FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is Annual Conference in St. Charles?
This will be the second time Missouri Annual Conference Session will take place in St. Charles. It was in Branson in 2022 and in Springfield for 15 years before that. The process of site selection can be a complicated one. There are several moving parts to the Annual Conference Session. With 1,200-plus attendees, including lay and clergy voting members, retired clergy, staff, exhibitors and guests, the event can swell to 1,400 participants for celebration, learning and business. Peer learning emphasizes substantial breakout rooms for workshops and smaller learning experiences. Read more at moumethodist.org. See the rubric and evaluation event planners use to narrow site options.
How can I best prepare for Annual Conference in St. Charles?
There will be three Know-Before-You-Go emails sent to registered members in advance of the session that will provide critical information prior to your arrival. Please read them. We also suggest becoming familiar with the Conference workbook when it is available in early- to mid-May. That workbook includes all the business the session will be voting upon. In addition, since the Conference is in a new space, we encourage you to arrive to the property early with ample time to get parked, familiarize yourself with the new property and get seated in time for our start on Friday morning.
My church is a part of a pastoral charge or cooperative (or collaborative parish). Who attends as the lay member?
A pastoral charge of two or more churches may be designated a circuit or cooperative parish (⁋205.2). Each charge served by a clergy person under appointment shall be entitled to as many lay members as there are clergy members under appointment. The lay members shall have been members of The United Methodist Church for the two years preceding their election and shall have been active participants in The United Methodist Church for at least four years preceding their election (⁋⁋32, 251.2). This provision can be waived for young persons under 30 years of age. As with pastoral charges of two or three churches with one appointed pastor, that charge sends one lay member to annual conference, meaning the churches on the charge must decide who will be sent from among all the churches. They can bring an alternate lay member for breaks but only one lay person will be seated in the bar with voice and vote (on all matters that lay members may vote upon).
How will voting be conducted during the session?
Voting for the 2025 session will be conducted in-person using voice or hand voting unless the session deems otherwise (i.e., roll call). Registered clergy and lay members with voting privileges should be the only people seated within the “bar” of the Exhibit Hall unless given express permission from the bishop during the Establishment of the Bar on the first day of the session. A translator as well as our tech crew will be granted permission to be in the bar. All other guests should be seated in the guest seating section.
For delegation elections, registered clergy and lay members with voting privileges will be given their voting credentials at registration on-site in St. Charles. For delegation voting, we will utilize online ballots. The link to this ballot will be distributed on the nametags of eligible, attending voting members. Clergy and lay members who are unable to attend in-person are invited to watch the event online but will not be granted voting privileges.
What are my voting privileges?
We have an easy chart to help clergy and laity of different statuses understand their voting privileges. If you have questions about your voting rights, please see your District Superintendent. Check out the voting credentials chart here.
When will we vote for the delegation that goes to the 2028 General Conference?
The Missouri Annual Conference traditional elects their delegation the year before the regular session of General Conference. In the case of the 2028 General Conference, we anticipate electing delegates during the 2027 Missouri Annual Conference.
I can't attend MOAC25, what do I do?
Clergy members are expected to attend annual conference as a condition of their appointment. If you have a conflict that makes you unable to attend, please send a request to your District Superintendent and cc: Rev. Rebecca Dunger Peak, Annual Conference Secretary at moac-secretary@moumethodist.org.
How do I get my Conference Workbook and Journal?
We are not printing hard copies of the Conference workbook any longer. It will be available for downloading in early May on this website (MOACinfo.com), and you will be able to print it if you so choose. Please note the workbook is often 100+ pages. The cost of a Conference Journal is not included with registration. If you wish to receive a printed Journal, please indicate this on the appropriate line of the registration form, adding $40.00 to your registration fee. The Journal is available for free on the Conference website in pdf form once published. If you are not attending the session but want a Journal, you MUST pre-order it and pay the appropriate fees. To be good stewards, we will not print “extra” journals.
Will there be a vendor exhibition space or sponsorship opportunities?
We will have a vendor exhibition space in the communal area in the St. Charles Convention Center. You can find more information and register for an exhibitor space on the Exhibitors page of this website. Please note the exhibitor space will not be housed in a room that can be locked at the end of the session each day, and exhibitors will need to make their own security provisions.
What meals are offered during the session?
There are several special meals offered throughout the session by invitation only. If you are in one of those special groups (e.g., retirement class, memorial families, commissioners, ordinands, first-time lay members, etc.,) you will receive special correspondence. If you think you should have received communication about this, we encourage you to reach out to your pastor or to your District Superintendent, and they can put you in contact with the correct ministry area. There will be 90-minute to two-hour windows for lunch each day. There will be concessions available at the St. Charles Convention Center for your convenience. Most participants drive to offsite lunch locations.
