The Oregon and Pacific Northwest Conferences are taking intentional steps to establish a new annual conference.

This effort is part of the broader direction our Bishops are leading the Free Methodist Church nationally. We are joining this Spirit-led movement already unfolding across the U.S. Our Conferences are expected to vote on its formation in 2027. 

God is stirring our Board of Bishops to lead the Free Methodist Church into a new Spirit-fueled movement. This movement, rooted in Ephesians 4, calls us to reimagine how we can support local churches, leaders, and pastors by equipping God’s people for ministry. It will involve teams working together to multiply disciples, raise up leaders, and plant churches.

Tentative Timeline

- June 26–28, 2025: Update shared at One Conference in Centralia.

- Fall 2025: Combined PNWC and Oregon  BOA meetings.

- September 2025: Communication plan rollout begins.

- Early–Mid 2026: Task force gatherings and meetings.

- May 2026: Communication plan rollout begins.

- Late 2026/Early 2027: Draft plan presented in regional meetings for broader feedback.

- 2027: Vote of the Annual Conference in separate sittings. (May or Sept)

- 2027–2029: Transitioning to the new conference with the intent that it is fully operational by 2029.

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Over the past year we conducted listening tours in both conferences. Here is what we found:

Oregon Conference: Listening Tour Summary

What We Heard from the Listening Tours

One main message came through clearly: we must let the Holy Spirit lead every step of this process. People want to make sure that any change we make is what God wants and that it helps the church grow in the right way.

What People Shared – Concerns and Hopes

  • Spiritual Leadership: People said it’s very important to listen to the Holy Spirit to know if joining together is the right step or if each conference should keep growing on its own.

  • Relationships and Culture: Many want to keep the close, caring relationships and the unique ways each church does ministry. They hope for natural growth—not something forced.

  • Trust and Clear Communication: People asked for honesty, fairness, and clear updates. They want to feel included and informed at every step.

Oregon's Lead Values for the New Conference

These are values Oregon values and what we want the New Conference to prioritize:
During the Listening Tours, people shared what they believe is most important to have in the New Conference. 

  1. Strong Relationships – Leaders should stay connected and be easy to reach.

  2. Respect for Culture – Each conference’s way of doing ministry should be honored.

  3. Clear Finances – Money should be shared in fair and open ways.

  4. God’s Mission First – The goal must be to follow God and help more people know Jesus.

  5. Led by the Spirit – Decisions must be prayerful and guided by the Holy Spirit.

  6. Honest Leadership – Leaders should act with care, honesty, and responsibility.

  7. Building Trust – People want open conversations and honest updates.

  8. Support for Every Church – Each church should be free to grow in its own way.

  9. Fair Sharing – Resources must be shared in a way that feels fair to everyone.

  10. Open Communication – Everyone should be kept in the loop and have a voice.

PNW Conference: Listening Tour Summary

What We Heard from the Listening Tours

One clear message emerged across the Pacific Northwest Conference: people are open to change, but only if it’s Spirit-led, rooted in mission, and shaped by the whole body. Trust and transparency must go hand-in-hand with vision and bold steps forward.

What People Shared – Concerns and Hopes

  • Spiritual Discernment: Leaders and churches want to be sure this process is grounded in prayer and the Spirit’s leading. People asked, “How do we know this is what God wants?”

  • Structure and Identity: There’s deep care for PNWC’s unique culture of belonging, collaboration, and diversity. People want to protect this identity and not be absorbed into a system that dilutes it.

  • Communication and Trust: Participants named past wounds and asked for honest, consistent updates. People want to see feedback reflected in decisions, not just collected.

  • Inclusion and Representation: Voices from bi-vocational leaders, younger pastors, and diverse communities want to be included in shaping the future—not just reacting to decisions.

  • Mission and Multiplication: There’s strong support for change if it helps churches grow, plant, and reach new people. The mission must remain the central reason for any restructuring.

