Dianne Burnett: Welcome to Across the Globe, the podcast. am Diane Burnett, the Executive Director of Communications for the Global Methodist Church. And on today's episode, we are joined by two guests who are very much involved in General Conference. We have Mike Grant, who serves as the chair of General Conference Commission, and Becky Wood, who serves on the global operations staff as the General Conference event project manager. And so they are two key players in helping move along all things General Conference. And so who better to join us today to just talk about all the exciting things and all the different moving parts that are going on. on putting this general conference on for our church. And so to get us started, let's get to know each of you. I'm gonna have you just introduce yourself, tell us a little bit about who you are and really your role within general conference. And so I would love to just start with you, Mike. Mike, would you introduce yourself to the group?

Mike Grant: Yeah, my name is Mike Grant and I have been a pastor for 35 years in the Ohio area. part of the Allegheny West Annual Conference. I have a wife named Holly and we've been married for 32 years, an English Springer Spaniel named Winston. And we serve here outside of the Canton area. And it's just such a joy to be a part of the Global Methodist Church.

Dianne Burnett: That's awesome, so that is part of the Allegheny West Annual Conference? Awesome, shout out Allegheny West. So thank you Mike and Winston, what a cute name, I love that. And also, so we've got Becky. Becky, why don't you tell ⁓ our audience who you are?

Becci Wood: Hello to everyone. I am located in the state of Michigan, so I'm a part of the Great Lakes Annual Conference. Even though I ⁓ come from the Wesleyan tradition and I'm an ordained elder in the Wesleyan Church, my background is actually in event management. And so I do that and have done that for decades, especially in the faith-based world. So I just love that I'm having the opportunity to do that with the Global Methodist Church. I too am married just past 40 years. We have four grown children, three of them who are married and three grandchildren. So everything keeps me pretty busy, but I love what I'm doing and thanks for the opportunity to join you this morning here.

Dianne Burnett: Yes, thank you both for joining us for this episode. I'm just really excited to give our listeners just a sneak peek really into all the work that goes into putting on an event of this size and of this importance for our denomination. And so Mike, exactly as chair of General Conference Commission, could you explain what exactly does that entail?

Mike Grant: Well, it is our job as a general conference commission to put together all the rules of the general conference to decide where it will be located and when. We help to organize every part of it from picking the sites and the venues. We work on transportation, getting folks there. We make sure that they are greeted when they get at the airport or however they get in. help to make sure that we have pages and marshals and folks that are on-site helpers. We have hospitality to greet you at the airport and to welcome you at our venue. We work with legislation, we work with ⁓ prayer, the prayer team, we work on the finances to make sure that we can afford it, because we have a budget. work with translation and interpretation. so that everyone can understand what is being said in their own language and participate fully in all that we do. We help to advertise it, we help to organize the worship, we help to pick a theme, ⁓ much of this in coordination with the Connectional Council. And basically, if it has anything to do with the general conference, we've got our hands in it. And we're doing everything we can to make sure that it happens not only in a good way, but it honors God and blesses the church.

Dianne Burnett: Could you tell us, Mike, the General Conference Commission, that's one of our largest commissions, is one of our connectional commissions and committees. How many serve in that role or serve on that commission?

Mike Grant: believe currently we have 33 that are a part of the commission. Now, they're not all voting members. There are a number of folks because of the nature of our commission. We have several staff members that are a part of the work that we do. They help to coordinate that with the greater church. We have a couple of ex officio folks that are there to, because of expertise they have, like Becky, who keeps us in line and makes sure that so many wonderful things get done. Mike Schaefer is a part of our group. We have a representative of the assembly of bishops, but most of the folks were either elected by the 2024 general conference or they were appointed by the Connectional Council. So they could be a part of our group because they bring some expertise or some special gift that they can help to do the work that we need to do in a way that honors God and honors the church.

