Conference Nominations Committee seeks leaders for 2025-2028 quadrennium

The South Georgia Annual Conference Committee on Nominations has begun a process to identify laity and clergy interested in serving on Conference and District boards, committees, and teams for the 2025-2028 quadrennium. 

Between now and November 30, you are invited to indicate your willingness to serve or to encourage possible leaders to complete an online Interest Form.

Each quadrennium, the United Methodist Church seeks new leaders for open positions on conference boards and committees to serve for four years. The current quadrennium draws to a close in December 2024, and a new one launches on January 1, 2025. However, service on conference boards and committees for the new quadrennium begins at the conclusion of the 2024 South Georgia Annual Conference session. The six districts are also seeking nominees to fill vacancies to prepare for spring district conferences. 

The Conference Nominations Committee is looking for resourceful and committed leaders who have vision, leadership skills, and a passion for the work of the particular board or committee on which they are interested.

“I would like to invite lay and clergy of South Georgia to join the nominations committee in prayer that God will speak to those who we need in leadership,” said Mrs. Meredyth Earnest, Conference Secretary who stewards the nominations process along with Bishop David Graves, chair of the nominations committee. “The 2025-28 quadrennium will be an opportunity for us to reset our commitment to the power of the connection. As we remember our membership vows of prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, may we each seek to be in connectional ministry in the South Georgia Annual Conference."

Persons interested in serving on the conference or district level should complete this online Interest Form. This comprehensive form allows individuals to indicate their spiritual gifts, share their professional experience(s) and identify which board(s) or committee(s) they feel best align with their gifts and talents. Please note that self-nominations are kept on file in our database for up to four years. Because our districts must begin their work soon, the deadline for this form is November 30, 2023.

The annual conference will elect the leadership team for the 2025-2028 Quadrennium at the June 2024 annual conference session. The newly elected conference leaders will begin July 1, 2024. 

Pastors, district superintendents, district nominating committees, and laity can help with the process by recruiting and identifying persons in local churches who should submit an interest form.

“I strongly encourage every clergyperson to serve their district or conference in some capacity as well as at least one lay person from each local church,” said Earnest. “This process will help the Conference and District nominations committees match people and their interests, gifts, and graces with the various opportunities to serve on the district and conference level.”

Steps in the leadership selection process are:

• IDENTIFICATION — Indicate your interest(s) by completing and submitting the online Interest Form. Note that this is the sole means available to indicate interest in serving. Nov. 30, 2023, is the deadline for submitting Interest Forms. 

• NOMINATION — The District Committee on Nominations and the District Leadership Team will receive and evaluate Interest Forms and coordinate the nominations process with the Conference Committee on Nominations. The Conference Committee on Nominations will submit a slate of nominees (committee and board chairs and members) to the 2024 Annual Conference. 

• ELECTION — The annual conference will elect the leadership team for the 2025-2028 Quadrennium at the annual conference in June 2024.

• SERVING — The newly elected conference leaders will begin July 1, 2024. 

Questions or in need of help? Contact Mrs. Meredyth Earnest, Conference Secretary, at meredyth@sgaumc.com.