The Kerusso | 2026 May/Jun

The Kerusso – May/June | 2026

Serving Others with the ‘Strength God Provides’

By: Max Edwards

“The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (I Peter 4:7-11 niv)

I imagine that the Apostle Peter was bearing down hard on the parchment as he wrote this part of his letter to the saints tha t had been scattered out across the ancient Near East. We don’t know the timing of the end of the age any more than Peter did, but we do know that we are closer than anyone has ever been. AND we know that our time on this earth is drawing to a close – more and more with every passing day.

Given the urgency of the hour, we must be ‘alert and sober -minded.’ The commands of the aged Apostle are clear:

1. We must be serious. The time for half-hearted effort is past. We must engage!!

2. We must be prayerful. Prayer is vital, not as a tool to change others, but to change ourselves. Read on if you doubt it.

3. We must love each other deeply. This is how we build holiness, through forgiveness and accountability.

4. We must be hospitable. Simple kindness is a virtue in shorter supply these days, it seems.

5. We must stop grumbling. Ouch. The Lord sees our hearts and not just our hands. A grumbling heart is poisoned. 6. We must use our gifts to serve others ‘as faithful stewards’. Failure to serve is failure to live as Christ lived.

But there is an additional clause that the Apostle attaches to the admonition to serve that makes it all possible. We DO NOT serve in our own strength. He writes, “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ .” (vs 11)

Serving in our own strength would not be what God intended anyway, because then it would be us who deserved the glory. We must lean into the power of the Holy Spirit so that when we serve, it is Christ who is seen in our good works, not us.

So, SERVE!

Serve with abandon !

Serve with the energy provided by the Holy Spirit !

Don’t think of your service as an obligation. Think of it as an opportunity. If you are serving the body of Christ internally through discipleship, charity, or administration, do it with JOY. When you serve others outside the body through evangelism, material support, physical acts of kindness, or helping them feel seen, trust the Holy Spirit to give you the energy and attitude required. Jesus wants to shine through you. Please let Him.

General Conference 2026 - Practical and Uplifting Speakers

Get Ready for Something Extraordinary!

“Excited” doesn’t even fully capture our hope and anticipation for General Conference 2026. We are praying for real transformation! We believe that attending General Conference will be one of the best things you’ll experience all year long.

All signs are pointing to a true spiritual recharge that will leave us burning with a reinvigorated sense of calling. You won’t just leave inspired; you’ll walk away armed with a powerhouse of cutting -edge tools ready to be unleashed in your ministry!

God has arranged some heavy hitters for us legendary featured speakers who have spent decades on the front lines, firing up and equipping the global church. These visionaries live and breathe 21st-century missional ministry , and they are bursting with an infectious joy they can’t wait to pass on to you .

Why You Can't Miss General Conference 2026

• The Energy: By the power of the Holy Spirit, it will be both exciting and edifying!

• The Strategy: We will be conducting some important business in our administrative sessions, but we trust that you will also gain practical, "dayone" ready tools for your tool belt.

• The Connection: We all need fellowship and encouragement, and we look for both to happen.

The countdown is on are you ready to be equipped?

I have known Carla for nearly a decade and have come to deeply respect her as a powerful voice in Wesleyan Holiness circles. She has served as a registered nurse, a missionary to Russia, a pastor, the 10th president of Nazarene Theological Seminary, and as one of six elected General Superintendents in the Church of the Nazarene.

Rev. Sunberg sent this to me to pass on to you:

“I am delighted to participate in the EMC’s upcoming General Conference. As sister denominations, we share a deep commitment to the gospel and to holy living, and it is a joy to walk this journey together.

The mission to “Drive On,” drawn from your founders’ resilient faith, is both timely and inspiring

May the Spirit empower us to press forward in mission, strengthened by grace, unity, and a renewed passion for Christ and His Church as we serve Him.”

Rev. Vaters is excited about the invitation to come to our General Conference in July to share insights into how the church should see itself and how to best prepare for ministry as we move on into the 21 st century. We need to set our sights high and be very intentional about the Gospel and our calling to work in the Lord’s ripe harvest field.

Karl specifically wanted me to share this with everyone :

“The church is in great shape! Does that surprise you? It shouldn’t. While we hear many predictions of doom and gloom (from inside and outside the church) and we can’t ignore the challenges many congregations face, Jesus continues to bless and sustain His body.

