Business
a. Proposal to Connectional Council RE: Representation from Emerging Areas at GC i. Legislation for the approval of representatives from emerging areas to attend the General Conference, with a focus on allowing one clergy and one lay representative from established leadership groups to participate with voice but no vote. The General Conference would be responsible for the cost of these persons.
b. Recommendations for Approval of Clergy Applications
1. South Asia
2. Brazil
3. Europe Other
Clergy applicants were approved.
c. Recommendations for Approval of Church Applications
1. South Asia
Church applications were approved.
IV. New Business
a. South Asia AC Conference Application
i. Kathryn Chittenden made a motion to approve the South Asia Annual Conference application. Second by Bradley DeHaven. Approved.
b. Afrika Mashariki AC Conference Application
i. Wilton Odongo made a motion to approve the Afrika Mashariki Annual Conference application. Second by Walter Khalonyere. Approved.
V. Upcoming Dates:
a. South Asia AC Convening Conference December 11-12, 2025
b. Panama AC Convening Conference December 13-14, 2025
c. Afrika Mashariki AC Convening Conf. February 23-25, 2026
d. Ethiopian Nazrawiyan AC Convening February 27-March 4, 2026
e. Peru AC Convening Conference March 2026
VI. NEXT MEETING January 8, 2026 at 7:00 AM Central Standard Time (2:00 PM Central African Republic Time; 4:00 PM Kenya Time; 9:00 PM Philippines Time) VII. Closing Prayer/Adjournmentze this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.