|
2025 Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference Review
First United Methodist Church of Pensacola was honored to partner with our friends at Alabama-West Florida Conference UMC to host the 2025 AWF Annual Conference, June 8 -10. We have so much to celebrate! A BIG thank you to our clergy, staff, and over 50 volunteers that helped make this week possible.
Day two of the conference welcomed clergy and lay members and their guests to the Opening Worship Service in the sanctuary of FUMC Pensacola. This year’s theme was, “Make Us One,” from our communion liturgy. The service was opened with three blasts of the conch shell representing the Holy Trinity and unique to FUMC Pensacola. Bishop L. Jonathan Holston, resident bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, preached a sermon titled, “Accepting the Challenge.” A highlight of the service was the collective voices in the choir who are clergy in the Alabama-West Florida Conference.
The Service of Commissioning and Ordination was held Monday evening in the sanctuary of FUMC Pensacola. The congregation represented family members and special friends of those being commissioned and ordained. Prior to the start of the service, the sanctuary choir of FUMC Pensacola presented worshipful music led by Dr. Rick Branch and accompanied by Heidi Branch. Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball, visiting bishop from the Western Pennsylvania Conference, preached a sermon titled, “Becoming One with Each Other”.
Twenty-five clergy and clergy spouses who passed since the 2024 AWF Annual Conference session were remembered during the Service of Remembrance and Holy Communion. Each name was read and was followed by a chime. Stanzas of “For All the Saints” were sung and bookended the names we remembered. Rev. Bill Curtin, Senior Pastor of Foley UMC, preached a sermon titled, “May I Tell You a Story or Can I Get a Witness.”
CELEBRATIONS
• The Rev. Emily Kincaid was awarded with the #BeUMC Award. This inaugural award honors a clergy who embodies #BeUMC–living our Wesleyan heritage, the power of connection and Christ’s call to love and serve.
• The Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Lentz announced that 54 churches participated in this year’s Great 50 Day Challenge! We celebrated 556 new members in 50 days in the AWF Conference.
• The Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Lentz was appointed to serve as the Senior Pastor at FUMC Pensacola for a fourth year. The Rev. Brennan Peacock is appointed to serve as Associate Pastor at FUMC Pensacola, effective July 1, 2025. The Rev. Emily Kincaid and Rev. Dr. Rick Branch will continue to serve our congregation as Decons in full connection, and the Rev. Heather Nysewander will continue to serve our congregation as full-time local pastor.
• The 2026 session of the AWF Annual Conference will be held June 7-9, 2026, at FUMC Pensacola.
BUDGET & BUSINESS
The conference approved a $3.74 million budget. The body voted on the four constitutional amendments to the Book of Discipline. Three resolutions around AWF Special Sundays were approved as well as two changes to the Standing Rules.
| 