I look forward to being with you in Indianapolis to talk about how churches of all sizes have, are, and will continue to thrive if we follow Jesus’ definition for successful ministry.”

Important Dates to Watch For:

June 20, 2026 – This is the registration deadline for the discounted rate of $150 per adult. The registration fee includes conference fees ($60) and the four catered conference meals ($90) for all members, delegates, and guests. The General Board of Youth & Children’s Ministry is sponsoring conference activity fees and meals for all registered teens and kids by this date. Yes, that means kids from nursery to 12 th grade can register with no charge.

June 21, 2026 – Total registration fees for all members, delegates, and guests will jump to $180 on this date. The conference activity fee and meal cost for kids and teens (2yrs – 12 th grade) will jump to $20 per child. Nursery ages under 2 will register with no charge.

July 1, 2026 – This is the FINAL cutoff for all registrations. The automated registration link will close and the final head count will be given to the caterers, Children’s Ministry workers, Youth leaders, planning staff, etc. If you have not already registered, click here today: GC 2026 Registration

Hotel Reservations – Plan to Reserve Your Own Lodging

Two nearby hotels (within 10 minutes of the conference) have been secured with group rates. Rooms at the negotiated nightly rates ($129/$139) will be available until June 20 th. Beginning June 21 st, any available rooms can be reserved at the “street” rate. If you choose to reserve at either of these options, PLEASE do so before June 20! You can call the hotel directly and ask for the “Evangelical Methodist Group”, or if you prefer, use the links below, clicking on the hotel name.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Indianapolis East Comfort Inn Indianapolis East 7035 Western Select Dr. 2295 N. Shadeland Indianapolis, IN 46219 Indianapolis, IN 46219 317-322-0011 317 -359 -9999

EMC is Celebrating 80 Years!

Join the celebration with EMC 80th anniversary t-shirts and mugs!

T-shirts are available only by pre-order/pre-paid in adult sizes (S-4XL) and kid sizes (S -XL). Prices range from $20 -$30 depending on size. Use the link at the bottom of the page for details and color options. Shirts will be ready for pick -up at General Conference. Shipping is not available. Orders will be taken until June 20, 2026, by using this link: EMC 80th Anniversary T-Shirt

There is a limited supply of the EMC 80 th Anniversary mug for pre-order. Orders will be open through June 20, 2026. Payment must be made using the link provided on the order form at the time of the order. Mugs are $12 each and will be ready for pick -up at the beginning of General Conference 2026. Shipping is not available. Order Your Mug Here

Click Here for Shirt & Mug Details

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Men’s and Women’s Events at Refuge Ministries – Copperas Cove, Texas

By: Samantha Wilson and Tim O’Neal

Women’s Retreat at Refuge Ministries

The Texas Women’s Retreat has been more than just an event ; it’s been a cherished tradition for decades . Year after year, women gather to step away from the busyness of life and lean into what matters most: time with God, meaningful connection, and spiritual renewal. This year was no exception.

From the moment the retreat began, there was a tangible sense of joy and anticipation. Laughter filled the rooms, friendships were strengthened, and new connections were formed. It was a beautiful reminder that we were never meant to walk this journey alone.

Worship was powerful and heartfelt, creating space for women to encounter God in a fresh way. Each moment, whether in song, prayer, or quiet reflection, allowed hearts to be realigned and refreshed in His presence.

A highlight of the retreat was the impactful teachings from Rev. Debbie Miller. Her messages centered on adversity and the truth that God doesn’t waste our struggles. He uses them for His good and His glory. Through her words, women were encouraged to see their challenges not as setbacks, but as opportunities for God to move, shape, and strengthen their faith.

Beyond the sessions, the retreat was filled with fun, rest, and moments that will be remembered for years to come. Whether it was late -night conversations, shared meals, or simply enjoying time away, every part of the weekend reflected the heart of what this retreat has always been about.

As we look back, we see why this tradition has lasted for generations. It’s not just an event ; it’s about lives being changed, faith being renewed, and women leaving stronger, encouraged, and closer to God. We’re already looking toward next year.

