Annual Conference News
Worshipping Together
4/17/2024
BY REV. DERREK BELASE One of the most beloved parts of annual conference is when we worship together. There is nothing like a group of United Methodists singing together and praising God by lifting ...
Meet Our Conference Teacher
4/10/2024
BY REV. DERREK BELASE One of the five dreams of our annual conference is the dream of revitalized faith communities and lighthouse churches. Since 2016, our conference has been asking local churches...
About Bridges Out of Poverty
4/3/2024
Muskogee Bridges Out of Poverty focuses on empowering those in poverty to investigate the barriers that keep people from getting ahead and educates the entire community on the complexities of poverty....
Day of Learning
4/3/2024
BY REV. DERREK BELASE One of the five dreams of our annual conference is the dream of Communities Impacting Poverty. This comes out of the Council of Bishops’ request that each annual conference ...
2024 Annual Conference Planned
3/20/2024
The 2024 session of the Oklahoma Annual Conference is scheduled for Thursday, May 30, through Saturday, June 1, in Oklahoma City. Sessions will be held at Oklahoma City University and Chapel Hill ...
Is your church ready for the upcoming General Conference?
3/20/2024
BY REV. DERREK BELASE You are probably hearing that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church is coming up very soon. In fact, delegates from around the world will gather in Charlotte, NC ...
Values and purpose of worldwide regionalization legislation
3/20/2024
Legislation to provide for Worldwide Regionalization reflects the strong values of equity, respect for contextual mission settings, effective mutuality in mission, and legislative equality for ...
Dare to Shift Summit challenges OKUMC leaders to dream big
12/13/2023
The disciples had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. When Jesus appears to them after his resurrection, he said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find ...
January Called Conference to consider fewer districts
12/13/2023
With 139 fewer churches following the 2023 spate of closures and disaffiliations, the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church is in a position to make some decisions that are challenging ...
Call for Lighthouse Congregations
11/9/2023
Currently, over 500 names are on lists across the state. Those names are members whose churches are now something other than United Methodist, and who are left without a home church. Forty churches ...
Final 2023 special called conference ends with eclipse
11/9/2023
During the last day of the last of three special called conferences set to decide disaffiliations, the moon and sun danced across the sky, perfectly illustrating the fleeting nature of darkness in the...
Oklahoma Supreme Court hears arguments in United Methodist disaffiliation cases
10/5/2023
At 10 a.m. Thursday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court convened to hear arguments from the Oklahoma conference and representatives from Church of the Servant and First Church OKC. The nine justices gave 25 ...
Special Called Conference: what to expect
10/5/2023
The Special Called Conference of the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church will begin with registration, which is open 3 to 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13. Worship begins at 6:30 p.m., and ...
Annual Conference serves as balm for weary souls
6/8/2023
This year’s Annual Conference hit a little bit differently. The setting was the awe-inspiring Boston Avenue United Methodist Church in Tulsa, with its soaring tower and plethora of symbolic artwork. ...
Awards at 2023 Annual Conference
6/8/2023
The Harry Denman Evangelism Award for Clergy was presented to Dan Pulver (left), who was recently appointed to Frederick UMC. The Harry Denman Evangelism Award for Laity was presented to Ann ...
It was all about the music
6/8/2023
Ordination, commissioning, and recognition of local pastors
6/8/2023
The 2023 ordination and confirmation class, from left: Bishop Jimmy Nunn; Sei Yoon Park, ordained elder; Meg Burris, ordained elder; Tim Navis, commissioned deacon; Betsy Stewart-Dooley, commissioned...
Annual Conference Registration Deadline May 8
5/4/2023
The deadline to register for the May session of annual conference is Monday, May 8. Please take time to review the registration form and get registered before the deadline. There are no “late” ...
Conference smaller, more nimble with 365 churches
5/4/2023
On a sunny, cool morning in April, the spring-laden wind carried anticipation as over 600 clergy and lay delegates gathered at Church of The Servant in Oklahoma City to decide on the disposition of 55...
Called conference and delegate elections planned
4/5/2023
A special called conference will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, at Church of the Servant in Oklahoma City. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and seating is by district. The voting ...
Annual and special called conferences
3/8/2023
Dates for this year’s conferences have been announced. A one-day special called conference will meet 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday, April 22, at Church of the Servant in Oklahoma City. All voting will take ...
In Their Own Words
11/10/2022
Delegates from the Oklahoma Conference stepped up to be part of the historic votes at the South Central Jurisdictional Conference in Houston. Front Left: Charla Gwartney’ clergy delegate; Piper ...
Jurisdictional History Made
11/10/2022
Three Bishops Elected and Three Historic Firsts The South Central Jurisdictional 2022 Conference met November 2-5 in Houston, TX. to elect three new bishops, to deal with the conference budget and ...
Special Called Conference Ushers Change
11/10/2022
The Oklahoma Annual Conference held a Special Called Conference October 20 and 21. The gathering’s theme was Rekindle the Gifts of God: Love, Power, and Self-Discipline. Bishop James Nunn officiated ...
Jurisdictional Conference November 2-4
9/14/2022
On Nov. 2-4 elections will be held in the United Methodist Church for new bishops. Also, current bishops, along with those newly elected, will be assigned to provide episcopal supervision of annual ...
