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)
January 13, 2026
9am EST
Voting Members Present: Shalom Azabe, Tim Beardsley, Mary Blagojevich, Beth Ann Cook, Elie Diko, César Gazza, Jeff Greenway, Joy Griffin, Tsvetan Iliev, James Kawadza, Chipau Audu Kilyobas, Carol Loeb, Norma Morrison, Nicolas Munongo, Davies Musigo, Mack Parker, Charles Puno, Stacy Taylor, Jay Therrell, Molly Williams
Non-Voting Members Present: Laura Ballinger, Ginger Barbee, Dianne Burnett, Mike Grant, Tom Lambrecht, Lamar Oliver, Mike Schafer, Becci Wood
Not Present: Sterling Allen, Bridget Kirk, Bill Patrick, Rhonda Bourgeois Opening Prayer: Laura
Minutes: Motion by Mary, seconded by James, to approve minutes from December 16 meeting. Approved 17-0
Chair, Mike G:
• Dealt with personnel Matter
• Motion by Jay, seconded by Chipau, that we hold an election at the next meeting (January 27) to fill the Vice-Chair vacancy and empower Mike Grant to appoint a Worship Team Chair. Approved 16-1-1
• Any petitions needing GCC endorsement, please send to Mike Grant so they may be placed on the agenda.
Worship/Assembly of Bishops, Bishop Greenway:
• Assembly of Bishops did receive an request for appeal regarding personnel matter. • Speaker nominations extension resulted in several excellent applications. 12 nominees (for 6 slots) will be reviewed by the worship team.
Translation, Bill: (in abstentia)
• Recommendation for AI interpretation services by next meeting.
Connectional Council Report, Mike Schafer:
• Financial surplus, which will change when we have full time bishops, some went to the ministerial training fund, $600,000 went into General Conference fund for next GC.
• Jumping in to help with the episcopacy election process
Event Project Manager, Becci:
• 472 registrations to date
• Managing and allocating hotel rooms; must arrive on the planned arrival dates, or find own hotel room.
• Next phase of registration invitations will be at the beginning of February.
Finance, Molly:
• Contingency line item - $163,000 left.
• The Finance Team moves to increase the line item for the Pre-Conference Team Leaders Meeting by $6,000, to be funded from the Contingency. Approved 17-0-0 • Finance meets the Wednesday before the GCC meeting. Give any Finance requests before then, please.
Sponsorships, Mack:
• 9 exhibitors for a total of $130,000
Housing/Logistics, James:
• Any items that can be purchased under the tourism grant, please let James know. • Becci checking contract to see what food/snacks can be brought into convention center
Hospitality/Volunteers, Stacy:
• Have received over 200 applications for 170 slots. Team leaders are going through list now and making selections.
• Dr. Rusty Freeman from Truett Seminary planning to bring 6-10 young adults to work at the Truett exhibit table, and will also volunteer in various roles.
• Discussion around number of delegate spouses who have not applied to volunteer. Becci suggested that we contact the spouses and communicate options of choir, mission experience, prayer team and other volunteer opportunities.
• Motion by Beth Ann, seconded by Tim, to not send letters to delegate spouses until volunteer needs are fully assessed. Approved 17-0-0
Legislation, Tom:
• Waiting for Conference Superintendents’ church accounts to be solidified for FTE numbers, so that delegate numbers can be allocated.
• Revisions to the plan of organization: One codifies the action of the Connectional Council concerning Emerging Area Representatives. The other change gives greater flexibility to legislative committees and sub-committees to set aside Robert's Rules for some informal discussion. I A, B, C: Approved: 16-0-0; 1: Approved: 15-0-0 I. EMERGING AREA REPRESENTATIVES
The Conferences Commission will designate Emerging Areas that are well organized, but not yet ready to be convened as an annual conference. An Emerging Area must have a TCAT or other leadership structure and sufficient churches and clergy to be a viable annual conference. Each Emerging Area may elect one clergy and one lay representative to the General Conference by the deadline for delegates to be certified. Such representatives will have the following privileges:
A. To attend the plenary sessions of the General Conference as an observer, not seated within the bar of the conference, without voice or vote.
B. To attend and participate in a legislative committee of their choice, with voice but without vote. Such participation will not be counted against the maximum of delegates permitted for a legislative committee.
C. To have all travel, food, and lodging expenses paid by the General Conference budget.
1. Informal Discussion—If there is no objection, or else by majority vote of the committee or sub-committee, the chair may temporarily set aside Robert’s Rules of Order to allow for extended discussion on a topic leading to action on a petition. The chair should ensure that all voices may be heard and that no one voice dominate the discussion. When the committee appears ready to act, the chair should reinstitute Robert’s Rules for the purpose of formally considering action on the petition.
• Portal for nominating Administrative Committees is being built, with the goal of early February to be open. This date may be extended.
Agenda, Norma:
• Missions Experience schedule and locations have been added to the agenda - for internal use only.
Petitions, Lamar:
• Petition portal is open. Please encourage early submission, do not wait until May 1. First round is to Ludek for translation.
• Continuing to work through deferred petitions from 2024.
Credentialing/Registration, Carol:
• Waiting for Uniglobe flights manifest to finalize registration schedule.
Prayer, Laura:
• Bimonthly guides complete
• Regional representatives working on 40 day guides with Scripture, devotion, and prayer
• Volunteer prayer team applications are being reviewed. Some volunteers may finish their volunteer role after day 3 and then transfer to the prayer team. Stacy will coordinate this.
International Relations, Elie:
• Time to get the VISA applications started. Invitation letter will come from Cat Enns/ Mike Schaefer. Anyone who is already elected as a delegate will receive an invitation letter. Becci and Tom will get this list to Elie so the list can be sent to the SA government as soon as possible.
Missions, Tim:
• Working on Missions Experience website
Communications, Dianne:
• Podcast studio almost set up
• Communication team meets next week. They will have quotes for services for Finance to review.
• Implementing a process for team leaders to request branded materials/signage through a contractor.
• Working with Episcopacy Committee and nomination/communication process • 242 Conference - table for GMC so that young adults can see what the legislative/ petition process and General Conference is about.
Next meeting: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 9am EST
Meeting closed in prayer by Chipau.
Minutes submitted by Stacy Taylorze this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.