Will there be childcare on-site?
We will offer childcare on-site at the St. Charles Convention Center on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 6-8, 2025, during the Annual Conference Session. Our childcare staff are all Safe Gatherings certified. To register for childcare, use the link on the Attend page. Childcare is open to children birth to completion of 8th grade. Childcare is $20 per child, per day and will be open 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Lunch will be served every day.
What is the sensory room?
The sensory room has dim lighting and ambient music and provides space for quiet rest and the opportunity to get away from the large crowds and sounds of Annual Conferences. There will be three semi-private spaces for naps/short period of stillness, a sitting area, and space for sensory appreciation with sensory items.
When is clergy session?
Clergy session will be in-person this year. The time is TBD as the Annual Conference agenda is finalized.
Will we be seated classroom-style with tables on the plenary floor?
Given our conference size, we will be seated theater-style with chairs only.
What accessibility services are available?
There will be an accessibility station at registration that we encourage you to visit to see how we can assist with accommodation. Our registration includes a section to share with conference planners your needs related to hearing, sight, mobility, etc., needs.
Who can attend the first-time lay luncheon on Friday?
In registration, you have the chance to note if it is the lay member’s first time attending in seven years or more. Those who fall into that category are invited to an orientation luncheon before the session begins which provides information on best practices for the Annual Conference experience and how to share the news of the session with the local church.
What do I do in case of emergency?
If there is a medical emergency or the threat of imminent danger, conference attendees should dial 9-1-1 and stay on the phone with emergency personnel. If able, please notify a member of the hospitality team (blue vests) that you or someone else have called 9-1-1.
Will Cokesbury be present at MOAC25? Can my book be sold via Cokesbury on site?
Due to the toll the pandemic has taken on United Methodist Publishing House and Cokesbury, they will not be able to attend any Annual Conferences again this year. Cokesbury has created an online portal for annual conferences. Please see Cokesbury’s special offer for annual conferences.
Is there a special collection for Festival of Sharing?
Festival of Sharing will not be holding a collection of items at Annual Conference 2025. Churches are encouraged to assemble or collect kits and deliver to one of the Sharefest events in September and October. Most requested items are Missouri personal hygiene, paper products and food boxes. The digital Festival booklet with kit contents and packing directions can be accessed on our media page. Questions? Contact festival@socket.net.
Can I get my Wespath pension projection or Quest Wellness Screening while at Annual Conference?
Wespath and Quest Diagnostics will not be on site for the 2025 session. If you would like to schedule a virtual pension consultation with a Wespath representative, you can register for a consultation in May or June. These are 30-minute one-on-one, virtual consultations. Please take advantage of this opportunity to see what your pension account could be in your retirement. Additionally, Quest Diagnostics’ Blueprint for Wellness biometric screening is a valuable tool for identifying health concerns and finding ways to improve your well-being. It’s the first step on your path to wellness with Wespath. To learn more about accessing this health benefit, visit www.wespath.org/health-well-being/well-being-programs/blueprint-for-wellness.
Are pets allowed at Annual Conference?
Pets are not allowed at Annual Conference due to the size of the event and the variety of allergies and anxieties related to animals. Service animals, as defined by the Department of Justice’s published revised final regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), would be allowed and should be noted in the Accessibility section of Event Registration. Registered members and guests may be asked to provide documentation to ensure that their service animal meets the ADA’s definitions. Questions about this provision should contact the Office of Connectional Ministries at (573) 441-1770.
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How do we register?
To register most efficiently, please use the buttons on the Attend page. You can register multiple people at the same time. Payment will be required at the time of registration. Registration fees are $155 for early bird (before April 12); $175, April 12 – May 1; and $200 after May 1. As a retiree or student pastor not serving a church, your registration fee if registered before May 1 is $0. If you register after May 1, retirees and student pastors not serving a church will be charged a $50 late fee for registration.
Who do I talk to if the registration fee is an economic hardship?
If you are unable to pay for any reason, please contact the registrar Heather Dease, hdease@moumethodist.org.
Do guests need to register for MOAC25?
Guests like clergy spouses or family, interested agency partners, or additional laity beyond your approved lay member(s) to Annual Conference can register. Please note, guests can choose “guest status.” All worship services and open business sessions will be livestreamed and available to anyone via this website (MOACinfo.com) and the Conference Facebook page. Closer to June 6-8, we will post links to the livestream on a dedicated page on this website.
How do I register for my hotel?