Man Camp 2026 was held in Brownwood, Texas

We had a great group of men from both Grace Church in Haltom City and from each of the Refuge Ministries campuses. At Man Camp, we make fellowship with other men a priority, second only to hearing from The Lord. We schedule many activities that men would like, including a fishing tournament, pistol tournament, skeet shooting, archery, ax -throwing, cornhole, and grilling out steaks.

We had the privilege of having Superintendent Wes Mackey as our guest speaker this year. Pastor Wes brought a challenging message about "burn your ships ," where he challenged the men to finally take that step they needed to take to eliminate excuses to follow Christ fully. We had three men either re-dedicate or give their lives to Christ that weekend. We also had several more take on the challenge to remove any excuses and give their lives fully and wholly to the Lord.

Man Camp is a great opportunity for men to get together and encourage one another, build relationships, and, like “iron sharpening iron”, challenge one another to grow in the Lord.

If you don’t already have a Men’s Retreat at your church, you are invited to attend next year’s Refuge Ministries Man Camp with us, or you could begin one in your area and create even more opportunities to develop godly men in the EMC.

The Evangelical Methodist Church: Who

We Are, and Where We Are Going

In July of 2025, we published a series to help everyone identify with the overall VISION and MISSION of the Evangelical Methodist Church. It is important to remind ourselves why we exist and what our primary values are.

This year we celebrate 80 years of the EMC! All the way back in 1946, a denominational family was born with the intention of holding tightly to things that were being lost or jettisoned in other Christian movements. A clear belief in the inspiration and authenticity of the Bible is of non -negotiable importance. Beyond that, we embrace basic Wesleyan/Arminian theological beliefs expressed in our tenets of faith.

The truths laid down in the Holy Scriptures are foundational for us!

We must never abandon them! We will never abandon them!

It was a humble meeting of pastors and laymen in Memphis, Tennessee, on May 9, 1946, in which these fundamentals were firmly set. The prayers and conversations of that assembly led to a strong sense that God was ordaining the formation of the newly named “Evangelical Methodist Church.”

1946 – 2026

We praise God for 80 years of ministry

80 years of preaching truth

80 years of training disciples

80 years of serving the needy and the broken

80 years of sharing the gospel with others around the world

The MISSION of the EMC is laid out in the opening paragraphs of the Constitution of our Discipline. You can see our clear mission spelled out to the right on page 7. Worship, Discipleship, Holiness, and Evangelism are at our very core.

And it is our mission that drives and fuels our current denominational priorities. Through them, we help fulfill the mission by focusing on specific goals and targets.

The PRIORITIES we have adopted to press us forward into that mission were established in the early days of this quadrennium , and they can be expressed through the acronym P.E.A.C.E - -

Planting Churches

Educating Ministers

Aspiring to Holiness

Connecting People and Churches

Equipping Leaders

The Mission of the EMC

Our founders envisioned a vibrant community where faith comes alive, people are transformed, and God's love is actively shared with our neighbors and the world. They saw a need for a place where fidelity is paramount, love is evident, and where Christian fellowship and discipleship are the tools to grow both believers and congregations . They saw then, and we still see today, a denomination deeply rooted in biblical truth, passionately committed to worship, and courageously dedicated to serving others . This is who we are, and it frames our ongoing commitment, both in our local communities and beyond.

These words describe the ongoing mission of the EMC : Worship, Discipleship, Holiness, and Evangelism!

Four components, each with a directional aspect:

Upward – Our relationship with God

Beside – Our relationship with Other Believers

Inside – Our internal walk with Christ

Outside – Our witness to the world for Christ

Promoting Worship! Our first calling is to worship God in spirit and truth. This is the foundation from which all other aspects of our mission flow. The adoration of the one true God is our highest calling and greatest privilege .

Fostering Discipleship ! We are called to a lifelong journey of learning and growing in Christ. This means not only our own growth but also helping others to grow, nurturing them in their faith and understanding of Christ’s core teachings.

Modeling Holiness! We must always strive to live a life set apart for God, reflecting His character to the world Our people are to demonstrate holiness of heart and life, making our message more compelling and authentic to others.

Inspiring Evangelism! We are to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those who don't know Him through personal and corporate mission efforts, inviting people into a relationship with God and into a safe and loving community.

Evangelical Methodist Churc hes across the country have united together with a shared commitment to these core values , and a shared burden for their communities.

