The 15th General Conference opened Monday, May 18. Around the conference hall, delegates and visitors joined in a time of devotional reflection and prayerfully lifting up the business of the day before the first session began.
Reverend Dr. Mark Wilson, chair of the Division of Religion and assistant professor from Southern Wesleyan University, provided the history of the McPherson gavel that was used to bring order to the 15th General Conference. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon then called the conference day to order.
The Council of Three — interim superintendents Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, Reverend Isaac Smith and Dr. H. C. Wilson — gave the State of the Church address. The address began with Lyon speaking to the difficult realities of recent days with the changes in The Wesleyan Church’s executive leadership and 12Stone Church’s (Lawrenceville, Georgia) recent withdrawal from the denomination. Reverend Dr. Bob Black, delegate of North Carolina West District, then led the conference in prayer, asking “the Lord of the church” to preserve our unity and give the Holy Spirit “reign over all we say and do this week.”
Following this prayer, Smith and Wilson encouraged the church by sharing stories of God at work within the North American Conference and abroad. In response to this report, the conference sang together “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” proclaiming that God indeed has and will continue to give us “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”
The remainder of Monday’s business involved General Superintendent and general officer elections as well as gracious discussion and voting on various memorials brought before the General Conference. Results of elections and the day’s memorials are listed below.
Monday’s proceedings concluded with worship in Chapel Auditorium, after which attendees gathered for food and conversations at receptions across the Indiana Wesleyan University campus, Marion, Indiana.
Elections
The General Conference of The Wesleyan Church has elected Dr. James Dunn, by a strong majority, to serve as the General Superintendent of the North American General Conference for the coming quadrennium. Dr. Dunn’s address to the General Conference can be viewed here.
Additionally, the following General Conference elected and currently serving individuals will lead as the Executive Leadership Band at Wesleyan World Headquarters:
- Mike Skor is assistant General Superintendent.
- Nikki Nettleton is executive director of Global Partners.
- Wayne Otto is executive director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.
- Kory Pence is executive director of Communications.
- Janelle Vernon is the general secretary and leads Wesleyan Publishing House.
- Steve Glueck is general treasurer and leads Human Resources.
Memorials
Constitutional:
Memorial 53: Sanctity of Life: Approved with amendment and sent to district conferences for vote.
Memorial 55: Gender Identity: Approved with amendment and sent to district conferences for vote.
Statutory:
Memorial 138: Colleagues in Ministry Discipline Update: Approved.
Memorial 232: District Election of Officers: Approved.
Memorial 241: Allowing Licensed Ministers to Serve as Ministers on the District Board of Administration: Not approved.
Memorial 360: North American General Conference Headquarters Structure: Approved with amendment.
Memorial 833: General Conference Elected General Official Removal: Approved.
Memorial 1100: Amendment to the Essentials: Voted upon and to be added to the Caribbean and Philippines General Conference votes.
Memorial 1127: Memorial for Haiti to Become an Established National Conference: Adopted.
Memorial 1153: Memorial to The International Conference of The Wesleyan Church: Voted upon and to be added to the Caribbean and Philippines General Conference votes.
Consent Agenda:
Memorial 1: Appointment of Journal Editing Committee: Approved with changes.
Memorial 3: Unfinished Business: Approved.
Memorial 16: The Wesleyan Church Global Unit Names: Approved.
Memorial 311: Scheduling of General Board Special Sessions: Approved.
Memorial 393: Northwest District Boundary: Approved.
Memorial 510: Electronic District-to-District Ministerial Transfers: Approved.
Memorial 511: Change to Ministerial Service Category Directory: Approved.
Memorial 760: Dissolution of Wesleyan Property Holdings Inc Subsidiary Corporation: Approved.
All memorials being considered at the 15th General Conference and other 15thGC resources are available to view on wes.life/15thGC.
Be sure to catch TWC’s Live Stream for more General Conference content, interviews and conversations at live.wesleyan.org.
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