The following is a report on the 2025 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Annual Conference, held May 20-22 in Wildwood, New Jersey
Joy filled the room as the 2025 annual conference opened with a powerful worship service that celebrated the fullness of our calling. While some are called to service as a pastor of a local church, all are invited to become part of the family of God.
The service began at the baptismal font. Eastern Pennsylvania welcomed a new sibling in Christ, as Bishop Moore-Koikoi baptized Zemirah Rivqah Ahn Simmons.
The body recognized the orders of the Rev. Stacey Jones Anderson, commissioned the Revs. Robert Garvey and Elizabeth Hicock as provisional elders, ordained the Rev. Correen Russo as a deacon and the Rev. Kathryn Dinkelacker as an elder.
In her message, Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi invited each newly commissioned or ordained person to consider where they will live — not the location of their parsonage or the community they serve, but rather where they will choose to live in their emotional landscape. She urged each one to boldly proclaim, “I’m going to live in joy, because I am on my way to praise.”
Choosing to live in joy is not a one-time decision, but a daily walk. Bishop Moore-Koikoi was clear-eyed: “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy, and we have to choose it every day. Don’t live and dwell in our pain. Don’t live and dwell in our brokenness, but live in joy on our way to praise.”
Following Bishop Moore-Koikoi’s sermon, district superintendents anointed those who were retiring who, in turn, anointed those who were newly commissioned and ordained, who then anointed newly licensed local pastors and certified lay ministers. It was a moving moment, as they passed the mantle of leadership from one generation of servant leaders to the next.
The service concluded with an altar call; several people came forward sensing that the Spirit of God was calling them to consider ministry.
‘It’s Bible Study time!’
With those words, Bishop Moore-Koikoi invited annual conference members into a time of contemplation on the text for the conference: Jeremiah 17:14-18. The first tool on the journey from lament to healing is to live in expectation that God is still in the business of working miracles. She urged people to seriously consider the places of pain — physical, spiritual and emotional — in their lives, and to call out to God for healing.
“Sometimes we get so accustomed to our brokenness that we actually don’t want to do the work to be healed. You need to know your why, so that when it gets hard, you will keep at your healing.”
Healing comes not just for our own sake, but “so that the love of God can be shared, so that justice can be spread, so that power and principalities can be brought down.”
Love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously
Bishop Moore-Koikoi gave the State of the Church Address where she described the state of the larger United Methodist Church. Following a season of pruning, God is doing something new. One of the signs of newness is the new vision statement of The United Methodist Church:
“The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.”
Bishop Moore-Koikoi then dialed in more specifically to address the state of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. She outlined the staff restructuring that would help the conference more fully live into the call to love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously, describing the process of collaborative listening that she had undertaken since her arrival. She met with the associate superintendents and district superintendents, and listened for the needs from the local church. From those conversations she discerned a new staff structure that would provide more simplicity and transparency.
Bishop Moore-Koikoi reminded the conference of the Journey of Healing we had undertaken together. Hundreds named their wounds and participated in healing services and the Lenten Journey of Healing. She concluded her address, “Because of that I know that God will be faithful to heal. Because of that, I know that we will be saved, because God is our praise!”
Bishop Moore-Koikoi gave some of the time from her address so that Eastern Pennsylvania’s cabinet could share about their own journey of healing. The Rev. Jennifer Freymoyer, superintendent for the West District, offered an apology on behalf of the cabinet: “Superintendency is a sacred trust, and we have broken that trust, and we are sorry.”
Together the cabinet confessed the ways they have fallen short through a litany of repentance. The Rev. Evelyn Kent Clark preached a powerful sermon, and then conference secretary, the Rev. Joong Hyuck Kim, prayed for the cabinet. Following the presentation, the superintendents invited everyone to turn to a neighbor and say, “If I have done anything to harm you, please forgive me.”
Living in hope even in grief
The Rev. Dr. Andrew Foster III brought a powerful message on Psalm 27 during the Memorial Service of Remembrance, entitled “When the Faithful Feel like Fainting.” He traced the trust that saved David from desperate straits. “In spite of how big and faithful you try to be, some things will hurt you to your very core … David proclaimed, ‘I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ He believed that even here, through tears, through pain, through lament, he will see God’s goodness in the land of the living.” We can have hope even in pain, because we too know that we will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
An act of public witness
Immediately following lunch on Monday, the Hispanic/Latino Commission organized a public witness. They led a musical procession through the display hall, singing “We Are Marching in the Light of God.” The chair recognized them for a moment of personal privilege, during which they read the Social Principles statement from the floor of the annual conference, then led the body in a reading of the Creed for Immigrants.
Constitutional amendments ratification, financial updates and legislation
The conference considered and took votes on the four constitutional amendments passed at General Conference 2020/2024. The results of the ballots were not announced, so as not to affect the voting of other annual conferences. The results will be announced by the bishops in November.
The Rev. Steven Cherry presented a report on the status of Eastern Pennsylvania finances. He named the challenges that the conference has overcome over the last few years, tracing the history of what has happened and naming the fear and lack of trust that have arisen over the last few years.
He assured the body that accounts have been reviewed to make sure that cash is secure and to ensure that basic functions can continue. Payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable and benefits are all being paid. They have not found any irregularities.
“The general problem,” Cherry shared, “is a failure to stay up to date with general ledger tracking, which makes reporting nearly impossible.” He assured the body that they will receive a “de-comprehensified budget” that will be easy to understand at the adjourned session in September and named the steps that CF&A were undertaking to address the long-term challenges, including consulting with an auditing firm and dedicating one staff person to work exclusively on the audits and putting together a budget team to work on the budget for 2026.
The body made changes to two of its Rules of Order, Article XI- Conference Journal, adding the language “emails for these persons as preferred” to the contact information that should be included in the journal for annual conference members. The body also modified the rules for how the pre-conference workbook is to be distributed. Printed copies will be available by request and can be picked up at district conferences. Additional copies will be printed and available for any equalizing delegates elected at district conference.
Closing Communion
As the conference drew to a close, it was clear that a new spirit was falling afresh on the people of Eastern Pennsylvania. It felt as if we had taken another step in the Journey of Healing, and members departed empowered by the Holy Spirit to love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously. Praise be to God!
EPA also passed the following resolutions: