2021 Annual Conference Orientation TUESDAY JUNE 1 2021

2021 Annual Conference Orientation TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2021

Welcome from Bishop Lewis

Recorded Video & PPT §This AC Orientation Zoom Session is being recorded §Power. Point presentation is also available from District Office Contact easternshoredistrict@vaumc. org

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms --Elisha A. Hoffman & Anthony J. Showalter (1887)

What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms; What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, Leaning on the everlasting arms; Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Conference Lay Leader

Book of Reports §The Book of Reports digitally available @ https: //doc. vaumc. org/AC 2021/BOR 2021. pdf. §Annual Conference members who opted in for a mailed, printed copy should have received it. §If you would like a printed copy from the digital file, contact Connie at 757 -665 -6295 or easternshoredistrict@vaumc. org

Test times|Live Practice §Remember! Test Your Tech times: v. Monday, June 14, from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m. v. Tuesday, June 15, from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m. v. Wednesday, June 16, from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m. §“LIVE PRACTICE SESSION” JUNE 15 FROM 6 P. M. – 7 P. M. All annual conference members are encouraged to attend this live practice.

Instructions for Voting Mbrs. §Cheat sheet (Provided in your AC Orientation email announcement & https: //www. easternshoredistrictumc. org/2021 -ac-orientation-essession. html) is provided to assist voting members with navigating the virtual platform. Information such as understanding how to log into the platform, how to join the speaking queue and what to do if you are having technical problems are included. We advise reading this cheat sheet prior to attendance at the virtual meeting. Keep it available during the virtual meeting for reference as well. §You must join the virtual meeting on a laptop or desktop computer. Mobile devices and tablets are not supported at this time. §It is recommended to use Chrome. New Edge (Chromium) and Firefox are also supported browsers. Do not use ‘Legacy’ Edge, Internet Explorer or Safari.

Focus|Leaders § United As One is the focus of the 239 th Virginia Annual Conference. Scripture for this focus is John 17: 20 -23. § LEARNING: Rev. Dr. John Kinney -two morning teaching sessions. § WITNESSING: Revs. June Carpenter and Lydia Rodriguez preach at Retirement and Memorial worship services. § CHALLENGING: Bishop David Graves, Bishop Sharma D. Lewis, and Conference Lay Leader Martha Stokes §“Glory Sightings” will be included again as part of the conference agenda

Site|Dates|Time §Hosted virtually primarily from Reveille UMC, Richmond. Recordings will also take place at other venues around the Commonwealth of Virginia §Begins on Friday morning, June 18, at 8 a. m. and concludes on Saturday, June 19 at noon

Laity & Clergy Sessions §The Clergy Executive Session will be live streamed, and the Call to Order will be at 10 a. m. on Thursday, June 10. §The Laity Session, led by our Conference Lay Leader Mrs. Martha Stokes streamed on Sunday, June 20, at 11 a. m. §Churches encouraged to use Sunday, 11 am as primary worship expression so that we can worship as a unified Virginia Conference!

Items requiring action §Friday morning – Election of Secretary and Others Officers, Consent Agenda, Rules Committee, Common Table Charter Revision, Site Selection Recommendation, Cabinet Report, Equitable Compensation Commission, Common Table for Church Vitality, Election of Boards and Agencies §Friday Afternoon – Board of Pensions, Council on Finance and Administration §Time for motions included in the Friday afternoon session *Voting platform (LUMI Global) only available until 3 p. m. on Friday afternoon. No actions requiring vote can take place after that time.

Retirement Service §The Retirement Worship Service will be premier streamed on Thursday, June 17, at 6: 30 p. m. The preacher will be Rev. June Carpenter. (Eastern Shore: Rev. Curtis Lucy)

Friday morning §Opportunity to Sing our Faith virtually led by Mr. Gerald Ricks §Bible study led by The Rev. Dr. John Kinney §Recognition of new faith communities §Common Table for Church Vitality Charter Revision & Report §Report of our Conference Statistician

Friday afternoon §Virginia U. M. Pensions, Inc. report (BOR 94 -102) §Report of the Treasurer (BOR 112 -121) §District Alignment Team/i. DAT Report (BOR 110 -111)

Pensions Report

IDAT Report: Recommendations §Support & resource clergy as matter of priority. §Facilitate collaboration between churches as a matter of community. §Streamline & automate routine, repetitive proceses as a matter of stewardship. §Reset District landscape as a matter of revitalization. §Create equitable baseline District budgets as a matter of fairness. §Determine how to measure our effectiveness to foster fearless innovation.

Friday evening §Service of Ordering of Ministry Premiere Stream – Preacher is Bishop David Graves

Saturday morning §An opportunity to Sing our Faith virtually led by Mr. Gerald Ricks §A Bible study led by The Rev. Dr. John Kinney §Mission and Closing Service – Preacher is Bishop Lewis §Worship will include annual conference mission offering. §Fixing of Appointments

Saturday afternoon §United in Learning, Influencing, and Serving — The Ministry of Christ Conference-wide. (see page 6)

Post Annual Conference §Sunday, June 20, at 11 am: the Laity Celebration Worship Service will premier stream (Local Church Service) §Sunday, June 20, at 6: 30 pm: the Memorial Service will premier stream. The preacher will be Rev. Lydia Rodriguez. §Mon. , June 21, 6: 30 pm: The Service of Licensing and Deaconess Commissioning Service will premier stream. The preacher will be Bishop Lewis. (Eastern Shore: Kendra Powell)

Annual Conference info www. vaumc. org/AC 2021 Video Playlist can be found at: https: //www. youtube. com/playlist? list=PLm. CXxk. Z_j 9 Vw. B e. CYw 6 Dj 0 MBce. VWPI 20 Z 2 General Viewing Live Stream Link: https: //vimeo. com/event/1028997/bd 7 d 5394 e 8

General Information-BOR §“Instruction for Voting Members of the Virtual AC” (BOR 9 -13). It is VITAL that this process is followed to register and vote. §“Responsibility of the Clergy Members of Annual Conference” (BOR 2) §“Responsibility of the Lay Members of Annual Conference”(BOR 2) § The Annual Conference “Agenda” (BOR 6 -8). §Reports in the Book of Reports in the order as addressed in AC Annual Conference Petitions (BOR 6 -8) §Petitions (BOR 20)

AC Offering §Goal: $200, 000 = $200 from each local church § 50 % -Food insecurity experienced in the Commonwealth is not a problem that will disappear after the pandemic. We will partner and support the local agencies among the Virginia Annual Conference to make a difference. § 50% -Partnerships of Hope (POH), (formerly Initiatives of Hope) which include the countries of Brazil, Cambodia, and Mozambique and recognition of the Native American ministries.

Local Serving Opportunity §Due to the pandemic, we are putting a pause on sending kits directly to UMCOR at their request. Instead, we will collect modified kits and dry foods for distribution to local ministries. Each district has designated local ministries who will be the recipient of the collected kits. –Kendra Powell, District Mission Coord. is coordinating these efforts on the Eastern Shore District. Report to her your local distributions and/or secure a list of local needs at kendrapowell@vaumc. org