Whether it is at Connections Community Church on the West Coast of Oregon …

In Him. With You.

Or at Elizabeth City EMC, which sits just minutes from the sandy beaches of the Atlantic Coast …

… the E vangelical Methodist Church has a sold-out commitment to loving God, loving people, respecting the authority of the Scripture, and making disciples who will, in turn, make disciples

Pastor Tad Stinson – Washington

Excerpts from Pastor Tad’s 2025 Ministry Report God has been with us this last year and we are confident He will be with us in 2026. This is my eighth year of ministry at Peninsula Community Church where I have grown to deeply love our church family. My emphasis in ministry has been and will continue to be the salvation of souls and the edification of the saved. It is my deep conviction the church is the family of God in our world where believers are united through their faith in Jesus Christ. We are brothers and sisters in God's spiritual household.

I believe sustained church growth most effectively takes place when the family of God is healthy and united spiritually . A "hospital for souls" , where individuals do not take offense, hold a grudge, or look down on others self-righteously, but rather are welcoming, caring, nurturing and forgiving. That is why in 2026 my focus and emphasis is on helping strengthen and grow our church. I believe by the power of the Holy Spirit and our willingness to reflect the light, love and winsome care of Jesus Christ, we will fulfill our destiny to amplify the joy and unity of our church, increasing our Christian witness to each other and our community.

There are five characteristics the Bible tells us are aspects of a healthy family of God. First, individuals become members of the family of God through faith in and following Jesus Christ (John 1:12). We have the beautiful opportunity to be adopted into the church through Jesus Christ! Second, all members share the same loving Heavenly Father, who d raws us to unity and doing good to one another, regardless of earthly differences (Galatians 6:10). We are to be one under the loving watch of our Heavenly Father, always looking out for each other. Third, believers become siblings with our brother Jesus Christ, the firstborn Son, and are heirs of the Kingdom of God (Romans 8:29). In the family of God , we are each to reflect the love and light of Jesus to each other. Fourth, in the church our identity is no longer aligned with the world but rather is based on the Holy Spirit who lives withi n us. Our lives are no longer ours, but belong to God who protec ts, loves and transforms us to become like Jesus (Romans 8 :14 -15). Being led by the Holy Spirit makes believers children of God, giving us the profound privilege of calling God, "Father." And fifth, the Church is God's spiritual household on earth, a holy temple where God dwells by His Spirit (1 Timothy 3:15). As children of God, we must always live by and proclaim the truth!

Washington

As the Scriptures give characteristics of the healthy family of God, so the Bible shares the wonderful blessings of being part of a healthy church. Within the Body of Christ, the family of God, we should find love and security. In III John 1:2, John writes, "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." John shares with his friend the loving heart and desire for blessing that we all should have for one another. The family of God must always be safe, secure and full of compassion. Within the church, no individual should ever feel they are strangers but rather must know God loves them and that through the saving grace of Christ, they become members of God's hou sehold. God calls Christians in the church to be the most welcoming people on earth. We who have the treasure of Jesus Christ within us, should be friendly, warm and hospitable, inviting all t o know the joy in Christ we experience. And, finally as member s of God's family, we must always remember we have a great and glorious inheritance. Paul tells us in Romans 8:17, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may a lso share in his glory." Life is indeed difficult, full of pain, suffering and disappointments, but each of us who know Christ must hold fast to the truth that we have blessings and rewards from God, not only in this life, but most assuredly in the life to come.

In 2026 my goal is that each one of us within the family of God grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ, to reflect more completely His love and light to each other and all those we know. Also, to more effectively share the Gospel of Christ thro ughout Moses Lake by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit with understanding, love and sincere kindness. I will be establishing new small groups which will reach out to pre -Christians in our city. The Radio ministry will be expanded, both in content and numbe r of radio stations. We will be celebrating our 75th anniversary as a congregation this year! New weekly classes will be intro duced, expanding our teaching ministries. Vacation Bible School will be reestablished this Summer. And I will be calling all tho se who wish to join me to a deeper walk with Christ by participating in a study and accountability group that will meet each week. I love you all and thank you for the privilege of being your pastor. Each of you in your various ways has sacrificed so very much for this "family of God," our church. For that and so much more, I am deeply grateful to each of you from the depths of my heart.

