Conference Profile

California-Nevada Annual Conference

The United Methodist Church

A. Geographical Location & description:

1. California counties of Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern (except for that portion extending from the easterly side of the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and that portion extending from the southerly base of the Tehachapi Mountains described as Antelope Valley), Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba, and the town of New Cuyama in Santa Barbara County. Nevada counties of Carson, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey, Washoe and White Pine.
2. The conference spans the northernmost boundaries of the states of California and Nevada, which include seashores, mountains, deserts, large suburban and urban areas, and large agricultural communities.
   

B. Demographics:

C. Conference Mission Statement:

"...to make disciples of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the good news of God's grace and thus seeking the fulfillment of Gods reign and realm in the world."

D. Political/Social Makeup:

a. Political makeup: With a conference that spans the San Francisco bay area, the San Joaquin Valley, and the northern counties reaching to the Oregon border, the California Nevada conference finds itself amidst a wide political spectrum from quite liberal to very conservative with all in-between.

b. Political issues: Living wage, health care (affordability/"no child left behind"/health care for the undocumented persons), water rights, immigration issues, violence, issues of sexuality, state budget crisis (impact on education/prisons/care for the disabled, ...), jobs/living wage, welfare ("care not cash" programs/housing/basic needs).

c. Church trends: "...church membership is down (but is only one-half of last year’s decline), our average worship attendance is down, and our finances are down" (Conference Statistician's report). Healing in process while pain continues in differences of opinion over issues of sexuality.

d. Social environment: We live in a constantly changing multicultural area.

e. Ecumenical environment: Ecumenical and interfaith efforts are being made in many areas of the conference often through ministerial associations, ecumenical councils or councils of churches."

E. Financial status:

1. Clergy minimum cash compensation 2003: $27,769 plus housing
2. Clergy average compensation 2003: $46,070
3. Apportionment Collections 2003: 72.8%; 2002: 72.8%; 2001: 78.8%; 2000: 80.2%; 1999: 76%
4. # of churches paying 100%
   

F. Issues:

1. Clergy and Laity Issues: Leadership and direction amidst financial state, conference apportionment giving and apportionment attitude, need for supportive care for laity and clergy, need for continued training opportunities for laity and clergy.
2. Conference Strengths: diversity in churches and in leadership, active in social action/needs, solid leadership, strong history/heritage.
3. Areas of Improvement: strive for excellence while open to confessing our own weaknesses, number of ethnic congregations.

G. Conference Episcopal Leader Expectations.

• Presence in arenas of healing and reconciliation
• Pastor who effectively relates to lay/clergy persons in the conference
• Strong prophetic leader
• bridge-builder/healer
• Communicator who is effective and timely in listening in offering feedback
• Communicator who is open and accessible to all and in all media
  

H. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1= mastered; 2=doing much of the time; 3=mixed results; 4=needs work; 5=no work begun;) what is your conference level of accomplishment in fulfilling the
" 9 Elements of the Jurisdictional Vision Statement"?