Resources for Reporting Back to Your Church
The 169th session of the Minnesota Annual Conference took place May 31-June 1, 2023 at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud, MN. The theme of this year’s gathering was “Encounter. Transform. Respond. The Emmaus Experience" and drew on on Luke 24:13-35.
Highlights to share with your church
Wondering how to condense two full days of worship, discerning, and celebrating into a succinct report you can bring back to members of your congregation? Here are three great resources to help you do that:
Do you want to create your own summary or PowerPoint presentation? Are you looking for access to copies of handouts from Annual Conference? Here are some additional resources you can download, print, share, or use in your report.
Photos and articles
Photos: You can view and even download high-resolution versions of all photographs that professional photographer David Haines took throughout our two days together. In either of the albums listed below, click on the photo you want, then hit the down arrow in the lower-right corner of the page.
Articles: Read online articles about key news and sessions during annual conference.
Videos
Throughout annual conference, attendees watched videos that highlighted ways that churches and individuals are fulfilling our gospel imperatives of growing in love of God and neighbor, reaching new people, and healing a broken world. Please share these videos with your congregation so they can learn about and celebrate what we are accomplishing as The United Methodist Church in Minnesota!
- Isaiah 61:1 Reaches People in Monticello and Park Rapids: Celia Navas leads this thriving Hispanic ministry. In partnership with Community UMC in Monticello and its pastor, Rev. Ralph Holbrook, she is answering the call to reach people and make disciples. This is an amazing story!
- Cocoa Cafe Blesses Community: Emily and Ashley Spence are 11 and 8 years old, but they are proof that God can use the youngest among us. The sisters, members of Messiah UMC in Plymouth, have raised more than $18,000 for area food shelves.
- Help and Hope in Elmore: When COVID struck, members of Elmore UMC began serving to-go meals to their community. Today, the thriving congregation welcomes 40 to 60 people every Wednesday for dinner, fellowship, worship, and learning.
- 2023 Retirement Class Reflections: The 2023 class of retiring clergy share their reflections from their years of ministry and look ahead to what’s next.
Segments from Annual Conference
In the coming days, we will post several key segments from Annual Conference that you are welcomed and encouraged to download and use in your church. Here is the first (and historically most requested):
- Bishop's Episcopal Address: Bishop Lanette explored the Emmaus Road story and invited those of us in the Minnesota Conference to lean in to one another and declare that there is enough love for all of us.
- Bishop McAlilly's Connectional Address: “To live your why as a Christian is an act of discipleship,” Bishop McAlilly, who leads the Nashville Episcopal Area, said in his connectional address at the 2023 Minnesota Annual Conference Session. McAlilly's message focused on embodying our United Methodist way with courage and boldness.
- Fresh Expressions Teaching Session: Beck is co-pastor of Wildwood and St. Marks UMCs in Florida, and a network of fresh expressions led by laity that gather in various community venues and public spaces. He talked about why fresh expressions are important, gave examples, and shared how to go about creating one.
- Rev. Becky Jo Messenbrink's Sermon: Beck is co-pastor of Wildwood and St. Marks UMCs in Florida, and a network of fresh expressions led by laity that gather in various community venues and public spaces. In his teaching session at the Minnesota Annual Conference Session, he talked about why fresh expressions are important, gave examples, and shared how to go about creating one.
