2020 Annual Conference

The 236th session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will be held online Saturday, Sept. 12. Clergy and lay members will participate via Zoom. The session will also be live streamed for anyone who wishes to watch.

NOTE:  A voting procedure training and rehearsal will be conducted so that all members understand how the online session will work. The training will be held:

•  September 9 at 10 a.m.
  Member/Attendee Link: https://link.gntv.info/bwctraining2
•  September 10 at 5 p.m.
  Member/Attendee Link: https://link.gntv.info/bwctraining3

 Annual Conference Schedule:

• 9 a.m. -- Gathering time, for both clergy and laity with a half-hour for worship and centering. (Laity will watch the gathering time via livestream; clergy will participate via Zoom.)
• 9:30 a.m. -- The Clergy Session 
• 1 p.m. Plenary Session, which will include consideration of the 2021 budget.
• 6 p.m. Service of Ordination and Commissioning

Members will be voting on: 

• Council of Finance and Administration Report and the 2021 budget
• Board of Pensions Report  
• Equitable Compensation Report 
• District Superintendent Church Closure Report 

Read and review the recommendations coming before the session.

At the Service of Ordination and Commissioning eight Elders will be ordained; and two Deacons and six Elders will be commissioned as provisional members. The service will be held with only the participants present on the front lawn of the Mission Center in Fulton and live streamed. Read about some of this year’s ordinands. 

 All voting codes, which are required to cast a ballot, have been sent to clergy and lay members. Those who have not received their voting code should email   immediately.

 The proceedings and parliamentary procedures involved in this year's online session have been carefully considered by the BWC’s Rules Committee. The most significant change is that the number of speeches for or against an item has been raised from three to four, but the time allotted for each speech is now a minute. This change allows for greater participation.

Members are strongly encouraged to review the revised rules.

 The BWC is committed to the inclusion of all people. For accessibility accommodations, please contact Rev. Leo Yates at  

 At this online session, members will vote on the essential business of the Conference.  The Laity Session and other conference-related events will be held Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to noon. A celebration of clergy retirees will be Saturday, Sept. 26, at 10:30 a.m.

 The Conference Session was originally scheduled for May 29-31 and was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the need for social distancing as the church seeks to privilege life, especially among its most vulnerable members.