Main Speakers for the 2026 Annual Conference

The Great Lakes Annual Conference is pleased to announce the addition of one new district and a change in district lines, effective September 1, 2026. On the recommendation of the Cabinet, the Conference Connectional Council approved this transition in response to the encouraging growth God is bringing to the Global Methodist Church across central Illinois. The plan creates a new Illinois East District, renames the Illinois Central District the Illinois West District, and makes the Illinois Southeast District the Illinois South District. Please make careful note of these changes as work on charge conference submissions begins. Dr. Arun Paul will join the Cabinet, serving the Illinois East District as Presiding Elder. Rev. Jon Carrell will continue as Presiding Elder and will shift to overseeing the Illinois West District. All other district lines and Presiding Elder appointments remain the same. "I am very thankful for the care and leadership Jon has given to the churches and leaders of the Illinois Central District," said Conference Superintendent Scott Pattison. "We are excited about the many new churches in this area that have come online within the last year to become part of our movement, and I know Arun will do a fantastic job as he begins to serve." Rev. Stan Pegram, Interim Dean of Cabinet, noted: "We believe this shift will allow churches to stay closely connected and well supported, keeping each district at a size where healthy relationships and care can thrive." The churches in each of the new districts are listed below. Illinois West Sherman; Bissell (Springfield); Rockbridge; Greenfield; Hillsboro; Irving; Coffeen; Fillmore; Gillespie; Staunton; Dorchester; Mt. Olive; Sorento; Troy; Worden; New Athens Illinois East Waynesville; Decatur Grace; Champaign New Horizon; Faith Beyond Madison (Westfield); Zion Hill Church in Paradise; Marshall; Pearl Chapel; Olney; Zion Country Any questions regarding this new shift can be directed to Rev. Stan Pegram, Interim Dean of Cabinet, at stan.pegram@greatlakesgmc.org or the Presiding Elder of the respective districts.

Do you know someone who may be called to become a Certified Lay Minister (CLM) in the Global Methodist Church? Enrollment is now open for 2026 CLM courses. We encourage you to share this opportunity with potential CLMs in your congregation or district and invite them to explore this next step in ministry. How to Register: Click the link below to view the full list of Fall 2026 courses and registration information. To reserve your spot, complete your registration no later than two weeks before the start date of your selected class. Important Dates: Registration Deadline: Two weeks before each class begins. After the registration deadline, instructors will contact registered students with course details and additional information. If a class reaches capacity, a waitlist will be available. Participants on the waitlist will be notified if a space becomes available.

The Great Lakes Annual Conference is growing, and we're excited to invite passionate, Kingdom-minded individuals to join our team! We are currently seeking a part-time IT Specialist and a full-time Administrative Assistant. These are two important roles that will help strengthen the daily ministry and operations of the conference. If you have a heart for serving others, enjoy working collaboratively, and want to use your gifts to support the mission of the Church (or someone who does), we'd love to hear from you. Explore the opportunities below to learn more. Two New Roles: 1. Administrative Assistant (Full-Time, Remote or In-Person) The Great Lakes Annual Conference is seeking a warm, organized, and service-oriented Administrative Assistant to support the Conference Superintendent and serve as a welcoming point of contact for the conference. This full-time, hybrid position includes managing schedules and communications, coordinating meetings and events, answering inquiries, and providing administrative support to help the conference operate efficiently. The ideal candidate is highly organized, communicates with professionalism and hospitality, handles confidential information with discretion, and enjoys serving others in a ministry-focused environment. Key Responsibilities: Provide administrative and scheduling support to the Conference Superintendent. Manage calendars, meetings, and event requests. Serve as the first point of contact by answering phones and responding to general inquiries. Coordinate conference communications and route requests to the appropriate staff. Maintain accurate conference calendars and assist with office operations. Provide exceptional hospitality while handling confidential information with discretion. Full Administrative Assistant Job Description 2. IT Specialist (Part-Time, Remote) Help keep the Great Lakes Annual Conference connected and running smoothly! We're seeking a service-minded IT Support Specialist to provide technical support, manage our digital platforms, maintain our website and databases, administer Google Workspace, and create training resources that empower staff and church leaders to use technology with confidence. This hybrid, part-time position (approximately 25 hours per week) is ideal for someone with strong troubleshooting skills, experience with cloud-based tools, and a passion for serving others through technology. Key Responsibilities: Maintain conference databases, online forms, and digital platforms. Administer Google Workspace and support Microsoft Office users. Update and maintain the conference website and mobile app. Provide friendly technical support and troubleshoot IT issues. Create training videos, guides, and other technology resources. Support conference communication tools and secure file sharing. We are excited to share these two new opportunities to join the Great Lakes Annual Conference team. If you are passionate about serving others, strengthening ministry, and supporting the work of the church through your skills, we invite you to explore these roles and consider applying using the link below. In addition to the application, a leadership discovery assessment is required to complete your submission. Full IT Specialist Job Description DEADLINE TO APPLY IS FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2026, AT NOON ET. Questions? Contact us at info@greatlakesgmc.org or (463) 202-6032.

