Event Information

Annual Conference is an exciting time to celebrate what God is doing throughout the Free Methodist Church and we want you to be part of it. Find out how you can make the most of the Annual Conference Experience.

Attend Annual Conference

If you are attending in person, you’ll find everything you need to enjoy a wonderful day together.

Watch Online

Watch live with us on May 14, 2022, or watch at any time through our archived video links.

Voting

If you are a voting member of the Free Methodist Church in Southern California, it is both your honor and responsibility to vote for our church leaders. Find out how.

Standing Rules

Our standing rules provide a structure for how we do business and make decisions at Annual Conference. Read the complete set of rules online.

Boards and Committees

Free Methodists are a diverse group of believers, hailing from all walks of life. Our leadership across the Southern California conference mirrors that diversity through a commitment to an equal mix of clergy and lay leaders (non-clergy), the empowerment of traditionally underrepresented people, and the engagement of communities across the broad socioeconomic spectrum that makes up Southern California.

Superintendents

Superintendents provide for vision alignment and implementation, leadership development, and guidance for the administration and growth of the church.

Board of Administration

The standing administrative committee of the conference, established to create and manage policy of the entire conference within the limits of the Book of Discipline.

Nominating Committee

Responsible for preparing for the annual conference a list of nominations for positions vacated by either resignation or expiration of terms.

Ministerial Education & Guidance Committee

Responsible for qualifying, guiding, counseling, and mentoring candidates for ordination as they prepare for ministry.

Ministerial Appointments Committee

Responsible for appointing qualified ministers to ministries and monitoring progress and growth.

Kingdom Ministry Group

Develops sustainable and vital Free Methodist Societies by sponsoring church planting projects and caring for societies requiring revitalization.

Finance Committee

Reviews and recommends action on all matters concerning financial actions of the local church and the conference at large.

The Management Group

Provides oversight for The Management Group, a for-benefit corporation of the FMCSC that provides bookkeeping and administrative services for eligible ministries.

Membership

We like to say that “it’s good to belong.” Within the Free Methodist Church, our elders are members of a ministerial tradition that seeks to disciple effective church leaders and grow ministries.

Incoming Leaders

Join us in welcoming our new Ministerial Candidates and incoming Elders for 2022.

Ministerial Members

Meet our elders serving throughout Southern California and beyond.

Annual Conference Delegates

Our delegates vote for leaders, provide feedback during decision making, and are an essential part of Annual Conference each year.

Memorials

We remember those who have gone on to be with Christ and celebrate their impact on the Kingdom of God.

Greetings from Special Appointments

Not every elder is appointed to a traditional church ministry. Hear from elders who serve in unique ministries around the world.

Incoming Leaders

Conference Membership
Serving Together

Many of the Elders within the Free Methodist Church (FMC) serve as husband and wife teams. Kate and Leif Wallace Nunneley were ordained together at Annual Conference 2021.

Back to Incoming Leaders

Fearon, April

Lake Elsinore, The Lamb's Fellowship

Incoming Elder

I have known about God for as long as I can remember. At 3 years old, I decided to follow him, and the journey has been unfolding ever since. My growing up years seemed pretty uneventful, and God was always a part of my story. Then, during my senior year of college at Azusa Pacific, I experienced a “crisis of faith” that rocked my world and left me unsure of pretty much everything I’d ever believed. It didn’t take long for me to come back to believing God existed, but it took several years for me to believe that he really loves me—just as I am!—and embraces me wholeheartedly even if I never change. God’s patience with me over the next several years allowed me to change and grow in ways I had never dreamed of. I am still on this journey of transformation, but my life is now fully surrendered to the God who so graciously loves me and has given me second, third, and millionth chances.

How did the Spirit guide you to your current ministry and what has God called you to do through your ministry?

I’m in an interesting ministry season where I straddle the church-parachurch fence. I serve as a pastor at The Lamb’s Fellowship, the church where God has called me and my husband to build relationships and serve in various ministry capacities. I get to usher the congregation into corporate prayer on Sunday mornings, as well as lead our women’s Bible studies. On the other hand, my official job for the past 3 years has been as a Relationship Builder at Empowering Lives International, one of our conference’s official partner ministries. ELI works to ignite World Changers in East Africa, and I get the privilege of shepherding our ministry partners in their journey to discovering how God is calling them to be a part of that mission. I now also lead our team of Relationship Builders, and it’s a joy to watch as this incredible movement of God that is taking place in East Africa begins to spread here in the US too!

How did you come to first be involved with the Free Methodist Church and why have you chosen to continue your ministry in the Free Methodist Church?

I grew up occasionally visiting the Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara because my oldest brother and his wife attended there, so I was exposed to Free Methodism without having much idea what that meant. Then, I “happened” to pick Azusa Pacific for college. Though I had other reasons for choosing it, I now see that God had me on a particular journey, and APU played a key part. After college, as I began to wrestle with the possibility that I might be called to formal ministry, I wanted to find a church open to the idea that women could be pastors. While living in North County San Diego at the time, I found the Escondido Free Methodist Church, and the pastoral staff there began to help me discern my calling to ministry. I remember reading the Book of Discipline for the first time and feeling like I was “home”—all of my seemingly random beliefs on a myriad of issues were reflected back to me in a single, cohesive document. I knew I’d found “my people.”
After clearly sensing a call to pastoral ministry, I became a CMC in 2008, just before moving to Kentucky to begin my Master of Divinity at Asbury Theological Seminary. After waiting the allotted amount of time, I went up for ordination 6 years ago, but was asked to wait and work on some personal things so my life could sustain ministry for the long haul. I am so thankful for that pause because it set me on a radical journey of transformation that has landed me where I am today. I always felt like I would eventually be ordained, but life and having kids became more pressing. Plus, I knew I would continue with the ministry God had called me to regardless of whether I was ordained or not.
Then, a year and a half ago, our new pastor at Lamb’s told me it was finally time. Over the ensuing months the Lord confirmed that, so I took the steps necessary to proceed, and here I am! It has been a wild ride as I’ll either be 39 weeks pregnant or have a newborn at ordination. But I’m so grateful that God has made it clear that this is right where he wants me to be, so why would I be anywhere else?