The 2016 Missouri Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church was held in Springfield from June 3-6. The theme of the four-day event was "Radical Hospitality: Rooted in Christ." With major controversial issues either having been dealt with at previous annual conferences (such as the sale of camps owned by the Missouri Annual Conference to private entities) or at the United Methodist Church's General Conference (such as the church's stance on homosexuality), this particular annual conference proved to be heavy on reflection and learning, while mostly light on business, save the necessities of keeping the conference going for another year. The 2016 Missouri Annual Conference marked the final conference for Missouri's current resident bishop, Robert Schnase. Because of term limitations, Schnase will be on the move in July, and Missouri will receive a new bishop at that time.
The conference was divided into business meetings, worship times, and times of learning. Those who attended worship heard sermons from a veritable "who's who" of Missouri Methodists, including several pastors of churches recognized as "up and coming," members of the bishop's cabinet, and from Bishop Schnase himself. Interspersed throughout each worship time and workshop was the idea of radical hospitality, and how that idea could be better applied to the current situation of the United Methodist Church, and to the world in general. Approximately 1,500 delegates attended the conference from all across Missouri, and the conference was also livestreamed via the Internet.
If anyone has a specific question on Missouri Annual Conference 2016, please contact Travis Dimmitt. He is the director of the Northwest Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Campus Ministry at Northwest Missouri State. He can be reached at wesley@nwmissouri.edu.
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