Western NC Conference — 2026 Annual Conference

Approximately 1400 United Methodist souls gathered from 44 counties in western NC at Lake Junaluska for the 2026 Annual Conference of the Western North Carolina Conference for a time of worship, fellowship, discernment, and decision-making. In my estimation, the 2026 conference theme was not only well chosen, but also timely and powerful: Rebuild My Church.

“And I tell you…on this rock I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18a

The newly adopted United Methodist vision statement was woven as golden threads throughout the conference:

The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.

Bishop Ken Carter: Highlighted Points of the Conference

Churches across our conference continue to navigate changing opportunities and challenges, members gathered to celebrate God’s work among us and chart a path forward together. Seven key outcomes from this year’s conference reflect our shared commitments, accomplishments, and hopes for the future.

1. We established an equity fund for the repair of historically Black Churches.
2. We affirmed a covenant relationship with the Ukraine-Moldova Annual Conference.
3. We reinstated the ordination of Lauren Scruggs who was required to surrender her credentials 32 years ago through our sin of exclusion.
4. We recognized a Deaconess and 3 Certified Lay Ministers, both of which acknowledge the calling of laity in the life of the church. We also licensed 16 local pastors, commissioned 12 clergy as provisional members, recognized the orders of 4 clergy, approved the transfer of 1 additional clergy, and ordained 1 Deacon and 7 Elders. Our own Kellie Finley-Call was recognized as a certified candidate for Deacon Orders.
5. We approved an apportioned budget of $10,893,315 for 2027, which is .01% less than the 2026 apportioned budget and elected Rev. Meredith Poe Martin as our Conference Treasurer.
6. We celebrated the retirement of 32 clergy which represented a total of 845 years of service and gave thanks for the lives of 28 clergy and 30 clergy spouses who entered the church triumphant this past year.
7. We learned from each other about rebuilding the church within our particular context and in those discussion groups experienced the connection at its best.

Friday, June 19: Love Boldly through the Power of the Holy Spirit

At the opening worship service, Bishop LaTrelle Easterling’s sermon, “By the Power of the Holy Spirit” reminded us that our hope in God endures, that the future of the United Methodist Church also will endure because the Spirit of God has not and will not cease to move. She urged laity to remember that volunteers are not just volunteers—we are disciples. She also urged pastors and laity to remember “God calls, sends, speaks through willing servants, God inspires them, then God does what only God can do…beloved, you—have—been—sent!” She appealed to us to spend time with, ponder, tarry with and to love the Holy Spirit! When power of the Spirit comes—transformation comes. Bishop Easterling compelled the conference attendees: “By the power of the Holy Spirit, come out of your fear. Come out of your scarcity. Come out of your exhaustion. Come out of your grief. Come out of the narratives that tell you decline is inevitable. Come out of the temptation to manage death when God is creating new life. Come out and Rebuild the church—not buildings. Rebuild pathways to deep discipleship. Rebuild the movement. Rebuild deep study and rightly dividing the word of truth. Rebuild trust. Rebuild moral courage, compassion, and Godly conviction. Rebuild the beloved community the way God envisioned it. The wind of the Spirit is blowing. That same Spirit that moved through creation…

And so, The United Methodist clergy and laity began the conference “set on fire by the Holy Spirit,” ready to embrace the transforming work of the Holy Spirit and participate in God’s ongoing work of rebuilding the church. Worship was completed with Holy Communion, acknowledging that we are one body and disciples of Christ in ministry together. A very good way to begin.

Covenant relationship with the Ukraine-Moldova Annual Conference

In 2025, at the end of the Saturday afternoon session of the Annual Conference, Bishop Carter announced there was the beginning of a process to consider a covenant of mutuality with the Ukraine-Moldova Provisional Annual Conference. Enthusiasm ripple through the room at this announcement.

On Friday afternoon of the 2026 Annual Conference Bishop Carter commented that a covenant relationship between the WNCC Annual Conference and the Ukraine-Moldova Provisional Annual Conference was the result of our pivoting from looking inward to turning out toward God’s word as an annual conference with another annual conference in the world. He shared the six principles of covenant:

1. Support planting and growing vital church congregations in Ukraine.
2. Support a capacity building among pastors and dedicated lay leaders.
3. Support the development of the spiritual and social center called “under the castle of Ukraine UMC.”
4. To work in shared understandings of peace building, as a people who live in the midst of violence. They have something to teach us about peace building.
5. To work in shared understandings of trauma.
6. To work in advocacy for the people of Ukraine in public policy. The partnership will support the growth and development of a sustainable, locally led Ukraine-Moldova Provisional Annual Conference in order to move forward to continue to grow the United Methodist influence in Ukraine in fruitful healthy and God-honoring ways.

Note—these are mutually composed goals. After a time of silence, the conference stood and a vote was held to affirm or deny. The Covenant was enthusiastically and unanimously affirmed.

Bishop Christian Alsted, the retired Bishop of the Northern Europe Regional Conference, noted that the current Bishop Kudref Stal of the UMC in Ukraine and the members are excited to build on the covenant we just passed.