PNWC's Lead Values for the New Conference

These are the values PNWC members expressed as essential for the future of the New Conference:

  1. Spirit-Led Discernment – Decisions must begin and end in prayer and the presence of God.

  2. Mission Over Structure – Systems must serve disciple-making, not the other way around.

  3. Relational Culture – Keep the connectional, supportive culture that defines PNWC.

  4. Trust Through Transparency – Share the “why,” “what,” and “how” consistently and clearly.

  5. Representation Matters – Ensure all voices (rural, bi-vocational, diverse) are included in shaping the future.

  6. Support for Local Churches – Every church should be resourced and empowered to grow in its own context.

  7. Leadership with Humility – Guide boldly but with openness, listening deeply to the body.

  8. Actionable Feedback Loops – Show how feedback is influencing outcomes.

  9. Cultural Healing – Acknowledge past wounds and build a healthier way forward.

  10. Hope with Urgency – The moment is serious, but filled with potential—let’s move prayerfully and boldly.

With the New Conference we expect:

Stronger connections and support where every congregation and leader, regardless of size or context, has the resources necessary to thrive in their mission rather than just survive.

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Access to leadership teams equipped to support you, especially during growth, transition, or challenge seasons. This structure is designed to strengthen relationships and foster collaboration so no one has to lead alone.

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A conference where leaders of every generation and background are equipped, supported, and released to thrive in the mission God has given them. Whether your church is multiethnic, rural, suburban, urban, large, or small, your story and context matter.

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Thriving, mission-focused leaders and churches as we align our time, systems, people, and resources around what matters most.

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Shared ownership and voice. You are part of something that will be intentionally shaped through listening and prayer for this generation and the next.

FAQs

Leadership Structure & Relational Accessibility

  • After a new conference is created, a superintendent selection process will be conducted according to the Book of Discipline.

  • Leadership will be shared among multiple leaders to ensure availability and relational connection.

  • The new conference will implement a structured leadership framework—including the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendents, Regional Leaders, and task forces—with defined lines of accountability and support. This will help ensure effectiveness, reduce overlap, and foster healthy collaboration across all levels of leadership.

  • Yes. The appointment system remains unchanged and will follow the Book of Discipline. MAC will continue to vet and recommend appointments with oversight from the Superintendent and the Bishop.

  • By assigning Regional Leaders and creating smaller connection points, such as districts and affinity groups, and other cohorts, every pastor and church will remain personally supported.

  • Conference leadership will remain committed to fostering strong, relational connections with pastors and churches. The new conference's leadership structure will be designed with this priority in mind, creating space for meaningful support and engagement. The goal is to cultivate a leadership culture that values both strategic direction and personal, pastoral presence, ensuring churches feel seen, supported, and encouraged in their unique contexts.

Free Methodist Identity & Mission Alignment

  • No. We are not leaving behind our identity—we are leaning into it more fully. This new structure is designed to help us live out the Free Methodist Way with greater clarity and consistency. Our core values—Life-Giving Holiness, Love-Driven Justice, Christ-Compelled Multiplication, Cross-Cultural Collaboration, and God-Given Revelation—will continue to shape everything we do.

  • The goal is not to erase what makes us unique; we want to bring the best of each of our conferences together. The new conference will reflect the best of both Oregon and the Pacific Northwest—our stories, values, and ways of doing ministry—woven into a common mission and vision. This is not just a structural change; it’s about working together to help more people encounter Jesus, follow Jesus, and experience transformed lives in Him. We are building something stronger together.

  • The new conference will not impose a one-size-fits-all approach. While the methods may vary, the mission remains the same. Each church is encouraged to follow its own unique calling and context around our shared mission. This includes being accountable to the key FMC Missional Measures that help us know we are succeeding. These include: Spirit-aliveness, evangelistic disciplemaking systems, mentoring pipelines, and multiplication steps. Practically, churches will be encouraged to show fruit in areas such as baptisms, new conversions, making disciples, identifying and raising up leaders who can be mobilized into ministry and their calling, and determining their next multiplication step. 

    Churches will be supported and resourced to meet these goals, with regular check-ins and encouragement to stay aligned with the mission of making disciples and growing the Kingdom.

  • Worship styles will continue to reflect the unique culture and context of each local church. The new conference will honor this diversity of expression while encouraging all churches to stay rooted in our shared mission and values.

Church Property, Assets & Oversight

  • All campgrounds, buildings, and assets will become part of the new conference. Transitional boards and leadership teams will review these collaboratively, with guidance from the Bishop, focusing on sustainability, stewardship, and mission alignment.

  • Yes. According to Free Methodist polity and the trust clause in the Book of Discipline, property is held in trust for the denomination, but managed by local societies. This will not change. Any closures, mergers, or property sales will follow established processes with appropriate oversight.

