A Summary of the Connectional Conversation Project Report

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Connectional Conversation Project was to listen to the hopes and challenges of each annual conference and to discern opportunities for partnerships, support, and resources.

PROCESS

The General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) sent 2 staff members into 57 annual conferences to interview the bishop and have a conversation with 6 or more other annual conference leaders.

SAMPLING OF QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

What issues and challenges do you face as an Annual Conference in moving into God's future?
(934 responses)

• Leadership development, especially for clergy (150)
• Funding and stewardship (98)
• Growing diverse population & diverse theology (59)
• Pastor issues (recruitment, training, effectiveness, etc.; also included in leadership development above) (57)
• Revitalization of local churches (47)

What resources (human and material) have you found most helpful in your work?
(902 responses)

1. For GBOD Resources:

• "Walk to Emmaus" and "Chrysalis" (27)
• Companions in Christ and the training (20)
• FaithQuest (11)
• School for Congregational Development (9)

2. For Other General Agencies/Church Resources:

• United Methodist Publishing House (Disciple Bible Study — 36) (63)
• UMCOM ("Igniting Ministries" — 19) (39)
• General Board of Global Ministries (37)

3. For Annual Conferences:

• Leaders in annual conferences (88)
• Specific training provided by conferences (22)

4. For Other Resources:

• Various responses regarding people, programs, associations, books, newsletters, etc.

What resources do you wish you had?
(565 responses)

1. From the General Church Level:

• Written and video resources from GBOD (187)
• Curricula suggestions and requests (53)
• GBOD training materials and events (36)
• Resources in other languages and fostering cultural sensitivity (33)
• Interagency coordination for finding resources (32)

2. From the Annual Conference Level:

• More information on conference organization or restructuring (20)
• Stewardship, money, funding (19)

What else does GBOD need to know about future possibilities of partnership, networking, and working together?
(420 responses)

• Requested to be a test site and/or partner with GBOD (42)
• Desire more connection and communication (29)
• The need for GBOD to market more effectively (27)
• Networking (24)

CONCLUSIONS

1. Leadership development leads the list of needs of conferences, especially for clergy.
2. Conferences are really struggling with funding.
3. Diversity is a crucial issue and appears in two forms — being in ministry in ethnic communities and in neighborhoods into which a different ethnic group is moving, and living with the diversity of theology and belief about social issues. Responses related to diversity were high in both what conferences are struggling with and in resources they wish they had.
4. Local church revitalization is a large concern.
5. GBOD resources are valued in many places.
6. We need to communicate and market better the products and services that we have.
7. The training we do is valued, and we need to keep it geared to needs.
8. There is a loud call for our resources to come in new forms such as DVDs, CDs, videos, downloadables, multimedia, online registration, internet training, and more user-friendly websites.
9. A large number of conferences are interested in partnership with GBOD and desire a relationship.
10. Many want assistance in setting up networks across conference and jurisdictional lines.
11. Two new directions emerge from the edges:
    • An interest in coaching
    • Advocating for one website and/or phone number where all United Methodist resources can be accessed and other kinds of cooperation among the general agencies

NEXT STEPS

• Report findings to general church, jurisdictional, conference, and local church leaders.
• Tie findings to other research at GBOD, including the communications audit.
• Apply findings to evaluate all the work of GBOD, including resources we provide.
• Use findings as a foundation to partner with annual conferences.