Our brothers and sisters in Venezuela are reeling. On June 24, a powerful pair of earthquakes — a magnitude 7.2 foreshock followed seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock — struck the country, collapsing buildings and leaving hundreds dead and thousands injured. The need is immediate, and many in our churches are asking the same question: how can we help? If your church already has a trusted avenue for giving, wonderful — please use it. But if you're looking for a way to come alongside this relief effort, we want to point you to Venezuela Now, Inc., an approved Global Methodist Church partner headquartered in North Georgia that has served in Venezuela for years. They are working hand in hand with GM Church leadership on the ground, and they are already moving to get help into the hardest-hit areas. We can verify their work and trust their stewardship. Sometimes we want to help and simply don't know where to start. This is a resource you can lean on with confidence. To give, visit VenezuelaNow.org and designate your gift "EARTHQUAKE" so it goes directly to this response. Would you join us in praying for the people of Venezuela, and in supporting those who are walking alongside them? Together we can bring hope and help — and be the hands and feet of Jesus. 

KINGDOM ADVANCEMENT TRAINING COMING TO GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE - SEPT 22-24, 2026 PATHFINDER CHURCH – PORTAGE, MI Equip your churches to carry out the mission of Jesus. ENGAGE is a two-day interactive training in the best practices for Acts 1:8 local & global missions. Sponsored by the GMC Kingdom Advancement Commission, ENGAGE provides a unique opportunity to equip, connect, and empower local churches, and strengthen our collective witness. Through ENGAGE, local churches and annual conference leadership will be equipped in the foundations of effective missional outreach as we pursue our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread Scriptural holiness across the globe. Registration $25.00 (Includes dinner Tuesday and lunch Wednesday and snacks) Schedule: Tuesday: 4pm - Welcome; 5pm - Dinner, followed by opening worship Wednesday: 9am - 5:30pm Thursday: 9am- noon Hotel suggestions : Delta Hotels, 711 Washington Ave., Kalamazoo, MI Staybridge Suites, 9575 South 27th Street, Kalamazoo, MI This training is for: Conference Superintendents Connectional Officers and Presiding Elders AC Mission Committee leaders & members Pastors and local church mission leaders What does ENGAGE include? An introduction to “GMC Missions”: Identifying Biblical Foundations of Missions Equipping participants to share God’s Story, and their own ‘Rescue Story’ Structuring for Mission Mobilization Building Healthy Partnerships Understanding the roles of annual conference and local church mission leaders There will be opportunities to discuss how churches and conferences are engaging in mission, discuss challenges, and share best practices. We will come together in praise, worship, and intercessory prayer. Additional tools and resources: Learn about the process of becoming an Acts 1:8 church Access the GMC Kingdom Advancement portal for tools to equip leaders in evangelism, disciple-making, missional engagement, and prayer for the nations; discover how your churches can connect with proven Strategic Partners and the GMC online multi-language Resource Library. The Engage event provides a ‘train-the-trainer’ experience for participants. Participant-leaders, “take back” what you learn; share it within your annual conference, districts, and local congregations.

The theme that echoed all week — multiplying disciples — ran straight through the last business session of the Great Lakes Annual Conference. After opening in heartfelt, bilingual worship and prayer, the body turned to the work of forming leaders, stewarding resources, and caring for one another, all with an eye toward multiplication. Rev. Shane Frederick, Board of Ministry Chair, was the first to present with their vision for raising up the next generation of clergy. As the Conference has grown — adding new churches and new candidates at a remarkable pace — the question, leaders explained, is no longer simply how to process candidates, but how to form healthy, faithful, Spirit-led leaders for the long haul. Their answer rests on three convictions: regionalized mentoring, where calling is discovered locally and nurtured in relationship; centralized formation, where candidates learn alongside peers under shared, high expectations; and a common mission across the Conference. The board announced its first-ever ordination retreat in early 2027 and named the heart of the work plainly: healthy churches depend on healthy leaders, and healthy leaders are rarely formed alone. Bishop Webb then gathered those preparing for ordination to answer John Wesley's historic questions — "Are you going on to perfection? Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?" — reminding the body that these questions, first written for laity in the class meeting, are meant to be asked of one another again and again. The Conference also paused to honor Aaron Kesson, who recently returned from serving overseas for eight months. Kesson serves in the Army Reserves as a chaplain and GMC pastor. Bishop Webb expressed gratitude for Aaron and his leadership and presented him with a Great Lakes challenge coin in recognition of his service to our country's fellow military chaplains and service members. Generosity and transparency marked the Finance and Administration reports, brought by chair Don Wolfgang, who opened with Malachi 3:10 and a word of gratitude for the conference's faithful giving. With reserves having grown to roughly $973,000 — well beyond what the fiance policy intends — the committee proposed lowering the connectional asking rate from 3 percent to 2.5 percent, introducing a sliding scale that adjusts the rate automatically as reserves rise or fall, and drawing down reserves to fund ministry now rather than letting them sit idle. The 2026–27 budget, built for the first time on three years of real data, projects about $1.9 million in income, including the drawdown of reserves. "We've heard all week about multiplication and church planting," Wolfgang said, "so we want to put our money where our mouth is" — and the budget did just that, nearly doubling church-planting support from $55,000 to $80,000, strengthening conference staff, and expanding clergy development. Members also adopted a new clergy moving policy built on a shared "sandwich" model among the receiving church, the incoming pastor, and the Conference. The nominations report turned the focus back to gifts and people. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 12, leaders invited members to turn to a neighbor and say, "You are a gift," then thanked the many who serve on boards, committees, and teams, and introduced a new leadership discovery tool to help connect people to conference service. Even the leftover books became a lesson in multiplication, as members were invited to carry extra copies home and become "multipliers" in their own ministries. Looking ahead, the Conference will return to Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, next year.