We have contracted with various hotels in St. Charles. There is not a group housing system in St. Charles, so reservations will be made by the individual directly with the hotel property or via a link provided by the hotel. Registration for the session is separate from your hotel reservation. There is ample, FREE, uncovered parking for commuting attendees at the St. Charles Convention Center.
Is the conference hotel rate available for early arrival and late departure?
Yes, the conference hotel rates are valid up to three days before and three days after our event, depending on availability.
Where do I park?
For those staying at the Embassy Suites, there is parking on the hotel side. For attendees staying offsite at other hotels or lodging, there is ample free, uncovered parking onsite at the Convention Center.
Are we voting on disaffiliating churches?
No. Paragraph 2553 is no longer a part of The United Methodist Book of Discipline. It was removed during the Postponed 2020 General Conference held in spring 2024.
What business matters will the session be voting on?
There will be a number of business items voted on during the three-day session. These will be divided into Hand/Voice Votes and Device Votes (Constitutional Amendments).
Hand/Voice Votes (Bishop Farr will call for voice or hand votes for the below measures):
Q1: All those in favor of adopting the agenda as printed in the workbook?
Q2: All those in favor of adopting the Clergy Support Team's recommendation for the Pre-82 Past Service Rate of $TBA?
Q3: All those in favor of adopting the items included in Clergy Support Team report?
Q4: All those in favor of adopting the Clergy Support Team Policies & Procedures?
Q5: All those in favor of approving the closure of the projected local churches?
Q6: All those in favor of adopting the 2025 Standing Rules?
Q7: All those in favor of adopting the Nominations report?
Q8: All those in favor of the approval of the 2025 Conference Advance Specials?
Q9: All those in favor of the adoption of the CFA Policies & Procedures?
Q10: All those in favor of the adoption of the Conference move policy?
Q11: All those in favor of the adoption of the projected apportionment budget for 2026?
Who may vote on the above business matters?
Those with voting privileges at the Missouri Annual Conference are clergy and lay members of the annual conference. Our complete voting chart will be available in the 2025 Conference Workbook.
Who gets to vote on Constitutional Amendments?
Paragraph 35 in the 2020/2024 Book of Discipline outlines who may vote on ratification of constitutional amendments:
Lay Member of Annual Conference (¶ 602.4)
Lay Diaconal Minister (¶ 602.2)
Lay Deaconess (¶ 602.2)
Lay Missioner/Minister as at-large (¶ 602.6)
Elder (¶ 602.1a, ¶ 333.1)
Full Clergy Elder on Leave of Absence (¶ 353.7)
Full Clergy Deacon (¶ 329.2, ¶ 602.1a)
Full Clergy Deacon on Leave of Absence (¶ 353.7)
In Missouri, these individuals will have red or yellow nametags. Our complete voting chart will be available in the 2025 Conference Workbook.
I am a Provisional Elder/Deacon who is approved for ordination. Do I get to vote on Constitutional Amendments?
Yes, but only after being officially voted into full connection. The Missouri Annual Conference will hold a clergy session on Friday, June 6, where the Business of Annual Conference will be voted on — including the approval of provisional members for full connection. If the vote passes, those approved will receive yellow nametags, signifying their new status as Elders or Deacons in full connection. Once in full connection, they will be eligible to vote on Constitutional Amendments, which are scheduled for Saturday, June 7.
What are other considerations for voting on Constitutional Amendments?
You must be present in St. Charles to vote.
Only those with red or yellow nametags are eligible.
Constitutional amendments are debatable but not amendable.
Votes are yes or no only; there are no abstentions.
Every vote counts: ratification requires a two-thirds aggregate vote of all voting United Methodists.
What Constitutional Amendments will the Conference be voting on?
There will be four ballots taken during the 2025 Annual Conference session that include the ratification of constitutional amendments:
Ballot #1 – Ratification of Worldwide Regionalization
Ballot #2 – ¶ 4. Article IV. Inclusiveness of the Church
Ballot #3 – ¶ 5. Article V. Racial Justice
Ballot #4 – ¶ 35. Article IV. Voting for clergy delegates to General Conference
For more information about each amendment, visit: resourceumc.org/amendments.
When will we hear about the outcome of Constitutional Amendments ratification?
Ratification requires a two-thirds aggregate majority of all votes cast in every annual conference around the world. Votes from all individuals who cast ballots are added together to reach the total. Whether the vote passes in one annual conference and fails in another is irrelevant because each person’s vote counts equally.
The balloting remains open until all annual conferences have voted (approximately the end of October 2025). The vote totals, submitted by each annual conference secretary, will be presented to the Council of Bishops in November 2025 for certification. The outcome of the ratification votes will be announced in mid-November 2025 following certification.