Words from Bishop Christian Alsted, Bible Study

Bishop Alsted spoke for over an hour on our fractured world, the church and how we are/can reflect Christian discipleship. His soft-spoken assessment of the attitudes of mankind were deeply truthful and alarming. Yet he repeatedly drew us back to Christ and how we are called. My recommendation is that you listen to the entire “Bible study.”  And I pray that you are called to become people who heal wounds, speak the truth, build bridges, practice forgiveness, embody hope and reflect the love and character of Jesus Christ. Together, with Christ, we can rebuild.

Several Items Of note:

• Two offerings were received during the conference in support of an Equity Fund for Repair and Restoration of Historical Black Churches and the Ukraine Partnership. These offerings were made toward repair and restoration within our own Conference and to help strengthen relationships with those serving in the Ukraine-Moldova context and thus to support peace building beyond our national borders.
• Duke Divinity School is institutionally affiliated with the UMC and is one of the official seminaries. Duke was highlighted for forming clergy and lay leaders for ministry over the last 100 years, resulting in 10 thousand alumni of various denominations. The Rev. Daniel Corpening expressed gratitude for the conference’s longstanding partnership with the school.
• In order to promote representation from small, rural, and Black churches, the district shall encourage members of multipoint charges and cooperative parishes from the churches not represented by the charge/parish lay member to become district-at-large lay members.
• The conference approved the nomination of Chris Hampton as conference statistician.

Petitions (Abbreviated)

• Petitions 1 through 11—The WNCC approved budgets and policies as well as new board members for various camps, retirement homes, colleges, and commissions.
• Petition 12—The WNCC approved recognition of Cherokee United Methodist Church, one of the earliest Methodist ministries dating back to 1822, and its mission buildings as a United Methodist Historic Site.
• Petition 13— Matthews United Methodist Church, Greensboro was named as a United Methodist Historic Site.
• Petition 14—The WNCC will give $6,000 annually to support the SEJ-BMCR Youth Harambee Conference, which is an annual program ministry; ensuring continued investment in the spiritual, educational, and leadership development of Methodist youth.
• Petition 15—The Sacred worth of transgender and non-binary people passed. As followers of Christ, we are called not only to affirm the sacred worth of all people in principle, but to embody that belief in our structures, policies, and public witness. This resolution provides the WWNCC Annual Conference with a clear, faithful, and actionable way to live into our baptismal call to resist injustice and to stand alongside those most vulnerable.
• Petitions 16 & 17—The Creation Care and Justice team introduced two petitions: to Reaffirm General Conference 2024 Creation Care and Justice Legislation; and to Establish Creation Care as a Conference-Wide Priority. Both petitions passed.
• Petition 18—The Ghanaian UM Churches introduced a petition seeking for the WNCC Annual Conference to petition the General Conference to recognize the formation of A Ghanaian UMC Caucus within our UM Denomination; and, that the WNCC Annual Conference petitions the 2028 General Conference to provide appropriate support and resources for the caucus and its activities.
• Four churches were approved to close:
• Charlotte UMC, Randolph County, North Piedmont District, no longer wishes to be part of the connectional system of The United Methodist Church.
• Three churches are financially unable to support a pastor’s salary and pension, apportionments, or maintenance of the building due to declining membership:

Grassy Creek UMC, Surry County, Appalachian District,

Myrtle UMC, Gaston County, Catawba Valley District,

Tryon UMC, Polk County, Blue Ridge District

• In 2025, 78% of the congregations paid 100% of the total amount apportioned.

Saturday, June 20: Serve Joyfully through the Power of the Holy Spirit

Rebuild My Church Conversations

More than 700 people participated in one of fifteen different discussion groups based on the kind of church or a particular descriptor of the church. These discussion groups focused on how churches can adapt and strengthen ministry in their unique communities. I attended the Suburban Church discussions which split into around six subgroups. I and the other subgroup leaders are submitting our notes. Hopefully, we will receive a summary of our discussions and can share those in the near future.

Additional  Items Of note:

• Deep Time received the 2025 Reynolds Legacy Award for outstanding disciple-making.
• The conference also highlighted ministry efforts from the past year, including responses to natural disasters and community needs. Following Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, leaders reported that 29 of 44 churches were under a state of emergency. There was an offering and testimonies regarding the work being done to rebuild those churches.
• Bishop Carter authored a book for the Lenten season. $1500 of the proceeds of his book, will go toward the Ukraine/Moldova covenant relationship.
• Two major UMC milestones in church life were observed:
• The 30th anniversary of the Order of the Deacon
• The 70th anniversary of the ordination of women in ministry.
• The 2026 worldwide Leadership Gathering for The United Methodist Church will be held in Calgary, Canada where bishops, clergy and lay leaders will lean into the Spirit’s leading to discern the future of the denomination: Imagining the Church Yet to Be!

The final golden thread was on Sunday: Lead Courageously through the Power of the Holy Spirit

Rebuilding is not the responsibility of a few leaders alone but instead belongs to everyone. Love boldly. Serve joyfully. Lead courageously.