Today, we are announcing dates for the 2023 annual conference sessions across the Greater Northwest (GNW) Area. Please save these dates; more information, including a call letter from Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth with the theme and other information, will be released in the coming weeks.
While we continue to offer online options for conference gatherings, the main sessions for each conference will allow for in-person attendance this year. Events with an option to attend in person are labeled as Hybrid below; each will include an online option, and GNTV will manage all voting (from participants attending in person or online). Online Only events are those where most members will join to participate over Zoom (as we did for most events last year). Livestreamed events will be viewed using a streaming platform (i.e., YouTube) and will not be interactive.
A Service of Installation for Bishop Bridgeforth will be livestreamed on Saturday, May 20th (PM). This will also serve as the opening session for the GNW Area Conferences this year. All annual conference members and United Methodists across the area are encouraged to watch the livestream as we formally celebrate the bishop’s assignment to the area.
Please also hold the following dates for your respective clergy gatherings and annual conference session(s), where clergy and lay members conduct the business of each conference. The physical location for each session will be announced in the coming weeks, as will more details about each conference’s individual schedules.
- Oregon-Idaho Conference clergy session, May 23. Online only with GNTV support.
- PNW Conference clergy session, May 24, 2023. Online only with GNTV support
- Alaska Conference clergy gathering, May 25, 2023. Online only.
- The Alaska Conference will hold its Annual Conference Session on June 4-6, 2023 (Sunday-Tuesday). The session will be hybrid with GNTV voting support.
- The Oregon-Idaho Conference will hold its Annual Conference Session on June 8-11, 2023 (Thursday-Sunday). The session will be hybrid with GNTV voting support.
- The Pacific Northwest Conference will hold its Annual Conference Session on June 13-15, 2023 (Tuesday-Thursday). The session will be hybrid with GNTV voting support.
A GNW Closing Session will occur on Thursday, June 15, 2023, during the evening. This session will be livestreamed.
Finally, we are also sharing dates for special called sessions of each conference intended to allow for the processing of disaffiliations. A call letter for these special sessions will also be forthcoming with more information and registration. Churches with questions about the disaffiliation process should direct those to their district superintendent.
Please hold the following date(s) for the special called session in your conference:
- Oregon-Idaho Conference Special Called Session
Saturday, May 6, 2023, AM – Online only, with GNTV voting support - Alaska Conference Special Called Session
Saturday, May 6, 2023, PM – Online only, with GNTV voting support - Pacific Northwest Conference Special Called Session
Sunday, May 7, 2023, PM – Online only, with GNTV voting support
Please keep your eyes open for additional information about the aforementioned dates and other pre-conference meetings. If they haven’t already done so, local churches should use this time to communicate any changes to their lay member(s) to their respective annual conferences, so records are up to date as additional information and registration are made available.
