August 15, 2023
Dear Pastors,
I hope that you have found some time for rest and renewal this summer. I am praying this fall that you and your congregation will be reenergized for the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We continue to face many challenges in ministry today, but I am encouraged by your ability to stay focused on loving God and neighbor. There is much healing that needs to take place in our churches and in the world today. I pray that the Spirit will work in you to produce fruit of love, joy, and peace that is for the healing of your hearts and your communities. Charge conference season is not simply about completing required paperwork. It is a time to celebrate the new things God is doing in us and through our local United Methodist Churches. I can’t wait to hear all the stories of professions of faith, calls to ministries, and lives changed through the Gospel this year.
Our charge conference forms will again be completed online this year. Our conference staff and district superintendents have worked diligently to make the forms as clear, simple, and concise as possible. All completed forms will be due by October 6 (regardless of the date of your charge conference), and forms will not be accepted through mail. Our schedule for the charge conference season is as follows:
August 15: Online charge conference forms are now live and accessible through your local church dashboard.
September 15: District superintendents will produce charge conference schedules for their districts no later than this date. Remember, most of these charge conferences will be done in clusters.
October 6: All charge conference forms are due (regardless of the date of your charge conference). All forms are to be submitted through the dashboard, including the signature page, by this date. Forms will not be accepted by mail or email. All questions should be addressed to your district administrator (Kim Doss or Charlene Moncrief), and their contact information is found within the instructions and the online forms.
Mid October-late November: All charge conferences will be completed during this six-week period. Please encourage your lay leadership to attend charge conference.
I am grateful for your willingness to work with our conference staff and district superintendents as we continue to find the best ways to do our shared work, and I am grateful for your leadership in the Alabama-West Florida Conference.
In Christ,
Bishop David Graves
Alabama-West Florida Conference