PastorClaytonGentry – Indiana

Excerpts from Pastor Clayton’s 2025 Ministry Report

By God’s leading, I was installed as senior pastor at Shelbyville EMC on July 13, 2025, to serve in my first pastorate. I am conducting all regular services and Bible studies at the church. I also serve with a local homeless ministry in our community which our church is partnering with through providing the use of our Fellowship Hall to them weekly. Rev. Jim Coulston has been serving as a pastoral mentor to me, and I am thankful for all God is teaching me.

Indiana

Pastor Debbie Mumme – Arizona

Excerpts from Pastor Debbie’s 2025 Ministry Report

Through the past year, I have continually meditated and prayed upon Joshua 1:9 and Romans 5:1 -5. They have been an inspiration and a driving force as we have faced many hurdles. I count the year as having great challenges AND great blessings. God is so good and has d isplayed His mighty will.

With the retirement of Pastor Jeff, the unexpected passing of our Treasurer, our financial institution being bought out and the fallout of the renovations of the Youth Fellowship Hall due to a water leak, this season has been full of major hurdles. With God's guidance and strength, our church family has and continues to rise to the challenges, and God is leading us to the mountain top. We have counted it great joy to continually fulfill God’s call. It is a blessing to have been chosen as Interim Pastor. I am greatly humbled and excited to see where God guides. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the head of our Church and I pray the Holy Spirit draw s souls. We may be small, but we are giants in faith, love and joy. I pray each person will feel the power of the Holy Spirit and feel loved and welcomed when they enter .

God deserves our praise for His grace in the earlier mentioned hurdles: Through love offerings from the church family and gif ts from others, our contractor debt has been paid as well as a portion of the Servpro debt for the Youth Hall leak renovations; Our difficult issues with changing financial institutions are finally solved; And with great prayer and the due diligence of our new Financ ial Secretary and new Treasurer we have fine -tuned the financial reporting and balancing which will greatly benefit our church. This was no small feat, and these workers and their families sacrificed much time to this vital area of ministry.

I have had the blessing to visit with several of our church families as well as some that do not attend. It blesses mine and my husband Phil’s heart to bless others. We treasure the divine appointments God gives. As my father -in-law, Pastor Mumme used t o say, “The ministry is in the interruptions.” We love the interruptions! I continue to teach a Bible class on Wednesday evenings, stud ying the Pentateuch, currently in Deuteronomy. I will be starting a Catechism class this year and hope many will attend.

Phil and I continue to operate the Youth on Track Cycling ministry and have mentored youth through both Spring and Fall seaso ns of mountain biking. We have remarkable youth on our team and great families as well. There’s something special about youth and their thrill for God, life and adventures. We are excited for this coming year to see what God has in store for us.

PastorJamesTorrence – North Carolina

Excerpts from Pastor James’ 2025 Ministry Report

What a blessing and privilege it has been to complete another year as Senior Pastor of Thompson Chapel. December 4, 2026 will mark 25 years as pastor here. The past year has brought forth great and mighty things in the Kingdom. We have added ne and have seen souls renewed. People have stepped up to help make our church a better and beautiful place. We continue t o help the hurting and those less fortunate. We helped with several community events and helped collect food for 175 Lincoln County families. Becca Brehm continues to lead “Bags of Love”, collecting bags of necessities for homeless people in our area. We continue to be unified and in harmony and I couldn’t ask for a congregation of more loving, Christian people. We have had great services this year, with God’s Word continuing to be preached and holiness taught! In a world of continuing darkness, we ARE THE SALT AND LIGHT. I truly love the people here, and I know they love my family and I. We continue to see spiritual growth, and we broadcast services on Facebook with people watching across the USA and around the world Committing to SERVE and PREACH the GOSPEL is what we are called to do! May we never waver from our service to GOD! I want to thank our Conference Superintende nts and our General Superintendent for the phone calls, visits , and support you give your pastors!

PastorCarlKemp – New York

Excerpts from Pastor Carl’s 2025 Ministry Report Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we have grown closer to the day to be with our Lord and Savior. God has blessed us with new faces and young people. I made the choice at our first Stewards meeting to forgo my salary for the year to help the church rebuild its financial stability. We have truly grown spiritually this year, which is indeed a blessing. Linda an d I traveled to Journey and had a great time of fellowship and receiving the Word of God. I was hit with severe vertigo in June an d was unable to do anything for a month. I have had continuing struggles with it, but I’m in God's hands and am doing better.