Financial Strategy & Transparency

  • Financial planning will be transparent and shaped with input from both conference superintendents, boards, and leadership teams to reflect and support the new conference's shared mission and vision. Finances will be stewarded to align with the mission and values of the Free Methodist Church and to strengthen our collective impact.

  • They will continue to support the new conference's core work and shared mission. This includes resourcing pastors and churches, providing leadership development and care, offering training and connection opportunities, and supporting the vision of making disciples, growing healthy churches, and advancing the Kingdom.

  • We are building a brand-new unified financial strategy from the ground up. This is not a budget merger but a reimagining of financial alignment around shared mission.

  • By reducing overlap and inefficiencies, we will steward every dollar to directly support the multiplication of disciples, leaders, and churches.

Communication, Trust & Representation

  • Churches will be included through town halls, updates, and delegate voting processes.

  • Task forces, BOA, MEG, and conference leaders will collaborate to make decisions, with the Bishop and national BOA providing final oversight.

  • The conference that votes no must present an alternative plan to the Bishops that meets the expectations for a healthy, mission-aligned structure. This plan must be approved by the Board of Bishops and the national BOA.

  • Local church members will continue to elect delegates to represent them. Voting will occur during the annual conference sessions, where both elected ministerial and lay members will consider and act on motions. All voting procedures will remain consistent with the guidelines and requirements set forth in the Book of Discipline of the Free Methodist Church.

  • This is an opportunity to start fresh. While we will learn from the past, existing systems will not automatically carry over. Instead, we will design new structures, processes, and tools that remove unnecessary barriers and accelerate our shared mission to multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

Spiritual Discernment & Unity

  • This process is rooted in prayer, fasting, and spiritual discernment at every stage. We are listening together for God’s direction. We are asking God to guide not only our decisions, but our attitudes, conversations, and timing.

  • We understand that unity does not mean we agree on everything. Protecting spiritual unity means making room for real conversations, regular prayer, open communication, and staying honest and respectful with one another. Even with different viewpoints, staying focused on Jesus and the mission we share is what will bring unity.

Implementation Timeline & What’s Next

  • A transitional leadership team made up of clergy and lay members of both conferences will lead implementation with oversight from the Bishop and national leadership. We will focus on clear communication, practical support, and a thoughtful timeline to ensure a stable, transparent transition for all churches and leaders involved.

  • We are working from a general timeline, but flexibility is important to ensure a healthy, Spirit-led process. Adjustments will be made as discernment, feedback, and circumstances guide the way forward.

    To roll this out, here is a tentative timeline: 

    • June 26–28, 2025: Update shared at One Conference in Centralia.

    • Fall 2025: Combined PNWC and Oregon  BOA meetings.

    • Early- Mid 2026: Task force gatherings and meetings.

    • May 2026: rollout of communications plan

    • Late 2026/Early 2027: Draft plan presented in regional meetings for broader feedback.

    • 2027: Vote of the Annual Conference in separate sittings. (May or Sept)

    • 2027-2029: Transitioning to the new conference with the intent that it is fully operational by 2029.

    2029: Vote for New Superintendent.

    • Formation of transition teams with representation from both conferences.

    • Continue coordinated implementation planning and timeline alignment.

    • Begin planning leadership structure and financial plans.

    • Continued clear communication with churches

    This will all be done with oversight and guidance from the Bishop.

Additional Key Questions

  • No. This is not a reactive fix but a proactive step toward multiplication and long-term mission impact.

  • The question isn’t whether we can grow alone but whether we can do more together. This is about stewarding missional opportunities. We can be more effective when we align our strengths, collaborate, and empower leaders with diverse gifts to lead and equip the Church for a greater impact in the Kingdom.

  • Every step of this process follows the Book of Discipline and Free Methodist polity. Creating a new conference requires formal approval by both affected conferences and the national Board of Administration. Local churches will continue to elect delegates and participate fully in Annual Conference decisions. The process is being carried out with transparency and alignment to both local and denominational governance.

  • A name has not yet been decided. Naming will be part of the transition process, and we will invite input as we move forward. The goal will be to select a name that reflects our shared identity and communicates a clear vision for the future.

  • We have not determined any location for a physical location. Most of our work as a conference will continue to be conducted remotely. Our focus will be less on a physical location and more on ensuring that pastors and churches throughout the new conference are well-supported, well-connected, and equipped for ministry, regardless of geography.

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