Centenary welcomes Louisiana United Methodist Annual Conference June 6-9
SHREVEPORT, LA — United Methodist delegates from throughout Louisiana will gather at Centenary College and other Shreveport locations from Wednesday, June 6 through Saturday, June 9 for the 2018 Louisiana United Methodist Annual Conference (AC2018).
“We eagerly anticipate the arrival of hundreds of United Methodist clergy and lay delegates from all throughout Louisiana as we gather at Centenary for the 2018 Annual Conference,” says Rev. Lindy Broderick, chaplain at Centenary. “We honor the rich tradition and historical connection between the College and the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. The theme for the 2018 Annual Conference is ‘Making Disciples, Transforming the World.’ What better place for that to happen than at Centenary, where we ‘develop leaders for a changing world?’”
The “Making Disciples, Transforming the World” theme represents the first stage in a three-year exploration of the central mission of the United Methodist Church at annual conference. In 2018, delegates will be exploring the concept of community and togetherness described in Acts 2. Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey describes the progression of the theme in this video. Featured events for AC2018 include the Laity Expo at Noel United Methodist Church on Wednesday, June 6 and the People’s Supper on Thursday, June 7
Rev. Dr. Maria Dixon Hall is the keynote speaker for AC2018 and will also lead sessions for clergy and laity during the conference. Dixon is currently senior advisor to the provost and associate professor of organizational communication, director of communication studies, and adjunct association professor of homiletics at Southern Methodist University. She is an ordained deacon in the North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and has researched and written extensively on issues of race, identity, and organizational practice.
Centenary alumna Julia Puac-Romero ‘14 will be commissioned as an elder during the conference and Deacon Pamela Guin Crews ’92 will be retiring. Ordinations and commissionings will take place during the Celebration of Ministry service at First United Methodist Church in Shreveport at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 9.
More information about AC2018, including a full agenda, is available at the conference website, la-umc.org/annualconference.