Annual Conference

From the beginning, the basic governmental unit of Methodism has been the Conference, originally a gathering of clergy with the Bishop each year. (hence, “Annual” Conference). Eventually, lay men and then lay women were admitted as members of Conference. Now, the rule is that there must be a Lay Member of Conference for every Clergy Member.

SUMC has a strong delegation to Conference. In addition to the three Clergy on staff, SUMC sends two Lay Members. In addition to the representatives that our church sends, a member or two from our congregation attend Conference as Equalization Members from our District. A member of our congregation Oscar Harrell is “Conference Lay Leader”, the highest lay office in the Annual Conference.

Every four years, the Annual Conferences send Delegates to General Conference, which is the only official law-making body of the Church. One thousand delegates, 500 clergy and 500 laity, meet for two weeks to rewrite the Book of Discipline that governs the life of Methodism. Bishops have no vote at this gathering!

Bishops preside over the Annual Conferences. They are elected by region, again by an equal number of clergy and laity. They serve four-year terms in a Conference and can serve no more than 12 years in a single Conference. They must retire at 68.

The New England Conference was created in 1993 by the amalgamation of the Southern New England, Maine and New Hampshire Conferences. Bishop Herb Skeete was the presiding officer at the time. He was succeeded by Bishop Susan Hassinger, who retired in 2004. Peter Weaver was Bishop of Philadelphia Area from 1996 until 2004, becoming Bishop here in September 2004.