Meeting Minutes List

Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasiGeneral Conference Commission (GCC)
December 16, 2025
9am EST
Voting Members Present: Shalom Azabe, Tim Beardsley, Beth Ann Cook, Elie Diko, César Gazza, Jeff Greenway, Joy Griffin, Tsvetan Iliev, James Kawadza, Chipau Audu Kilyobas, Bridget Kirk, Carol Loeb, Anthony McPhail, Norma Morrison, Nicolas Munongo, Davies Musigo, Mack Parker, Bill Patrick, Charles Puno, Stacy Taylor, Molly Williams
Non-Voting Members Present: Laura Ballinger, Ginger Barbee, Rhonda Bourgeois, Dianne Burnett, Mike Grant, Lamar Oliver, Mike Schafer, Becci Wood
Not Present: Sterling Allen, Mary Blagojevich, Tom Lambrecht, Jay Therrell Opening Prayer: Anthony
Minutes: Motion by Carol seconded by Joy, to approve minutes from December 4 meeting. Approved 14-0 (Thank you, Lamar!)
Connectional Council Report, Mike Schafer:
• Wired money to the Sandton Convention Center.
Event Project Manager, Becci:
• Sent out 466 invitations, 367 registered, which includes 103 guests • Working on hotels to ensure delegations fit where they have requested • CVent and Ginger - doing a good job keeping pieces in place.
• May 26-28, 2026: In person meeting for Team Leaders in Chicago, IL, USA • Communications Team will be sending updated registration and travel information to the Conference Superintendents and heads of delegations
• Hotels are only available and funded by GMC during blocked time - not during EO or other trips
Assembly of Bishops, Bishop Greenway:
• Speaker nominations are extended in order to receive more from across the denomination.
Chair, Mike G:
• Team Leaders asked if they are willing to send in reports before the meeting for GCC to read in order to save time during the meetings. There was no response, so meetings will continue as they have been.
Worship, Anthony:
• No report
Hospitality/Volunteers, Stacy:
• Initial list of volunteers was separated by teams and sent to the Team Leaders. Team Leaders have access to the applications through Microsoft Teams. They will be reviewing applications and making a list in order of choice. Additional names as they come in will be forwarded to the team leader. 177 applications in right now, which includes sub team members. Continuing to look at selecting volunteers from all over the globe. Mid-January the lists will be reviewed. The goal is to notify volunteers of their selection by February 2.
Finance, Molly:
• Emerging Conferences cost impact may be around $35,000. This will come from the contingency line item.
Sponsorships, Mack:
• Thanks for the quick response to the EO update on the website.
Agenda, Norma:
• No report
Legislation, Tom:
• No report
Petitions, Lamar:
• Great Connectional Conversation on December 5. Documents will be ready January 5, 2026
Prayer, Laura:
• Bimonthly guides ready
• Regional representatives working on 40 day guides with Scripture, devotion, and prayer
• Recruiting individuals for Concert of Prayer, working with David Layser • Looking at volunteer applications
Translation, Bill:
• Continuing to work on proposals for AI interpretation services - second demo with Kudo this week. Will have the recommendation by January’s meeting. • Interpreter positions may not all be filled until registrations come in and language requirements are known.
• Looking for someone fluent in Portuguese
• Interpreters are not required to be GMC, but would be helpful. Bill will ask Mike and/ or Dianne to contact conferences directly to help find interpreters.
Missions, Tim:
• Working on the Missions Mission statement
• Tim is going to Johannesburg one day early
• Mission Experience interest is noted during the registration process. Names are sent to Tim via jot form. Website will have a missions experience information page soon.
• Fundraising - after the first of the year - detailing what this will look like
Communications, Dianne:
• Team discussing how to cover Christen’s roles while she is out on maternity leave • Working with Episcopacy committee initiatives
• Norma suggested the Heads of delegations form a group to share information. Dianne can provide information for this if someone wants to organize it.
Housing/Logistics, James:
• Any items that can be purchased under the tourism grant, please let James know. • Looking at venue logistics, IVTM (tech) and layout of space. Anticipating 900 persons, but will hold 1100.
International Relations, Elie:
• Company that issues VISAS has agreed to help
Credentialing/Registration, Carol:
• Checking references of volunteer applicants
Executive Team Report:
• None
New Business: None
Next meeting: Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 9am EST.
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 9am EST
Motion to adjourn by Jeff, seconded by James; Passed 16-0
Prayers for Becci - knee surgery soon
Prayers for Mary - Denny’s service Thursday, Dec. 18
Meeting closed in prayer by Davies.
Minutes submitted by Stacy Taylorze this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.