By Rev. Susan Roehs  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 Friday Focus: We have the power of the Holy Spirit. Can you imagine what it would have been like to experience the Holy Spirit as Peter and the other disciples did on that first Pentecost? Take a moment to picture your church’s sanctuary. It’s Sunday morning, and people are gathering for worship. The call to worship is read, and then “All at once there was a sound from heaven like a powerful wind. It filled the house where they were sitting. Then they saw tongues which were divided that looked like fire. These came down on each one of them.” Acts 2-3 How would you react? How would your congregation respond? Would it be your first time feeling the Holy Spirit during worship? I hope not. I hope you, like me, call on the Holy Spirit to fill your sanctuary each Sunday. I call on Him because I want to lead worship in His power. A service led by the Holy Spirit is never dull. As much as I would like to experience the Holy Spirit as the apostles did in Acts 2, I know that is unlikely. But the outpouring of the Spirit was never meant to be just for the people in that first-century meeting place. The Holy Spirit continues his work in Christ’s church. Believers are still filled with the Holy Spirit and have access to his power. That power enables us to fulfill the Great Commission. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we will go in faith to make disciples who will go and make disciples. It is the purpose of the church and the task of believers. With the power of the Holy Spirit, the Global Methodist Church has already become an international movement. The Holy Spirit’s power will continue to multiply the church through us. One of the tasks that has been put before us is to “spread scriptural holiness across the globe.” When we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and the power of the Holy Spirit to work in us, we will multiply disciples, spread scriptural holiness, and witness the gospel spread to the ends of the earth. Father, we thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit. Guide our lives and our actions that, with the help of your Holy Spirit, we will be witnesses to your perfect love, grace, and mercy. Spur us to go and make disciples. Show us how to teach them to obey your commands. And when we baptize them, fill them with the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Dave Ferguson is the founding pastor of Community Christian Church, a multi-expression missional community. Ferguson highlighted the importance of whole-person health. Every day, he assesses his relational, physical, spiritual, and mental health and suggests we practice the same. It is impossible for an unhealthy leader to produce healthy followers. However, healthy leaders will create a lasting impact on the lives of others. Ferguson made the point that every Christ follower is to be a disciple and multiplier for the Kingdom. I appreciated his definition of disciple as “someone who hears from God, then does what God told him to do.” I have never heard the term defined so simply and yet thoroughly. Further, a multiplier is “a healthy disciple-making leader who champions reproduction.” We multiply what we are and what we do. He emphasized that disciple-making happens through relationships. As you invest in people one-on-one or in small groups, they learn to invest in others. And eventually you will see your fruit growing on someone else’s trees. Most importantly, church multiplication is possible in any church, through any disciple, and in every context. We don’t need to have all the answers, a master’s degree, or a large budget; we just need to make ourselves available to God. We don’t even need to be good at math; God will do the multiplying for us. Bishop Mark Webb thanked Ferguson for his message, then added that a multiplying culture is so intertwined with the Great Lakes Annual Conference and Global Methodist Church that he has told churches, “If your church isn’t willing to MULTIPLY disciples and MULTIPLY churches, the Global Methodist Church probably isn’t for you.”

During the Wednesday evening worship session, Bishop Webb challenged conference attendees to move from focusing on what we don’t have to offering what we already have to Jesus. “The Kingdom of God advances not through abundance, but through our surrendered trust in the provision of God,” Webb said. “The concept of multiplication is nearly impossible when we remain more concerned about keeping our doors open and more concerned about keeping people with us rather than focusing how to make disciples and the sending those disciples to make more disciples.” John 6:1-15 recounts a multiplication story for the ages. When faced with feeding a large crowd and his disciples in a panic about lack of resources, Jesus already knew what he was going to do. After the vast crowd sat down, Jesus took what they had, gave thanks, he broke the bread and fish into pieces and instructed the disciples to distribute to those who were seated as much as they wanted. The scriptures go on….so the disciples filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. Webb enthusiastically reminded the assembled group; there was more left over than when they started. “The miracle began the moment the problem was surrendered,” he said. Multiplication happens when we move from focusing on what we lack and move to offering Jesus what we have and surrendering what we have to him. The same Jesus who fed 5,000 is still saving, still feeding and multiplying today. He is asking us to believe again, dream again and trust him.