By Rick Wolcott*

Annual Conference 2025 will meet on the campus of the College of Wooster. The decision was made by the Cabinet following a recommendation from Bishop Tracy S. Malone, who in March formed the Annual Conference Venue task group to explore alternate sites that could host the annual meeting of laity and clergy in 2025. The John S. Knight Center in Akron has hosted the sessions and services of Annual Conference since 2021.

The work of the task group centered on seeking an air-conditioned venue that meets these missional needs: keeping expenses for Annual Conference within budget for the Conference; being good stewards of the financial resources of clergy, laity, and churches; offering more options for over-night accommodations and meals; providing flexible breakout space; and an environment conducive to community building.

The Annual Conference Venue Task Group was comprised of the AC Design Team (Executive Assistant to the Bishop Rev. Ed Peterson, Executive Director of Connectional Ministries Rev. Ed Fashbaugh, Executive Director of Communications Rick Wolcott, Executive Director of Financial & Administrative Services Vera Rebrovich, and Conference Secretary Rev. Cindy Patterson), South Forest District Superintendent Rev. Kelly Brown, and Conference Lay Leader Kimberly Green.

The task group met multiple times in-person and shared information electronically throughout March, April, May, June and July as it considered whether to stay at the John S. Knight Center in a different configuration of space or move to one of two potential campus sites. In July the group made a recommendation to Bishop Tracy S. Malone that Annual Conference 2025 relocate to the College of Wooster.

Rev. Ed Fashbaugh, who convened meetings of the task group, said, “I am filled with gratitude for the hard work of the task group in coming to this recommendation. This hard work included reviewing the current rising costs associated with the Akron venue; working through a detailed cost analysis; touring the Wooster campus multiple times; listening to the comments members of the Annual Conference wrote on their evaluations; asking many questions of the Wooster event team; and, carefully reviewing the pros and cons. The task group’s process was thorough and good and led to recommending the 2025 Annual Conference meeting be moved to the College of Wooster.” 

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church states in ¶603.3 that, “should it become necessary for any reason to change the place of (Annual Conference) meeting, a majority of the district superintendents, with the consent of the bishop in charge, may change the place.” Bishop Malone supported the recommendation of the AC Venue task group and presented it to Cabinet for consideration and action. Cabinet unanimously approved the recommendation to relocate next year’s Annual Conference.

“The decision to relocate the East Ohio Annual Conference meeting to the College of Wooster in 2025 provides a cost effective, centralized, and accessible location that will better serve our current needs for meeting spaces and a variety of options for lodging, dining and parking,” said Bishop Tracy S. Malone.

Preliminary plans are being made for use of the spaces at the College for Annual Conference 2025.

AC members will be able to park for free on campus and enjoy the tranquility of the grounds before and after sessions and services.

AC members will be able to purchase meal plans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and dine together in a variety of spaces in the Lowry Student Center.

AC members would sit at classroom tables for plenary sessions held on the natural light-filled Indoor Track & Gault Recreation Center Courts inside the Scot Center.

AC members would sit in pews inside McGaw Chapel for morning worship services and for the Service of Commissioning, Ordination, and Retirement.

AC members will have the option to stay in residence hall rooms at costs less expensive than area hotels.

Annual Conference 2025 is June 12-14. Information about theme, guiding scripture, meals, lodging, and registration will be released in January.

*Rick Wolcott is executive director of Communications for the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.