Annual Conference 2023 online reservations now open

May 01, 2023

The 2023 North Alabama Conference will gather at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville on June 21 – 24 under the theme Offer Christ Every Day.

During the four days together, United Methodist clergy and laity will worship, conduct business and learn together.  The 2023 schedule also includes intentional times of fellowship and relationship-building, as well as, opportunities for leadership development, inspiration and resourcing for local churches to strengthen the Conference’s disciple-making ministry.

This year’s guest speakers are Rev. Dr. Priscilla Pope-Levison and Dr. Jack Levison. They are both professors at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Priscilla, a Research Professor in Practical Theology, is an award-winning author, historian, pastor, higher education administrator and professor, who has a heart for the ancient yet contemporary Christian practice of evangelism. Her most recent book, Models of Evangelism (Baker Academic, 2020), is recommended reading for members of Annual Conference.  Jack, the W. J. A. Power Professor of Old Testament Interpretation and Biblical Hebrew, is an acclaimed scholar, award-winning author and sought-after speaker. He is the author of many books on the Holy Spirit.
 

Reservations now open. Deadline is May 31

Reservations are now open to purchase meal tickets and to request childcare. The reservations deadline is May 31, 2023. Reservations must be made online. To complete your reservations, you must pay online. Voting Members and Annual Conference guests should visit www.umcna.org/ac23reservations to make reservations today.
 

Meals:

A Cafeteria will be available Thursday – Saturday at the Von Braun Center. There will also be a number of on-site special meals including the following:

  • Laity Breakfast (Thursday at 7 a.m.) - Hosted by the Lay Ministry team, this annual meal celebrates the ministry of the laity. Laity and clergy are encouraged to attend.
  • Awards Dinner (Thursday at 6 p.m.) - New this year! An opportunity to celebrate United Methodists recognized for significant ministry including the recipients of the Harry Denman Evangelism Awards and Louise Branscomb Barrier Breaker Award and more!
  • COSROW Breakfast (Friday at 7 a.m.) - The Conference Commission on the Status and Role of Women (COSROW) hosts this annual breakfast that features a speaker. All are invited to attend.
  • ARMS Luncheon (Friday at noon) - The Association of Retired Ministers and Spouses invite retired clergy and spouses for a meal, fellowship and conversation.
  • Black Churches Luncheon (Friday at noon) - Hosted by Multicultural Ministries to celebrate the legacy of the Central Conference and to discuss future plans for the Black Church.
Friday evening will feature two options for members and guests to choose from.  Each will provide a time of fun and fellowship.
  • Option 1: Dinner Church Experience - Join other United Methodists in this time of fellowship around a meal.  Rev. Charles DiRico will be facilitating the evening, which will feature fellowship and learning about the form of evangelism called dinner church that is helping many churches reach new people in their community.
  • Option 2: Trash Pandas Outing - Friday Evening Option 2: Enjoy a time of fun and fellowship at a Rocket City Trash Pandas vs. Montgomery Biscuits baseball game at Toyota Field in Madison. A fireworks show follows the game. Your ticket includes admission to the game and a coupon for concessions.
     

Childcare

During Annual Conference, childcare will be available. This includes the following:

  • An on-site nursery at the Von Braun Center will be provided for children younger than 3.
  • Kids’ Camp for children age 3 and older will take place at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 1418 Old Railroad Bed Rd Madison AL 35757. Transportation to and from Kids Camp will be provided. Children must be checked in and out each day at the Von Braun Center.
  • Childcare will also be available on-site at the Von Braun Center during worship services including Wednesday’s Opening Worship/Ordination/Licensing/Commissioning, Friday’s Celebration of Life Service, and Saturday’s Sending Forth Service and Fixing of Appointments 

Kids’ Camp and Childcare is staffed by professional children’s ministers and volunteer staff who are trained in Safe Sanctuaries policies and have up-to-date background checks. To help secure proper space, meals, snacks and staffing, all children must be pre-registered at www.umcna.org/ac23reservations by May 31, 2023.
 

Hotels – Book by May 31

Several hotels are offering reduced rates during Annual Conference. There is a firm reservation cut-off of May 31, 2023. Rooms are available on a first come, first served basis and are filling up quickly. To make your reservation see the hotel list at www.umcna.org/ac23hotels.
 

Worship

Annual Conference includes meaningful times of worship each year.  This year those include the following:

  • Service of Ordination, Licensing and Commissioning Wednesday, June 21 • 7 p.m.
  • Service of Holy Communion Thursday, June 22 • 8:30 a.m.
  • Celebration of Life Service Friday, June 23 • 11 a.m.
  • Sending Forth Service and Fixing of Appointments Saturday, June 24 • 2 p.m.
     

Special Offering

The Annual Conference 2023 Special Offering will be earmarked for the work of offering Christ every day. The offering will support different models of evangelism both in our local congregations here in North Alabama as well as our missionaries abroad in the context where they are serving: The offering will

  1. Providing grants for local congregations here in North Alabama as they develop a new model of evangelism over the next year.
  2. Support our North Alabama missionaries by providing needed supplies and tools to help offer Christ every day in their contexts abroad.

As a Conference, we can make a difference with this special offering by supporting new ways of offering Christ.

 

Business

This year’s business before the Annual Conference includes reports from Conference teams, resolutions and the election of delegates to fill vacancies on North Alabama’s delegation to the postponed 2020 General Conference that will now take place in 2024. Eligible clergy and laity wishing to be considered for election must complete the Conference Delegation Self-Nomination Form at www.umcna.org/ac23delegateelections no later than May 15, 2023.

All business before our Annual Conference will be available in an easy-to-download and print format at www.umcna.org/ac23reports. The most efficient way to offer up-to-date information regarding business—especially elections of delegates to complete North Alabama’s General and Jurisdictional Conference delegation and resolutions and petitions properly before the Conference—is on the Conference website. Members are encouraged to visit the website often between now and Annual Conference.

This year the Conference will use an online voting system run by GNTV. Each voting member of the 2023 Annual Conference will be assigned a unique voter ID that will be printed on the back of their official name tag, which members will pick up in person at Annual Conference Check-in. All voting members must bring an internet-connected device (phone or tablet) with a web browser to Annual Conference 2023. There will be free WI-FI available to voting members in the Von Braun Center.

For more information on the 2023 North Alabama Annual Conference, visit www.umcna.org/ac2023.

Discover, Develop and Deploy Spiritual Leaders to Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World.