Dianne Burnett: And I also think it's worth noting that a lot of those, would call them the commission, I would say is made up of your team leads. For example, like we had Tasha who we had an episode with her and Tracy talking about worship. You know, they also have their subcommittee. So it's a lot of those.

Becci Wood: Mm-hmm.

Dianne Burnett: leads have their own team, like even IAS Communications have a communications team that are volunteers from across the connection that are working to help make some of those communication decisions. I don't know if we have an official number of what that would be, but we have a large number of people contributing work to our general conference and it is really, really ⁓ neat to see and it's really ⁓

Becci Wood: Yes.

Dianne Burnett: a great opportunity, I think, to just show our global connection and action coming together for the General Conference and then it all just comes together through that commission and you serving as chair. So thank you, Mike, for ⁓ leading us in that way. So we've got a lot of moving parts. So Becky, how about you share then what does your role then look like ⁓ as a global operations staff that then helps with the General Conference?

Becci Wood: Yes. Sure. ⁓ Well, I kind of use the metaphor of a puzzle. I think they're all of these pieces that all these sub teams that you referred to, you know, might gave a great rundown of all of these aspects of general conference. And there's team leads and then sub teams, as you mentioned to each of those areas, worship, hospitality, credentialing and registration, interpretation and translation, legislation, finding. I mean, there's just so many. and then they have their sub teams. And so I kind of use the metaphor of a puzzle. I have all these pieces and I'm just trying to make sure that they connect well with each other. And together we collectively make the big picture of what General Conference 2026 is going to look like. So I have the privilege of just working ⁓ in that project management world of ensuring that the team leads hopefully have what they need. to be successful and then collectively as we are successful within each of the areas we are successful across the board. it's yeah, it's been amazing just to work with the international team that we have and getting to know people that are so passionate ⁓ for first and foremost about their faith, but then about the global Methodist Church and specifically this event.

Dianne Burnett: You know, it's a lot of moving parts and there's got to be some glue that connects it all together. And you know, just for some people, I have a feeling, there's a couple listeners going, ⁓ my gosh, that just sounds so, like so much work, I don't know if I could do that. You obviously have to have that calling and that passion to want to do this work. So I want to ask each of you, I'll start with you Mike, what drew you to this work?

Becci Wood: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Mike Grant: Well, for the convening general conference, ⁓ somebody, I'll never know whether to thank them or not, but they put my name in as a possibility to help serve on the general conference commission for the convening one that ended up being in Costa Rica. And I was given the task of doing registration and credentialing. ⁓ And throughout the process, I just came to really so love and appreciate the folks that I worked with and the work that we were doing. I've been a long proponent of general conferences, being a delegate or an alternate for a number of opportunities in our former life. And I just was so excited to be a part of this new church and our new way of holy conferencing together. And so when the opportunity arose to be able to be a part of the next commission, I was excited to take that. when some of the folks asked me to consider leadership,

Becci Wood: Hmm.

Mike Grant: I really prayed about it and wondered if that might be where the Lord was leading me. And I was honored and a bit surprised to be chosen. But God works in mysterious ways and it's just been such an adventure together as we've come to love and appreciate one another in our work and in our service. And as Becky said, literally are folks from all around the world. And it is such a joy to get to meet and to work with folks and then to get to see them in person.

Becci Wood: and

Mike Grant: I'm so excited about coming to Johannesburg where I'm going to get to meet a few of these folks for the first time. they're not going to be two inches on a screen. They're going to be real people that we can just say hello to and hug. Because I feel like they're family. And we've just come together with an important work. God is, I believe, using the gifts and talents of so many to do a great work.

Becci Wood: Mm-hmm. That's right.

Dianne Burnett: Absolutely, absolutely. Becky?

