June 13, 2021
The sermon for the opening worship was given by the 2021 Ziegler Award honoree, Rev. Rae Fraumann, pastor of Hedding UMC in Barre, VT. The Wilbur C. Ziegler Award for Excellence in Preaching is presented by the Board of Church & Society to a person who demonstrates excellence in preaching the whole Gospel, addressing both personal and social salvation.
21-205 – approved
AMEND APPENDIX H OF CONF. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
21-207 – approved
HONORING MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN
21-208 – approved
CONFRONTING HARM AND DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX OR GENDER
See more in a video created by COSROW
21-210 – approved
AMEND THE EQUALIZATION PROCESS IN THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
RS-218 Recognition of Holy Connection – approved
Motion made by Rev. Sarah Mount Elewononi
New members to the Board of Ordained Ministry for the remainder of this quadrennium – approved
Natalie Hill (Deacon)
Yunki Kim (Elder)
Ken Mantler (Elder)
Clare Chapman (Lay)
Motion by Linda Campbell Marshall – approved
The Congregational Development Committee and/or the Vision Forward Task Force be directed to begin the process for a fund revitalization grant to Rainbow UMC and other churches in Portland as missional churches in transitional communities, within the next 2 years, using any assets that may be available from the apportionments to be paid by the 3 disaffiliated churches [Chebeague Island, Hope.Gate.Way and Tuttle Road UMCs], funds from Hebrews 11 and any grants available from the United Methodist Foundation, and ask that the Episcopal Leader and Cabinet prioritize this effort in the appointment making process, that the witness of United Methodism and its ongoing battle for justice in the Mother city of our denomination in Maine not be abandoned.
A report from the New England Delegation to the General and Jurisdictional conferences
Watch their report
Zoom poll results
Menti poll results
Bishop Devadhar invited Rev. Erica Robinson-Johnson, who is stepping down as DCM/Assistant to the Bishop as of July 1, to share some thoughts with the Annual Conference. Watch
Bishop Devadhar announced his appointment of Ashley Renée Johnson as part-time Director of Connectional Ministries — Read the announcement
Setting of Appointments As of June 12, 2021
Offerings were received for:
$4,002.50 Ministerial Call Fund, which supports continuing education grants for clergy in NEAC.
$4,727. 50 Justice in Our Time Fund, created by the United Methodist Foundation of New England, supports anti-racism work.
$2,175 Mission of Peace, The Mission of Peace (MOP) is a yearly journey of discovery and shalom to nations in our global community sponsored by the Northeastern Jurisdictional Council on Youth Ministries.
$1,385 Memorial Fund
Some people have asked about the videos from general agencies shown during Annual Conference. Here are links:
General Board of Global Ministries
General Board of Church and Society
United Methodist Men
United Methodist Women
Africa University
This year's Service of Commissioning and Ordination was the only in-person event of this Annual Conference. Members of the clergy classes of 2020 and 2021 were ordained and commissioned as were two deaconesses. The candidates and a limited number of guests were present at First UMC in North Andover, MA.
The baptismal font contained water from all six New England states; the water was placed in individual bottles so candidates could include their congregations in the baptismal remembrance liturgy from the service.
Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar's sermon was based on I Peter 1: 13-16 (The Message) and titled "Roll Up Your Sleeves."
"Christian ministry, whether done by laity or clergy, is all about rolling up our sleeves," Bishop Devadhar said. "Though I may be challenged, let me say this, my dear commissioners and ordinands. We become elders or deacons par excellence, not through how we do our theological gymnastics from the pulpit or wherever our primary appointments as deacons or clergy on extension ministry are, not as liberal or conservative pastors, not through our accent-free teaching, not through our gender, not through the color of our skin, but through our risk-taking courage, our readiness to embrace the pain, and our 'willingness to roll up our sleeves.'”
The bishop's sermon ended with a special hymn he commissioned for the clergy classes of 2020 and 2021. "We Set Our Hope in Jesus" by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette is sung by Rev. Jill Colley Robinson and her daughter, Chelsea. Listen
Watch the bishop's sermon
Ordinands —Class of 2020
Deacons
Natalie Hill
Sheri Smith
Elders
Kathleen Decker Szakas
Shannon Keeney
SeokCheol Shin
Commissionees — Class of 2020
Deacons
Adama Brown
Ashley Johnson
Elders
Brian Hyungsuk Choi
Sooyoun Kim
Sunjae Lee
Adam Randazzo
Alicia Vélez Stewart
See a gallery of photos of the Class of 2020
Ordinands — Class of 2021
Deacons
Caroline Bass
Karen Skalla
Elders
Ross Johnson
Yunki Kim
Kenneth Mantler
Dongmyung Shim
Commissionees — Class of 2021
Elders
Michelle Ashley
Sungmin Jeon
Juhee Lee
Junsang Lee
Minchang Lee
John Melick
Jamie Michaels
Christy Wright
See a gallery of photos of the Class of 2021
Deaconesses and Home Missioners are laywomen and laymen who are called by God to be in a lifetime relationship in The United Methodist Church for engagement with a full-time vocation in ministries of love, justice, and service. Together they form a covenant community that is rooted in Scripture, informed by history, driven by mission, ecumenical in scope, and global in outreach.
Tracy Tarver-Weisel (above left), Seacoast District, is from Enfield, CT, where she and her family attend Hazardville UMC. She is a special education teacher in the New Visions program in the Hartford Public Schools.
Wanda Winnicki, (above right) Granite District, serves as facilitator of the Holistic Health Ministry at St. John’s UMC in Dover, NH, where she leads “God in Yoga” classes.
Hear more about their ministries