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)
July 14, 2026
9am EST
Voting Members Present: Mary Blagojevich, Beth Ann Cook, Elie Diko, César Gazza, Tsvetan Iliev, James Kawadza, Chipau Audu Kilyobas, Bridget Kirk, Tesia Mallory, Norma Morrison, Nicolas Munongo, Davies Musigo, Mack Parker, Bill Patrick, Charles Puno, Stacy Taylor, Jay Therrell
Non-Voting Members Present: Laura Ballinger, Ginger Barbee, Rhonda Bourgeois, Dianne Burnett, Lyndsey Clark, Mike Grant, Tom Lambrecht, Lamar Oliver, Mike Schafer
Not Present: Sterling Allen, Shalom Azabe, Tim Beardsley, Jeff Greenway, Joy Griffin, Carol Loeb, Molly Williams, Becci Wood
Opening Prayer: Mary
Minutes: Discrepancy in number of votes vs voting members present. Votes were just one off, since Mike G doesn’t vote, and he did count himself. Minutes will be amended to show correct number of votes. Motion by Beth Ann, seconded by Bridget to approve minutes as amended from June 30. Approved 11-0
Event Project Manager, Becci:
• On vacation - no report
Connectional Council Report, Mike Schafer:
• Received Mission Experience covenant, made a few wording edits and sent back to Tim
• Asked about Hybrid plans, which will be discussed today.
Mike Grant:
• South Africa requires a traveller declaration form to be filled out 24 hours in advance of entering SA, and upon leaving. This form is online, but can also be filled out in the airport. Stacy will check with Uniglobe for details. James will share the information he has with Dianne. Dianne and Christen will put together the information for the weekly newsletter.
• Hybrid: Nigeria and DRC are still working through the VISA process. DRC is close. The SA Department of Home affairs continues to ask for additional documentation, as they are watching for illegal immigrants.
• Per Ginger - we have met the quota for number of hotel rooms booked, so if we do have to cancel rooms in SA, we should not have to pay for them.
• Making arrangements in Nigeria and the DRC for places to meet and travel, will take time and money.
• Putting together the technology will take time and money.
• Will also affect KUDO and translation needs.
• Adds the number of volunteers needed, and someone to head up the Hybrid team. Tom has Rick Kindschi ready.
• If we add $100,000 or more to our budget, Connectional Council would need to approve.
• MOTION by Beth Ann, seconded by Mack to begin preparing for Hybrid and allow those who do get VISAS in time to attend in person. Nothing will be canceled in SA at this time. Approved 12-0-1
Prayer, Laura:
• 40 day prayer guide starts on Wednesday, July 15.
Petitions, Lamar:
• Changes have been made to the petition report, July 6, which affected paragraph and page numbers.
Worship Team, Tesia:
• Tying up loose ends, heading into the communication phase.
• Communicating with the choir, liturgists and readers
• Working to purchase communion vessels for the tables
• Working on translating portions of the liturgies
• Working with Chris Ritter on the Episcopacy Committee on everything bishop related
Credentialing/Registration, Carol:
• The Credentialing Team is working with Rhonda to learn the new system for Delegation heads to substitute alternates in for delegates and to move reserves up to the delegation if there is a need. They will be having a ZOOM training with their volunteers in early August.
• The Registration team is working on downloading and learning the app process to check in all registrants and walk ins for the conference. Registration will be done by locating your conference line which will be very well marked. Please tell your delegates, volunteers, sponsors, music teams, mission teams (if coming to the conference) staff and anyone else you know that they need to have their passports to register.
• We have worked to check the references to all 130 people that have requested an invitation, and Ginger has worked tirelessly to make sure they all have an invitation.
Action Item:
Because we are near our limit of seating, and because the time is getting short, the Registration team moves that we stop taking requests for invitations as of July 15. This gives us the remaining time to concentrate on the people that are coming.
Proposed amendment by Bridget, seconded by Stacy, that we amend the proposal from the Registration team to stop taking requests for invitations as of July 20, and ask the communications team to announce this within the next few days. Approved 11-0-0
Motion as amended approved 11-0-0. Dianne will see that this is communicated..
Finance, Molly:
• No report
Sponsorships, Mack:
• No report
Missions, Tim:
• T-shirts ordered for leaders of ME
• VBS box sent to South Africa was returned and will be resent.
Housing/Logistics, James:
• All printing requests should be in, these should go through Communications first. • Let James know quantities of items requested.
• James will be making one more trip to SA
• Gautrain cards are in the US. Becci will get them sorted and dispersed. • Secured a storage place
• Finalizing transportation needs.
Translation/Interpretation, Bill:
• KUDO tech call on Wednesday, July 15; Will look at the contracted 250 hours and see if more time should be added.
International Relations, Elie:
• Elie is working with Ginger to get reservation lists directly from the hotels to submit as part of the VISA acquisition process.
• Heads of delegations need to be looking after their delegates - making sure they have VISAS and travel, etc.
Legislative, Tom:
• Legislative committees have met and elected officers.
• Pre-conference workbook is on the website in English. French, Spanish, Portuguese is ready, others are coming soon.
Agenda, Norma:
• No report
Communications, Dianne:
• Working with Amanda on design requests
• Weekly newsletters (have been helpful!)
• Communications team meeting at the end of July
• Communications staff in person meeting early August
• Walking through full production
Hospitality/Volunteers, Stacy:
• No report
Assembly of Bishops, Bishop Greenway:
• No report
Other business:
• Nicolas requested travel arrangements for DRC delegates be sent to him. Ginger or Stacy will contact Uniglobe to check on this for him.
Next meeting: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 9am EST
Additional GCC meetings:
August 11, via ZOOM
August 28 at 1:30PM at the Sandton Convention Center
Team Leader’s meetings: July 23 at 10am EST, August 6 at 10am EST Motion to adjourn by Nicolas, seconded by Tim Approved 10-0
Meeting closed in prayer by Charles.
Minutes submitted by Stacy Taylorze this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.