Becci Wood: Well, I believe God's had his hand on me since I was very young age and the whole thing of event planning. I can remember at a young age of 10 planning backyard carnivals for Jerry Lewis muscular dystrophy outside of ⁓ a suburb of Dallas. And it's just he's just had his hand wave kind of weaving that tapestry ⁓ in my life over the decades. and so last year, a little more than 13 months ago, The opportunity was presented to me for this position with the Global Methodist Church. And again, just through some prayerful discernment and determining ⁓ that this would be indeed a good fit for me and I could continue to be involved in seeing God's kingdom work done. He again, just orchestrated that and ⁓ started this position in February. So it's been an incredible. blessing ⁓ to be a part and see what God is doing in the global Methodist Church. It's really been ⁓ spectacular and I feel very privileged to be in a front row seat to watch it all happen.

Dianne Burnett: I just want to say thank you to both of you for being obedient and the Lord calling you to just help our church with this work. It's so important and so thank you for that. Mike, I have a question I want to follow up. In general, know, we, I think a lot of us as global Methodists just assume that Many came from the former denomination. They know the whole reason behind a general conference. Everyone knows that, but there could be a chance that there's someone that doesn't. So from your perspective, what is the purpose of general conference in the life of the Global Methodist Church?

Mike Grant: Well, back in 1784, we had the Christmas conference in Baltimore, Maryland, that started Methodism here in the United States. But that was following much of the work that John Wesley had already done in England, and he allowed us to start our own church here in the States as we were just becoming a new country. And it follows in that path of holy conferencing. that opportunity to come together and to not only be moved by great worship and the movement of the Spirit, it's an opportunity to come and to ⁓ look at how we wanna order the church because in a way, a lot of what we do is helping to ⁓ rewrite the book of doctrine and discipline. So every time we come together, we have the opportunity to change some of how we live together and order our church. But we also come together. because we have a common goal and a common Lord and a common love. And so in some ways it's part family reunion with a lot of people you haven't met yet. It is part worship together because that is what we are to do. It is a movement of the Holy Spirit. I don't know, I am so praying that in Johannesburg the Spirit just comes in power and might as I believe the Spirit did in Costa Rica. ⁓ It is for us a time that we are electing bishops. So again, we pray for God's direction, God's movement that the Spirit guides and directs who will not only lead our church, but how our church will be led and how our church will function together. So it's kind of part business, it's part worship, it's part family reunion. And all of it is just a wonderful, wonderful thing. And just an honor to be a part of that special holy conferencing.

Dianne Burnett: Love that.

Mike Grant: that is a Wesleyan tradition.

Dianne Burnett: Love that, that's such a great explanation. And I know we've used the term a couple of times and every time you say it, it makes me smile and that's holy conferencing because there's something special just about that phrase and what sets it apart. And so then Mike, let me ask, so what makes the 2026 General Conference so significant?

Mike Grant: Well, for those of us who came out of the United Methodist tradition, we're breaking new ground. ⁓ mean, our first general conference was held outside of the United States in Costa Rica. So our first one, because we are the global Methodist church, and I'm so excited that we are living into global, ⁓ that we truly value the connection that we have around the world. It is such an amazing movement of the Spirit of God. when we see how all of the different groups and churches are wanting to be a part of what they see God is doing among this new movement of Westlands. And Lord, it is just such a cool thing. And we're gonna be in Africa for the very first time in our history, having a general conference and to be able to be on the continent where in many ways the church has grown the fastest. ⁓ It is just such a... such a great and wonderful opportunity to see what God is doing. I mean, we are truly breaking new ground and God is just moving us in exciting and wonderful ways. And we're really excited to be in Johannesburg. It is gonna be a great location. It is gonna be safe. And there's just so much that I believe is gonna happen there that just is gonna move the church forward.

Dianne Burnett: of that and we're actually going I want to hear more about the location and things in just a second but before we jump into that I just I'm curious Mike what do you think how should our members of our church and those being able to attend and join us in Johannesburg and those that can't but how can we be preparing our hearts and not just our schedules for this significant moment in Africa?