Our decision to hold a baptism encountered bumps in the road when our planned location became unavailable. The local Tractor Supp ly donated a tank, allowing us to perform baptisms any time here at the church. We were truly blessed to baptize five people in August, ranging in age from 13 to 87! The day was just perfect. We had a church clean -out in August, and the ladies had a rummage sale. Thanks to all for your help in making this possible and for making it a great day of fellowship.

As I observe the church, I see it growing spiritually and becoming stronger as we learn together. I have no idea how long my life's work here is, but I do know that while God has me in the pulpit, I will be obedient to the call on my life. My vision has always been to see this building full of people who want to do the will of our Father. May God show us favor by pouring out His Spirit upon us, bringing spiritual and physical growth to add to His Kingdom.

Church in Focus

Grace Chapel

Prairie City, Oreg on

By: Pastor Dustin Phipps

It is hard to believe that it has already been a year since I was installed as the pastor of Grace Chapel. The Lord has been empowering us to do His great work here in Prairie City. We have witnessed growth in the church, both physically and spiritually. We have restarted the children’s ministry at the church and currently have several children attending regularly. Our weekly attendance has risen gradually over the year that we have been here.

One huge hurdle we are continuously working to overcome is the division among the local bodies of believers. One way this has been done was through a Community Easter Concert in the old United Methodist church, which is now being utilized as a Community Center. This concert was an opportunity to gather our local churches together for a night of corporate praise and worship, and it did not disappoint! (Unfortunately, we did not take pictures.) We had Baptist, Mennonite, Reformed, Assembly of God, and Methodist believers all in attendance and participating. I’m sure there were others I didn’t name represented as well. A couple of us local pastors will also be getting together this year to hold a local National Day of Prayer event on May 7 th .

As far as our impact on the community, the goal has been relational evangelism. This has helped to build many relationships around the community. My belief is that most ministry work happens outside of the church, and we are working from that mindset. Some of the ways this has happened is through coaching youth baseball, helping out during FFA youth competitions, and joining the volunteer fire department.

The Lord has blessed us with a permanent home here in Prairie City, which also has a business suite in the front. The plan is to use the front area for a community outreach ministry in the near future.

There are many other things that the Lord is doing here, but space doesn’t allow me to share them all. My prayer is that the Lord continues to utilize us to impact the little community of Prairie City in a way that glorifies Him and that we see many come to Christ.

Proposed Discipline Revisions Coming to General Conference in July

As you probably know, the only time the Evangelical Methodist Church can amend its BYLAWS (the Discipline ) is during a regular or special-called General Conference session. During the four years between conferences, the General Board of Discipline Revision receives suggested changes to particular paragraphs for evaluation and crafting into proposed revisions to be reviewed by the originators of the suggestion (which is formally called a memorial) and the General Council.

When all of the parties agree, the memorial becomes a proposed revision to be presented to the General Conference for ratification, modification, or rejection. Regular changes to the Bylaws require a two -thirds majority vote of the Conference, and any proposed changes to the Constitution require a three-fourths majority vote by the Conference and ratification by two-thirds of our local churches. (See ¶111 and ¶638 of the 2022 Edition of the Discipline ). We don’t have any proposed constitutional changes being presented to Conference this time.

The Discipline requires that the packet of proposed revisions must be sent to local churches 30 days before General Conference (¶638), but the entirety of the proposed revisions to come before the 2026 General Conference was mailed to churches in late April, nearly 90 days before the 34 th General Conference will be convened in Indianapolis on July 21 st. We owe a big thank you to the General Board of Discipline Revision and the General Council for their hard work. Below is a quick list of the proposals we will be reviewing in one of our opening business sessions in July.

