Author: Patrick Scriven

The lay members of the 2026 Pacific Northwest Annual Conference will elect an Associate Conference Lay Leader when they gather in Spokane Valley (and online) this June. The Associate Lay Leader serves on the Board of Laity and must be available to attend Annual Conference. The Associate Conference Lay Leader works closely with the Conference Lay Leader to lead the Board of Laity and fulfill other responsibilities. More information can be found in the PNW Conference Rules (Rule VI, Sec. 3. e.)   

Interested individuals are invited to contact PNW Conference Lay Leader Falisha Hola (falishahola@gmail.com) with questions about the role.

The election will be held on Tuesday, June 23rd, during the Laity Session. Nominees may digitally submit a flyer (up to one single letter-sized page) to be included in the pre-Conference Handbook prior to May 1st. Flyers should be submitted to Kathy Hogg at khogg@pnwumc.org.

Nominations may also be made from the floor during that session. All nominees must be willing to serve and present—in person or online—to be included on the ballot.

The Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, in partnership with United Methodist Communications, is pleased to announce the #BeUMC Awards.

The #BeUMC Awards recognize individuals and congregations who exemplify the spirit and mission of the United Methodist Church: to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Recipients of this award also reflect our shared UMC vision – to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.

Each year, every Annual Conference is invited to take part and present awards to:

• One outstanding lay person
• One outstanding clergy
• One outstanding congregation

These new recognitions will be given for the first time at the 2026 Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, which will take place June 23-25, 2026, at Spokane Valley United Methodist Church.

Nominations for the 2026 awards are now open and can be submitted online using this form. The nomination deadline is April 15.

We encourage all Pacific Northwest United Methodists to nominate a clergy member, a lay person, or a congregation, and to help us, as a conference, lift up our stories of faith, service, and leadership that inspire the wider connection and bear witness to what it means to #BeUMC today.

For more information, please contact Director of Communication Patrick Scriven at pscriven@pnwumc.org.

United Methodists from across the Pacific Northwest gathered for #PNWAC25 to worship, reconnect, and discern together what it means to be “Blessed and Broken.” From heartfelt sermons and retiree celebrations to bold decisions on justice and inclusion, the Spirit was moving among the people.

On Thursday evening, members of the 2025 Pacific Northwest Annual Conference gathered for a moving Memorial Service honoring clergy, spouses, lay leaders, and bishops who passed over the last year. With music, scripture, and heartfelt remembrance, the service lifted up lives of faith and service. Rev. Elizabeth Schindler offered a message shaped by childlike wonder, reminding us to receive the gospel with awe. United in grief and gratitude, worshipers shared Holy Communion and sang in hope.

The Pacific Northwest Annual Conference will gather June 26-28 at Bothell UMC for its 152nd session, exploring the theme “Blessed and Broken.” Members will consider legislation, hear updates from ministries, and engage in worship, including a sermon from Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth. Much of the session will be livestreamed.

At this year’s PNW Annual Conference, we’ll reflect on what it means to be Blessed and Broken—how God multiplies what we offer, even in our vulnerability. Meet the four preachers who will guide us in worship and help us hold these truths as we continue to go the M.I.L.E. together.

United Methodists gathering at their annual conferences worldwide will share at least one common task this year: voting on whether to ratify four sets of constitutional amendments which have been approved by at least a 2/3 majority of delegates to the 2024 General Conference.

At our 2025 Pacific Northwest Annual Conference Session in June, lay and clergy members will vote on four constitutional amendments that will shape the future of our denomination. For a constitutional amendment to be ratified, it must first receive at least a two-thirds majority at General Conference, which all four did in 2024.

The Pacific Northwest Annual Conference Sessions Planning Team recently met to begin their work, preparing and planning this summer’s session. In addition to learning this year’s conference theme, they considered and approved a venue change and a modest modification to the announced conference dates.

The 151st session of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference was held in a hybrid format on June 13-16, 2024, presided over by Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth of the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area. PNW Conference Director of Communications Patrick Scriven provides this summary report with links to videos and photos.