Mike Grant: In my mind, the biggest thing we can be doing is praying. ⁓ There are lots of wonderful prayer guides and opportunities to be directed in prayer that are available on the Beauty of Holiness website. We have a prayer team that is a part of our ⁓ commission, and they have been a part of it from the very beginning, and they undergird everything that we do in prayer. ⁓ We try not to go... before God, we invite God to go before us and to walk in front of us, to walk beside us on that journey. So I would say, please be in prayer, not only for the conference itself, but please pray for the delegates, pray for those folks that are for safe travel, because we literally are coming from all parts of the globe to converge on that one city there in South Africa. Pray that the work that we need to do is done in a way that honors God and that moves the church forward. Pray for our election of bishops because who we elect to be a part of the assembly of bishops really will help to direct and guide what the church will be in the future. And we have many wonderful folks that have allowed their names to go forward, but we have to pick through the power of the spirit, the ones that we believe are gonna lead us into.

Becci Wood: Hmm.

Mike Grant: where we need to go next. So please pray that God guides our voting, ⁓ that every part of what we do, everything that we say, all that we worship, that all of it honors God and moves the church to be more and more like the kingdom of God here on earth.

Dianne Burnett: Amen, such a great word, Mike, I love that. So Mike and Becky, you both have just shared, there's a lot. We have 33 on the commission. There's all these different parts and different ⁓ areas of focus. But Becky, I'm just curious then, what are the biggest components from especially just an event? ⁓ planning standpoint, what are some of the biggest components that go into a production such as a general conference?

Becci Wood: think the biggest component is just the registration process, the credentialing of elected delegates that come from all the annual conferences and ensuring that we are handling their registration and then their travel and lodging arrangements. again, the selection of the site that was done by a team previous to me even coming on board is quite an intense process ⁓ that Mike was a part of and and others from the General Conference Commission. So those are two of the largest components is selecting that site and ensuring we have the meeting space that's necessary for plenary sessions and worship and breakouts where we can. ⁓ You know, have a great exhibit space and have some of our partner ministries engaged in ⁓ interaction with our delegates and attendees. ⁓ But then, yeah, that registration process and arranging for travel and lodging is all a key component ⁓ to the general conference process. And so ⁓ we're busy trying to do our best to make sure we have a place for everyone.

Dianne Burnett: Yeah, for sure. It's taking this vision, right, and then logistically making it happen and just all those components because something as simple as do we have a space big enough to have an area that all of our delegates can gather in and whatnot. So it's yeah, all those things behind the scenes, that goes into that. you know, I'm just curious then, is there something that is so critical that we have to have in place that maybe not everyone thinks about when they come to General Conference? Is there something that

Becci Wood: you

Dianne Burnett: That comes to mind that you're like, hey, this is a really big deal, but no one else thinks of.

Becci Wood: Sure. There's a lot of those little things. ⁓ And I think the biggest thing for me when I'm working with any organization or we're planning towards an event is to just remove all of the distractions. That's part of the logistics and the project management is to remove the distractions ⁓ so that people don't even realize that those things are happening. And there are simple things. ⁓ To many, know, working with again a team that goes through that whole credentialing process to ensure that delegates are in their positions ⁓ not only before conference, but once they arrive at conference for entering into the legislative bar, which is the area, you know, that many of them experience or see even in their annual conferences, but making sure that that's set properly. You know, working with the exhibitors that are going to be there and and our team that's giving oversight to that and just having at each place setting for the delegates exactly what they need in order to do what they've been elected to do ⁓ and making that space comfortable for them even from a hospitality perspective, making sure that they have water and they might have mints. So there's a team that's thinking through those kind of things just so that we can care for one another in a good way that Again, removes the distractions so that ⁓ incredible worship can take place. And that involves a lot of ABL production, your area, Diane, communication so we can live stream well so people can be able to be a part of general conference that can't make it to the site. So there's all those things that come into that planning and logistics side of it. Again, just so we can make that event. the best that it possibly can be on site, but also for people to experience that might be viewing it via live stream.

