New Mexico Annual Conference

June 2-5, Glorieta, N.M.

The 129th session of the New Mexico Annual Conference met June 2-5 at Glorieta, with Northwest Texas/New Mexico Area Bishop Max Whitfield officiating. Bishop Joe A. Wilson, bishop-in-residence at United Methodist-related Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas, was guest preacher.

The conference theme was “Open Doors: Knock...Ask...Enter,” the third in a three-year emphasis based on the national United Methodist “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors” campaign from Igniting Ministries.

In the opening “State of the Church” address, Bishop Whitfield challenged New Mexico Conference pastors and laity to get spiritually fit by getting outside the church building to love God, love neighbors and make disciples of Jesus Christ.

“At the conclusion of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus gave the disciples one last commission: ‘Go into all the world and make disciples’,” the bishop said. “What does the Lord require of us? Love God, love the neighbor, make disciples . . . These are not multiple-choice expectations of faithfulness and effectiveness. Jesus expects all three,” he said.

The bishop shared with the annual conference a multi-part vision for conference congregations as they approach the beginning of a new quadrennium. The vision includes:

• A minimum of 2 percent growth per year in membership, average worship attendance and average Sunday school attendance in each of the next four years;
• An increase in the number of members received on profession of faith, so that by the end of the quadrennium there will not be a congregation that does not make at least one new Christian every year and receive that person into the life of the church, and enable them to grow in the Christian faith;
• A tithing conference, led by the example of each conference pastor;
• A conference guided and transformed by the Holy Spirit; and
• Clergy and laity ignited by a passion to serve Jesus Christ.

The annual conference nominated the Rev. Charles N. Crutchfield, senior pastor of Central United Methodist Church, Albuquerque, as a candidate for the office of bishop of the United Methodist Church, and unanimously supported the reassignment of Bishop Whitfield to the Northwest Texas/New Mexico Area for another four years.

In other actions, conference members voted to reduce the number of conference districts from four to three; approved continued participation in conference-wide property, liability and workers compensation insurance, and celebrated the loss of 2,400 pounds of weight by clergy and lay delegates last year with an offering for world hunger which was nearly a dollar a pound.

Delegates also approved a resolution urging United Methodist-related McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, to choose a more appropriate name and mascot for its sports program than the current name of “Indians.” 

They also supported a resolution from the Four Corners Native American Ministry churches and New Mexico Conference Navajo delegates asking the Navajo United Methodist Center in Farmington, N.M.--which is owned and operated by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries--to remove from their logo symbols that are offensive to Navajo Christians in United Methodist churches on the Navajo Reservation. The resolution will be forwarded to the Board of the Navajo United Methodist Center and to the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries in New York.

The conference also adopted a resolution urging each congregation and extension ministry within the conference to seriously consider using Fair Trade brands at all events and activities where coffee is served, and to extend the invitation to use Fair Trade brands to their members, constituents and communities.

Three people were ordained elder, and the orders of one elder were recognized. One person was ordained deacon-probationary member; one person was ordained deacon-associate member; one person was commissioned probationary deacon; and two people were commissioned probationary elder.

Two elders and one associate member retired.

Membership stands at 40,653, down 1,068 over the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 17,776, down 227.

--Julianne McAchran