Guide to Annual Conference

How it works

Who's a member of Annual Conference

Lay and clergy membership, and why the conference works to equalize the two.

Standing Rules
Rule 15

Annual Conference is composed of clergy members and an equal number of lay members (Rule 15). Each charge elects a lay member, with additional lay members for additional clergy, plus a long roster of officers and youth/young-adult representatives.

Because lay and clergy totals must balance, the conference assigns additional lay members to districts by membership to equalize the two — and at least 10% of those additional members must be age 30 or under. The conference also provides English and Spanish editions of official materials and translation during sessions (Rule 18).