What you need to know for the Special Called Annual Conference
9/14/2022
When and Where Oklahoma City Community College Visual and Performing Arts Center 7777 S. May Ave Oklahoma City, OK 73159-4444 October 21-22, 2022 Special Offering Benefits the Youth Service Fund for ...
2022 OIMC Annual Conference to include race dialogues
6/8/2022
The 2022 Annual Conference Session of The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference will be held Friday through Sunday, June 10-12, at the Southwest Region Center located outside of Anadarko, Oklahoma. ...
Youth and young people a major theme at annual conference
6/8/2022
By Meagan Ewton Among the ministry reports and district celebrations, an unplanned theme emerged: the Oklahoma Conference needs to improve its ministry to youth and young people. “Even our big ...
Author Stephen Gunter to speak at AC 2022
5/10/2022
Professor Stephen Gunter is a retired clergy member of the Oklahoma Annual Conference. His ministry began as a church planter in Waco, Texas, and while he was completing his seminary education at The ...
Conference leaders offer important reminders for AC 2022
5/10/2022
OKUMC Announcement Greetings in the name of Christ. The May session of the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church is scheduled for May 23-26. Registration for AC 2022 closes May 10....
AC 2022 will be held in person
4/6/2022
Registration for the 2022 Oklahoma Annual Conference is open. The annual conference will be held at Oklahoma City University and OKC-St. Luke’s from May 23-26. It will be the first in-person annual ...
Webinar archive: Will we or won't we?
2/28/2022
2021 Annual Conference: Cabinet, Commissioned, and Ordained
10/12/2021
2021 District Superintendents. Back row: Sam Powers, Crossroads District; James Kim, Wichitas District; Bishop James Nunn; Larry Bauman, Lake Country District; Connie Gibson, Council Oak District. ...
Virtual annual conference confirms new treasurer
10/12/2021
The Oklahoma Annual Conference, held Oct. 8-9, voted unanimously to confirm Joe Holt as the new Conference Treasurer and Chief benefits Officer. The conference also passed resolutions regarding ...
AC 2021 returns to virtual format
9/10/2021
In August, the conference wrote to the members of the Oklahoma Annual Conference with information about our upcoming session of conference. Since then, we have closely monitored the rise in COVID ...
2021 Annual Conference Preview
8/9/2021
The Oklahoma Conference will host the 2021 Annual Conference this fall at multiple dates and venues. All portions of the Annual Conference will be livestreamed, and some events will have the option ...
Frequently Asked Questions about General Conference
3/26/2021
What does it mean that called Virtual General Conference was canceled? The purpose of the called conference was to suspend the rules of the General Conference in order to provide for a mechanism that...
AC 2020: State of the Church Address
12/11/2020
Editor’s note: This address was originally given during a virtual meeting of the Annual Conference. The names of each speaker are given before their remarks, sometimes jointly. Visual references for ...
Challenges prompt major changes in 2021 budget
11/13/2020
The Oklahoma Conference is proposing major changes to the 2021 budget, including the elimination of New People New Places funding and CCLI/CVLI coverage, in order to make up for higher general church ...
Conference restructure up for a vote
11/13/2020
Changes to the Oklahoma Conference’s current structure are up for a vote at the 2020 Annual conference. The proposed changes are intended to help the conference focus on serving the local church and ...
FAQs for Annual Conference
11/13/2020
The 2020 Annual Conference session will be conducted via Zoom webinar with technical support provided by GNTV beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. When will the clergy executive session be held? ...
OKUMC Update
10/2/2020
AC 2020 plans to be finalized Plans are still being finalized for the 2020 virtual Annual Conference session which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21. The clergy session will take place at 3 p.m. on ...
OKUMC announces updates to 2020 Annual Conference
6/12/2020
Editor’s Note: The following letter was sent on June 1. Dear Members of the 2020 Annual Conference: This is the third time we have written to you with updates related to our upcoming annual conference...
General Conference to move to 2021
4/5/2020
Nashville, Tenn.: Subsequent to the announcement by the Executive Committee of the Commission on the General Conference that the 2020 General Conference will be postponed, the full Commission met ...
OKUMC restructures annual meeting, will close main offices
3/16/2020
Due to growing concerns regarding COVID-19, or coronavirus, the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church is changing how it will hold Annual Conference. Instead of a three-day gathering held...
UMC offers resources for GC2020
2/7/2020
General Conference 2020 will take place from May 5-15 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. General Conference is the denomination’s highest legislative body, and what takes place at General Conference has the ...
Comparison of proposals to General Conference 2020
1/10/2020
The upcoming General Conference made national headlines this month when the Council of Bishops shared a press release regarding a proposed plan of separation for the United Methodist Church. Although ...
Connectional Table approves legislation creating new U.S. structure
8/2/2019
Legislation could be voted on during 2020 General Conference Chicago, IL—The Connectional Table approved sending legislation to General Conference 2020 that will create a new structure for churches ...
Annual Conference elects delegates, approves changes to health benefits
6/14/2019
By Meagan Ewton With minimal discussion and a show of hands, the Oklahoma Annual Conference voted to pass two major changes to clergy and staff benefits: recalculating a retiree subsidy according to ...
Missions, data, and listening to youth
6/14/2019
A casual conversation with Rev. Dr. Amy Valdez Barker By Meagan Ewton Rev. Dr. Amy Valdez Barker is the executive director for the Global Mission Connections Unit at Global Ministries. She sat down ...