ACS 2026 Report
Nick Strobel
(Note that this report has embedded hyperlinks to web documents for further exploration—blue underlined text. See the 2026 Pre-Conference Journal for the recommendations and reports including the finances). Read PDF version of this report.
The theme this year was “Healing the World” based on Isaiah 58:12
“They will rebuild ancient ruins on your account; the foundations of generations past you will restore. You will be called Mender of Broken Walls, Restorer of Livable Streets.”
We also celebrated four decade anniversaries shown in the image below of the leadership dais:
Thirtieth year of Order of Deacons, 50th year of United Methodist Volunteer in Mission, 70th year of Women's Ordination in the Methodist Tradition, and 200th Anniversary of Methodism in Tonga.
Day 1
Bishop Sandra Olewine used Isaiah 58:6-12 and Luke 4:21-30 for her sermon about “Baptism's Risky Business” in the Opening Worship. We celebrated communion. The offering was for the Fred Finch Youth and Family Services.
Conference Claimants Endowment Board
At every Annual Conference Session, the Conference Claimants Endowment Board presents a large check to support our retired ministers+spouses. This year they presented a check for $2.3M to fund retired clergy health care costs ($100K increases from prior year), fund financial relief for unexpected hardship via the Shepherd Fund (hearing aids, vision assistance, natural disaster relief, funeral costs, extraordinary dental work, or unforeseen relocation costs, etc.), and supporting pension commitments for those with pre-1982 service. We're the only conference that has such generous support of their retired clergy and spouses and the Endowment Board has been working for 135+ years!
They also presented a check for $161K for funding the Retired Clergy Association’s administrative costs in 2026/27, travel and per diem support for conferences and events, spiritual direction and continuing education through the Parish WISE Fund, Volunteers-in-Mission (VIM) trips, complimentary clergy tax planning education, and ongoing communications and relational care.
Other morning events included greetings from Rev. Dr. Semisi Turagavou, President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, Rev. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan on behalf of Claremont Theological Seminary, Dr. David Vázquez-Levy of Pacific School of Religion and Rev. Dr. Rick Vance, General Secretary of the General Commission on United Methodist Men. Clergy and laity who had attended many decades of Annual Conference sessions were recognized. I think the longest serving person had been there 67 or 68 years.
Joint Episcopal & Laity Address
After lunch, Bishop Olewine and Conference Lay Leader Micheal Pope gave the Joint Episcopal & Laity Address. Focus on “repairers of the breach and restorers of the streets to live in” (Isaiah 58:12) today, in the here and now. Rather than being consumed by financial scarcity concerns, we remember that we have an abundance of the resources that God uses: us, we the people. Remember our Methodist roots: loving God and loving neighbor because we have been saved by God's grace. What if in a one-mile radius around every United Methodist community, there was food security, affordable housing and health care, a healthy environment, fair and just work, great education and care for seniors, support for working parents and places to gather to celebrate life and connection?
Notable quote from Dr. Ashley Boggan, author of “Wesleyan Vile-tality”: “Within the Christian tradition, being Wesleyan and/or Methodist calls us to actively stand as a beacon of justice in this world. You cannot identify as Wesleyan or Methodist without constantly seeking to ensure that all people, no matter who they are, how they identify, or where they come from, feel worthy of God's love, have their basic physical and bodily needs met, and have the ability to seek happiness and perfection in Jesus Christ.”
We're called to find out what are the needs of the people outside of the church walls and to re-allocate our time, money, passion, and energy to meet those needs. Churches that continue to thrive after 100+ years are those that have changed, adapted, and refocused their mission several times as the needs of the world around them have changed, even changing sites or the physical plant to meet those needs. “Let's go into California and Nevada, not as churchgoers but as holy builders, architects of justice, and repairers of the breach and restorers of the streets we live in. Together, let us heal the world.”
