Under the leadership and direction of Bishop David Graves, the Alabama-West Florida Conference has announced a potential special called annual conference session related to General Conference 2020 legislation. This is in addition to the previously announced dates with one revision. At the conclusion of the 2019 Annual Conference session, the dates of annual conference were announced as June 7-10, 2020. The new dates for that session are now June 7-9, 2020. All business of the annual conference will conclude by 5:00pm on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.
An additional called conference may be held on Saturday, June 27, 2020, in a centrally located public facility within the bounds of the conference, if needed. Because General Conference 2020 concludes on May 15, 2020, additional time could be needed to properly prepare the conference should a vote of any sort be required.
“I have prayed and spent intentional time asking God how I can best lead the Alabama-West Florida Conference related to the divisive topics of our time,” stated Bishop David Graves. “Although an additional called conference could require our clergy and lay members to meet on June 27th, we are concluding our regularly scheduled annual conference a day earlier to accommodate this extra obligation. I want the voting body of the conference to have as much time for prayer and preparation, should a vote be needed, while also centering ourselves in worship and celebration at the regular session of annual conference.”
Clergy and lay members to annual conference should make plans now to attend the two conferences. Should any elected lay member have a conflict with the newly announced date, they should notify their church leadership so that a called charge conference may happen in their church to elect alternate lay members. Clergy and lay members should be able to attend both conferences. If the additional session is not needed, the revised dates of June 7-9, 2020, will still stand for the 2020 Annual Conference session.
More information will be released as details are arranged.