The Entire List of Proposed Discipline Revisions Approved by General Council

¶19 Historical paragraph regarding the CFAN Conference disaffiliation

¶209 Administrative amendments to the request for church withdrawal procedural paragraph

¶213 Local church mission status procedures

¶226 Membership status record keeping

¶293 Local Church Board of Stewards organizational process

¶304 Terminology change from “monthly meeting” to “regular meeting” in local church structure

¶512 Merge old ¶512 and ¶513 into a new ¶512

¶603 General Conference composition

¶604 Harmonizes Procedures for approving Elders in full connection

¶864 Harmonizes Procedures for approving Elders in full connection

¶1115 (5) Harmonizes Procedures for approving Elders in full connection

¶609 Changes “regularly scheduled” to “duly called” meetings

¶635 Changes “regularly scheduled” to “duly called” meetings

¶886 Changes “regularly scheduled” to “duly called” meetings

¶621 Transition window for incoming and outgoing elected officers

¶802 Board of Ministerial Relations meeting flexibility

¶861 Relocates a portion of ¶428 to a proper location

¶1103 and ¶1115 (4) Relocated portions of ¶429 to more appropriate locations

¶865 Haggard School of Ministry - Corrects old language from the previous EMC Course of Study

¶1115 (1) Haggard School of Ministry - Corrects old language from the previous EMC Course of Study

¶1105 General Secretary “ex-officio with a vote” Board of Trustees membership

¶1119 General Secretary “ex-officio with a vote” Board of Trustees membership

¶1142 Department of Publications update

¶1152 Harmonization of references to “ex - officio with a vote”

Missions : GRIAC – Apex, NC

Revs. Bill & Lisa Walker, GBWM Co-Chairs

The Walkers spent Easter weekend visiting and ministering with Rev. Henri Kadima, his wife, Chimelle, and their four sons: Aziel, Ophra, Ohad, and Hayil, and Chimelle’s mother, Marie.

The Kadimas are pastoring a young church in Apex, North Carolina, in the greater Raleigh area. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kadimas came to the US years ago and are naturalized citizens. They were part of the Christ For All Nations Global Conference. When CFAN decided to disaffiliate from the EMC last August, Rev. Kadima, along with Rev. Mpetembe in Montreal, chose to remain, and are both EMC Elders in the USA Conference.

Their organization is named the “International Group of Christ Friends.” They call themselves GRIAC, which is the abbreviation of their name in French. GRIAC is both a ministry and an NGO (non -government organization) but was never formally part of the C FAN Global Conference.

GRIAC is small but multinational. There are seven churches in five countries: the US, Canada, Congo, South Africa, and Cyprus. They are evangelistically planting more churches.

Rev. Kadima serves as the president of GRIAC. The organization plans to apply for affiliation with the EMC this year!

You can learn more about GRIAC via their online presence. (You might need to brush up on your French!)

• www.griac.org

• https://www.youtube. com/@GRIACTV

• https://www.facebook.com/GroupeInternationaldesAmisdeChrist

Missions : Global Conference, South Africa

Revs. Bill & Lisa Walker, GBWM Co-Chairs

Our EMC Global Conference in South Africa reports encouraging new growth, establishing new churches near Port Elizabeth and Libode , outside Mthatha. While these locations are easy to find on Google Maps, you might not discover that Mthatha lies near the birthplace of Nelson Mandela. Most exciting of all they formed 2 new circuits!

EMC South Africa uses traditional Wesleyan terminology such as “circuit” and “society,” where in the USA we might say “region” or “district” and “local church.” Early Methodist preachers in the United States often served circuits groups of congregations under the care of a single pastor. This remains the normal str ucture in South Africa today.

In addition, each location is supported by local preachers who assist the pastor, who may oversee multiple societies. In midMarch, the Conference hosted a retreat to equip and encourage these valuable local preachers.

When the Walkers visited South Africa in 2024, they had the opportunity to spend time in Motherwell, just outside Port Elizabeth one of the new circuits. They were accompanied by Bishop Lungisa Nyangane and Rev. Terrence Lumko , who was then planting the circuit.

A simple structure there served as the first church where Bill preached during the trip.

One ongoing need is the ability to purchase land. Churches are understandably hesitant to invest heavily in buildings on property they do not own.

While land may be considered affordable by U.S. standards, many societies still lack the resources to acquire it.

We look forward to welcoming Bishop Nyangane and Brother Jobe Tukwayo of EMC South Africa as delegates to the EMC General Conference this July.

That will be a wonderful opportunity for you to talk with them and learn more firsthand!