What is Worldwide Regionalization?
Worldwide Regionalization updates the system of governance for The United Methodist Church by recognizing the diverse cultures in our global denomination, better reflecting the growth of the church outside the United States and providing equity for followers of Jesus around the world. Multiple petitions associated with Regionalization passed overwhelmingly at the April 2024 General Conference, some of which require amendments to the United Methodist Constitution. The basic doctrines of the Church, the Council of Bishops, the Judicial Council, the General Agencies, and the General Conference would not change with this vote. To learn more about Worldwide Regionalization, visit: resourceumc.org/en/partners/connectional-table/home/resources/legislation/regionalization-legislation.
What would change if Worldwide Regionalization is ratified?
Central Conferences would be renamed Regional Conferences, and the United States would become a Regional Conference as well.
The U.S. Regional Conference would have the same authority as current Central Conferences do to adapt portions of the Book of Discipline for local contexts.
Currently, Central Conferences in Europe, the Philippines, and Africa can make adaptations to the Discipline; under Regionalization, the U.S. would gain similar flexibility.
The U.S. Regional Conference could make decisions more efficiently without waiting for General Conference, empowering delegates who live and serve in the United States to guide those decisions.
Protections for United Methodists outside the U.S. would be solidified. Each Regional Conference would make its own decisions about whom to marry and whom to ordain in accordance with local laws and its understanding of Scripture.
What is Ratification Ballot #2: ¶ 4. Article IV. Inclusiveness of the Church?
The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW) sponsored legislation that requires an amendment to change ¶4 in the Discipline. This legislation has been studied and advocated for at General Conference for more than 30 years. If ratified, the words “gender” and “ability” would be added, resulting in the following language:
“The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ. The United Methodist Church acknowledges that all persons are of sacred worth. All persons without regard to race, gender, ability, color, national origin, status, or economic condition shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection. In The United Methodist Church no conference or other organizational unit of the Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or any constituent body of the Church because of race, color, national origin, status or economic condition.”
What is Ratification Ballot #3: ¶ 5. Article V. Racial Justice?
The General Commission on Religion and Race sponsored this legislation, which requires a change to ¶5 related to racial justice. If ratified, the new language would:
Explicitly acknowledge racism and its destructive impact.
Emphasize unity and healing.
Commit the denomination to activism toward anti-racism.
The revised language would be:
“The United Methodist Church proclaims that from God’s goodness and love, God created all persons as God’s unique and beloved children. Racism opposes God’s law, goodness and love and diminishes the image of God in each person. Fueled by white privilege, white supremacy and colonialism, the sin of racism has been a destructive scourge on global society and throughout the history of The United Methodist Church. It continues to destroy our communities, harm persons, obstruct unity and undermine God’s work in this world. Racism must be eradicated. Therefore, The United Methodist Church commits to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large.”
What is Ratification Ballot #4: ¶ 35. Article IV. Voting for clergy delegates to General Conference?
This proposed amendment would change ¶35, Article IV, regarding educational requirements for eligibility to vote for clergy delegates to General Conference. If ratified, the new language would add a reference to a Master of Divinity degree from a University Senate–approved theological school or its equivalent in a central conference. It would read:
“The clergy delegates to the General Conference and to the jurisdictional or central conference shall be elected from the clergy members in full connection and shall be elected by the clergy members of the annual conference or provisional annual conference who are deacons and elders in full connection, associate members, and those provisional members who have completed all of their educational requirements and local pastors who have completed course of study or a Master of Divinity degree from a University Senate-approved theological school or its equivalent as recognized in a central conference and have served a minimum of two consecutive years under appointment immediately preceding the election.”
Where can I find details about the Celebration of Ministry worship service?
If you are participating in the worship service, or are attending the service as a guest of someone being honored, more information is coming soon. The worship service will be held the morning of Sunday, June 8.
I’m retiring at this Annual Conference. Where can I find information about the retirement worship service?
We will recognize retirees during the Service of Recognition worship service at the 2025 Annual Conference Session, held June 6-8 at the St. Charles Convention Center. The Annual Conference agenda and schedule is still in flux. Once we know, we will update you on the exact time and date of the worship service. As always, the service will be livestreamed.
Are laity recognized during MOAC’s Retirement Service?
The retirement service recognizes a change in relationship status to the Missouri Annual Conference. As a reminder, no one ever “retires” from discipleship or from their membership vows of prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. A certified lay minister or supply pastor may be included in the retirement service at annual conference if meeting the following qualifications:
Assigned to a church/charge
Paid service of 5 years or more
Ending assignments to churches permanently (in the case of retirement)