Annual Conference 2019 News

Annual Conference 2019 News

The 2019 Holston Annual Conference theme was "Healing Hands."


The 2019 session of Holston Annual Conference was held June 9-12 at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.  

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Rev. Ray Amos
Commentary: The state of evangelism in Holston Conference

  BRISTOL, Tenn. (July 9, 2019) -- In 1744, John Wesley was asked a series of questions on his expectations of preachers. His answers became known as the “12 Rules of a Helper.” Rule number 11 would become his charge to the Church. In it he says, “...

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Teenager survives broken home through love of church

  BRISTOL, Va. (July 9, 2019) -- Nate Roark was sleeping in the same room when his father died from renal failure. "I woke up to hear him coughing his last few breaths," says Roark, who was 12 at the time.  Five years later, the 17-year-old survivor...

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Vandals set fire to church while drum group is away

  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (June 27, 2019) -- The Rev. Elston McLain knew his phone was buzzing but he couldn’t answer. He was on stage in front of the Holston Annual Conference, leading his 20 musicians in playing the African drums. The audience of 1,800 ...

Holston Conference leaders celebrated the election of a significantly younger delegation. A total 15 out of 26 delegates are 40 and under.
AC elects younger delegates, gives $411,854 total to mission

The Holston Annual Conference gathered June 9-12 in Lake Junaluska, N.C., under the leadership of Bishop Mary Virginia “Dindy” Taylor and the theme, “Healing Hands.”  Representing 872 congregations in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and North ...

The newly elected Holston Conference delegation poses for a photograph shortly after the conclusion of Annual Conference 2019 in Lake Junaluska, N.C.
Holston elects delegates for conferences in 2020

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 12, 2109) -- The Holston Annual Conference completed its election for conferences in 2020 tonight at 7:30 p.m. In order of election, General Conference delegates are: Emily Ballard Rev. Kim Goddard Del Holley Rev. Wil ...

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Offering totals $129,733 for addiction ministry

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 12, 2019) -- Holston Conference took an offering of $129,733 to fight opioid addiction during its Missions Celebration last night in Stuart Auditorium. The offering was part of a celebration that included a ministry update...

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Long day ends with 3 elections, 3 resolutions

  LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 11, 2019) -- The Annual Conference elected its first three delegates to General Conference on Monday, including a young adult as the leader of the delegation. Emily Ballard, age 24, was the first delegate elected on the ...

Tuesday voting: Cantrell, Travis, Eldridge, Mosby elected

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 11, 2019) -- The Rev. Wil Cantrell was elected this morning on clergy ballot #3. Anne Travis was elected on the sixth ballot for laity. John Eldridge was elected on the seventh ballot for laity. The announced election of ...

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Lay Leader Del Holley: 'Choose the path of devotion'

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 10, 2019) -- Del Holley, Holston Conference lay leader, shared the following "Lay Leader's Report" today at the Holston Annual Conference.  Bishop Taylor, lay and clergy members, guests, and friends of Holston Annual ...

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Members covenant to 'focus on mission' amid disagreement

  LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 10, 2019) -- The first session of the 2019 Holston Annual Conference began with a covenant and concluded with a ballot. After an afternoon of clouds, rain, traffic, registration, fellowship, hotel check-in, the Laity ...

Monday voting: Ballard, Goddard, Holley elected

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 10, 2019) -- The Annual Conference elected its first delegate this afternoon with Emily Ballard on the ballot #3 for lay members. Ballard will lead the Holston delegation to General Conference 2020. The Rev. Kim Goddard ...

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COSROW applauds female leaders in Holston

  LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 9, 2019) -- Let us pause to give thanks for progress in the Holston Annual Conference, says the Rev. Sharon Bowers. As two long-time clergy leaders prepare to retire, the Commission on the Status and Role of Women ...

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It's here! We're doing Annual Conference from A to Z

 June 6, 2019 Are we working hard for you or what? What other communicators do you know that would put together an A to Z list of interesting things you should know about Annual Conference? That’s right. This here is an exclusive. So here it is: An ...

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Pastor Matt Hall: 'I found freedom in calling myself an addict'

  MARYVILLE, Tenn. (May 28, 2019) -- The Rev. Matt Hall doesn’t just talk the talk. At age 29, he has already walked a walk that many pastors will never experience. In 2017, Hall walked 2,200 miles as the Appalachian Trail chaplain from Holston ...

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Leaders ask for fairer representation of young delegates

  ALCOA, Tenn. (May 15, 2019) -- Leaders of several ministries and teams are uniting to ask the Holston Annual Conference to elect a minimum of two young-adult delegates at its upcoming June 9-12 meeting in Lake Junaluska, N.C. So far, more than 70 ...

Statement: Support for young delegates in Holston

  May 7, 2019 TO THE HOLSTON ANNUAL CONFERENCE:   We love our church. We love Holston Conference. We love God, and we love God’s children. We love our young adult children, and we believe, through them, our denomination and Holston Conference has ...

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Holston churches take up fight against opioid addiction

Photo above: A participant in Celebrate Recovery-North shares her testimony at Fountain City United Methodist Church. Photo at top of page: The Rev. Matt Hall leads the recovery ministry at First Maryville United Methodist Church. The ...