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

Russ, Aaron

Centerpoint Church

Incoming Conference Ministerial Candidate

I grew up in Christian Home and loved Jesus when I was young. Like many classic stories a grew to resent the church and Christianity as a whole. I delved into the party scene and over a couple years found myself pretty dead emotionally and spiritually. I got invited by an old friend to a youth group event and that night God opened up my eyes. I had a radical encounter with Him that led to a 180 conversion. That night I got all new friends, knew that I wanted to love people for the rest of my life and wrote my first worship song. His love through the body of Christ in a youth group changed my life forever.

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

From the moment I met Jesus, I knew that I wanted to do ministry. It is actually the only thing I have ever known for sure. What that ministry looked like, however, was up in the air. During my college years God opened up some opportunities that allowed me to minister to youth at a camp called Pondo. I was able to live with students, facilitate Bible Studies and play. It was at this camp that I really grew in my love for youth and also my love for community, being that I was living for 2 months with a staff in close quarters. When I got back from College I started serving in the youth ministry and interning in Worship, but halfway through God reminded me of His call on me to Shepherd his people. From then on I started stepping into opportunities that allowed me to operate in a pastor gifting, reviving our young adults program, preaching weekly for them, and learning the ins and outs of running a ministry at my church. Eventually, the church opened up an opportunity for a Middle School director and I jumped for it. Since then I have grown to love youth ministry so much. I know that I am called to show students that there is no Junior Holy Spirit, that they can live the life Jesus has called them to, even at a young age. I hope to continue to grow a space where students can Know Jesus, Become like Jesus, and Share Jesus to the world.

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 first became involved in a free methodist church through my Family. Centerpoint Church was my home church, and in the beginning, free methodism had no bearing on my decision to be there. But after I attended Azusa Pacific University, a Free Methodist School, and started to understand the history and deep passion of B.T. Roberts and John Wesley, along with their theology, I started to appreciate the Free Methodist tradition a lot more. I want to continue in in the Free Methodist Church because of its balance in theology, its validation and embrace of women in Ministry, and its deep history of freedom for all races and ethnicities.