Meeting Minutes List

Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasiCONNECTIONAL COUNCIL
Dr. Jessica LaGrone Dr. Daniel Topalski Dr. John Beyers The Rev. Mike Schafer Chair Vice Chair Secretary Connectional Operations Officer
CONNECTIONAL COUNCIL
MINUTES
November 10, 2025 | 9:00 AM EST | Via Zoom
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Members Present Via Zoom: Asaba Chin Ali (Southern Nigeria), John Beyers (North Georgia), Arturo Cadar (Trinity), Bulus Audu Daniel (Southern Nigeria), Debra Davis (Trinity), Bishop Kimba Evariste (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Gene Floore (Alabama Emerald Coast), Dan Gildner (Allegheny West), Erik Grayson (South Carolina), Sam Gregory (West Plains), Jeff Jernigan (North Georgia), Maxim Kvyatkovskiy (Central Russia), Jessica LaGrone (Trinity), Paul Lawler (Mississippi–West Tennessee), Henriette Okele (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Eugene Paik (Korean American), Daniel Topalski (Bulgaria), Bishop Mark Webb (USA)
Members Not Present: Harrison Bell (Alabama Emerald Coast), Tesia Mallory (Allegheny West), Cara Nicklas (Heartland), Vida Mei Rivera (Mega Manila)
Staff Members Present Via Zoom: Dianne Burnett (Executive Director of Communications), Matthew Conover (Executive Director of Finance), Mike Schafer (Connectional Operations Officer)
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Executive Summary
The Connectional Council of the Global Methodist Church met on November 10, 2025, by Zoom, continuing its prayerful and purposeful work of global governance, conference development, strategic planning, leadership evaluation, legislative preparation, and connectional transparency in service to the Church’s mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 AM Eastern Standard Time and was presided over by Chair Jessica LaGrone. Sam Gregory opened the meeting in prayer, grounding the Council’s work in dependence upon the grace, wisdom, and guidance of God. The Council’s deliberations reflected a Church continuing to mature as a global Methodist movement—ordered in governance, expanding in mission, and increasingly attentive to the structures needed for faithful witness across nations and cultures.
The Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.
The Council approved the October 26–29, 2025 Barcelona meeting minutes as amended. The amendments removed monetary figures related to new staff members and removed group discussion material from the minutes. These actions reflected the Council’s commitment to accuracy, discretion, clarity, and responsible corporate recordkeeping. As the Church grows, faithful minutes must preserve institutional memory while also respecting appropriate boundaries of confidentiality and prudence.
A significant portion of the meeting focused on recommendations from the Conferences Commission. The Council unanimously approved recommendations concerning the Zimbabwe Annual Conference, the Thailand Annual Conference, and the Oasis Annual Conference of North Africa. These actions reflect the continued global development of the Global Methodist Church and mark meaningful steps toward strengthening regional leadership, contextual ministry, and faithful connectional structure.
The Council also considered the recommendation concerning the Ethiopian Nazrawiyan Annual Conference. Rather than proceeding immediately, the Council unanimously referred the recommendation back to the Conferences Commission with a request for a budget. This action demonstrated prudent governance and the Council’s commitment to ensuring that conference development is accompanied by appropriate financial clarity and sustainability.
The recommendation concerning the Latin America Emerging Area was also referred back to the Conferences Commission, with a request that the Kingdom Advancement Commission and the Assembly of Bishops work together to propose a more strategic plan for creating emerging areas in that part of the world. This action reflected wise missional discernment. The Council affirmed the importance of Latin America while recognizing that global expansion should be strategic, coordinated, and aligned with the Church’s broader mission and leadership structures.
The Council unanimously approved the recommendation regarding the Bhutan Mission Area of the Developing Area of India. This action further reflected the Church’s expanding global reach and its desire to provide appropriate connectional recognition and support for developing mission areas.
The Council then addressed the matter of Assembly of Bishops minutes. Jeff Jernigan moved that the Connectional Council request the Assembly of Bishops to publish minutes of their semiannual in-person meetings. The motion was seconded by Paul Lawler and unanimously approved. This action continued the Council’s broader commitment to transparency, trust-building, and responsible communication across the connection.
