Today, we are announcing new dates for annual conference sessions across the Greater Northwest (GNW) area in 2022, moving most activities to the final full week of June (19-25). The new dates, primarily online with some hybrid events, offer more detail to our planning and replace in-person dates previously announced in June of 2021.
“The decision to shift from in-person dates at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup allows us to adapt better to whatever the pandemic is doing in June,” said Brant Henshaw, treasurer and director of administrative services for the Alaska and PNW Conference. “The change also takes some pressure off local church and annual conference budgets, while easing financial barriers to participation faced by some lay and clergy members.”
In advance of the full week of activities, Clergy Sessions will meet online in each annual conference as follows, with more details to be determined:
- Tuesday, May 31 – Oregon-Idaho Conference, starting at 1:30 p.m. PT, 2:30 p.m. MT.
- Wednesday, June 1 – Pacific Northwest Conference, starting at 1:30 p.m. PT.
- Thursday, June 2 – Alaska Conference, starting at 10 a.m. AKT.
It is anticipated that Laity Sessions will occur earlier in June, before the week of annual conference sessions. Those dates will be released as they become available. Each conference may set additional dates for preparatory and legislative work.
The area’s primary week of annual conference sessions, where the business of each Conference is conducted by clergy and lay members, will start on the evening of Sunday, June 19, with a GNW area-wide opening. The remainder of the week will include a separate focused day of work for each conference and individual days for ordination and commissioning services in PNW and OR-ID.
- The GNW Area-wide Opening will take place on the evening of Sunday, June 19.
- The Alaska Conference will meet online on Monday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. AKT.
- The Pacific Northwest Conference will meet online on Tuesday, June 21, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT.
- The Pacific Northwest Conference’s Service of Commissioning and Ordination will occur during the day on Wednesday, June 22.
- The Oregon-Idaho Conference will meet online on Thursday, June 23, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. MT.
- The Oregon-Idaho Conference’s Service of Commissioning and Ordination will occur during the day on Friday, June 24.
- The GNW Area-wide closing plenary and celebration will occur during the day on Saturday, June 25.
Each day of business will include morning bible studies and evening devotions during the first and last hour. These opportunities will be open for anyone – not just Annual Conference members – to attend.
Hybrid Ordination and Commissioning services are expected to follow with the PNW Conference’s service taking place on Wednesday, June 22, in the Seattle area, and the OR-ID Conference’s service on Friday, June 24, in the Portland area. While we anticipate these services will have some in-person participation, as they did last year, the extent will be determined as we move closer to the dates.
Our week of area-wide conferencing will conclude on the morning and early afternoon of Saturday, June 25, with an online GNW Celebration and honoring of Bishop Stanovsky’s ministry in advance of retirement later in 2022, with Bishop Stanovsky presiding from the Portland area.
“Conferencing last year allowed us the opportunity to get our essential work done,” said Rev. Carlo Rapanut, GNW Area Assistant to the Bishop and Alaska Conference Superintendent. “We are taking lessons learned last year with us, adjusting to improve the schedule and facilitate more engagement from lay and clergy members.”