The Council also continued its work on the Strategic Planning Process. Discussion included researching a potential partnership with Spiritual Leadership, Inc. and requesting names of additional sub-team members to serve alongside Bulus Audu Daniel, Jessica LaGrone, Paul Lawler, and Eugene Paik. This work represents an important step toward developing a disciplined and Spirit-led process for clarifying the Church’s future priorities in evangelism, discipleship, mission, leadership, and global growth.
The Council then addressed the Connectional Operations Officer evaluation. Jessica LaGrone appointed Artie Cadar as chair of the review team and requested additional nominees to serve as review team members. This action reflected the Council’s commitment to accountability, healthy leadership practice, and responsible oversight of key connectional staff roles.
The Council also continued preparation for the 2026 General Conference through the appointment of a Legislative Task Force. Jessica LaGrone appointed Sam Gregory as chair, with John Beyers, Cara Nicklas,
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and Jeff Jernigan serving as task force members. This task force will help the Council prepare for legislative matters with clarity, coordination, and connectional responsibility. Such work is essential as the Global Methodist Church continues to refine its doctrine, discipline, polity, and global structure.
The Council reviewed upcoming meeting schedules. The next meeting was set for Monday, November 24, 2025, by Zoom. Additional 2025 meetings were scheduled for December 8 and December 22. Beginning in 2026, the Council will meet by Zoom on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Future in-person meetings were also noted for March 11–13, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia, and June 22–26, 2026, in an international city to be determined.
The meeting concluded with prayer offered by Mike Schafer and adjourned at 10:10 AM EST. Detailed Minutes
CALL TO ORDER
• Time: 9:00 AM (Eastern Standard Time)
• Presiding: Jessica LaGrone, chair
• Opening Prayer: Sam Gregory
APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 26-29, 2025, MEETING MINUTES
• Sam Gregory moved that new staff members’ monetary numbers be removed from the minutes.
• Seconded by Gene Floore.
• Unanimously approved as amended.
• Gene Floore moved to approve Minutes without the group discussion included. • Seconded by Kimba Evariste.
• Unanimously approved as amended.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. Conferences Commission
• Recommendation on Zimbabwe Annual Conference
• Unanimously approved.
• Recommendation on Thailand Annual Conference
• Unanimously approved.
• Recommendation on Oasis Annual Conference (North Africa)
• Unanimously approved.
• Recommendation on Ethiopian Nazrawiyan Annual Conference
• Gene Floore moved to refer the recommendation back to the Conferences Commissions requesting a budget.
• Seconded by Erik Grayson.
• Unanimously approved.
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• Recommendation on Latin America Emerging Area
• Mark Webb moved to refer the recommendation back to the Conference Commission to request that the Kingdom Advancement Commission and
the Assembly of Bishops work to propose a more strategic plan for creating
emerging areas in this part of the world.
• Seconded by Erik Grayson.
• Unanimously approved as amended.
• Recommendation on Bhutan Mission Area of the Developing Area of India • Unanimously approved.
2. Assembly of Bishops Minutes
• Jeff Jernigan moved to request that the Assembly of Bishops publish Minutes of their semiannual in-person meetings.
• Seconded by Paul Lawler.
▪ Unanimously approved.
3. Strategic Planning Process
• Research partnering with SLI (spiritual-leadership.org).
• Request names of additional sub-team members in addition to Bulus Audu Daniel, Jessica LaGrone, Paul Lawler, and Eugene Paik.
4. Connectional Operations Officer Evaluation
• Jessica LaGrone appointed Artie Cadar as chair of review team with a request for additional nominees to serve as review team members.
5. Legislative Task Force
• Jessica LaGrone appointed Sam Gregory as chair of the Legislative Task Force with task force members John Beyers, Cara Nicklas, and Jeff Jernigan.
CLOSING
• Next Meeting: Monday, November 24, 2025, at 9:00 AM (EST) via Zoom
• Future Meeting Schedule via Zoom
• 2025: December 8, 22
• 2026: 2nd and 4th Mondays of each Month: January 12, 26, February 9, 23, March 9, 23, April 13, 27, and so on.
• Future Meeting Schedule In-Person
• March 11-13, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia USA
• June 22-26, 2026, in an international city to be determined
• Concluding Prayer: Mike Schafer
• Adjournment: 10:10 AM EST
Minutes prepared by John Beyers with the gracious assistance of Sam Gregory.
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