Dianne Burnett: Right, and you know, I'm just gonna add a little ⁓ tidbit in there. In Costa Rica, we were, I'm from Central Time Zone, and in Costa Rica we were ⁓ one hour difference. What is the time difference between, let's say, someone in Central Time versus Johannesburg? How many hours? Seven hours. and so.

Becci Wood: Yeah, seven hours for central time. So a seven hours, they're ahead of us.

Dianne Burnett: Yep, and so that was definitely playing a part in, let's just even say the playing in general, because we are needing to communicate and work with people in Johannesburg on the ground. That's also going to come into play when General Conference is in action, because we want to keep our overall church body informed on the actions and the elections and whatever as they happen, but we do have that seven-hour time difference. And so from a communication standpoint, I'm having, you we're going to have a

Becci Wood: Mm-hmm. Yes.

Dianne Burnett: the globe, the podcast set up so that we can record things so that it will be available when someone let's say wakes up. We're also going to have ⁓ email updates, social media updates. There's a lot of those moving parts as well to keep people informed in addition to the live stream and just because that time difference will play a part ⁓ of that just a tad.

Becci Wood: Mm-hmm. Sure, absolutely.

Dianne Burnett: Alright, so both of you guys, I have not had the privilege to go to South Africa yet. I'm excited for my first visit there. And so I have not been able to go to Johannesburg. I've not been able to see this beautiful venue in person. But both of you have. And so while I have you here with me, I would love to hear, like Mike, why was Johannesburg even selected?

Mike Grant: Well, truthfully, if I hope I'm not telling any state secrets, it wasn't one of the places that we were considering. We actually had a couple of other locations that were more ⁓ northern part more northern in Africa, more north central. And as we continue to work with those folks, we kept finding that one of them just wouldn't work with us at all financially. They weren't being willing to meet us part way with anything.

Becci Wood: Ha ha ha!

Mike Grant: ⁓ It was their way or the highway. And we need to be able to have an organization that we can trust. We need to have a place we can work with. We need to be able to make deals. I mean, cause that's also a part of what we do is, is, to make agreements and, and work together to make sure that everything happens. And we just weren't getting it. So we had narrowed it down to one other place. And one of our bishops took a delegation down to South Africa and they had. some special work with the South African Global Methodist Church. And they came back saying, why don't you consider ⁓ South Africa? Why don't you consider Johannesburg? And we, I guess had been on the initial list and we worked with an outside group to sort of vet locations and try to find areas that could host a conference of our size because not every place can. Not every place has the convention centers, the hotels, the transportation hub. I mean, it needs to be... a place that has some pretty significant resources. And so we brought South Africa back onto the table and then a couple of us were sent to visit the two different locations and to see what could work. And so we looked at multiple venues in two different sites in Africa and it was just abundantly clear that Sandton stood head and shoulders above all of the rest. It is an amazing convention center. The area is safe. You can get off of your plane, get on a train, and it takes you right into the area where our hotels are. One of the things that was really on my heart when looking for a location, in Costa Rica, we had people scattered all over the area, and trying to transport them was a challenge. And if your hotel was 40 minutes away, you obviously didn't get to go home and change your clothes or you didn't get to go lay down. There was no opportunity to have a break or a rest. You had to bring everything with you because probably the only time you were gonna go back was for dinner and to spend the night. And so we were looking for a place that would have some hotels that would be within walking distance and very close by with the hope that it would be easier on our delegates, that it would allow them to... be able to take a full advantage of where they are and to just really benefit the whole group. And we found that in Sandton in a huge way. There were three hotels that are, you can literally not go outside. One of them, go through a parking garage, but the other two are connected by walkways. There's a huge mall that is right across the street that has a food court. The other hotels, most of them are within just a few minutes walk. I mean, within a mile. It just, It checked all of our boxes and the venue is just amazing. ⁓ It is beautiful. And it's used to having groups like Google and ⁓ folks that they might bring in 10,000 folks for a conference. So we're not even a particularly big group for them, but we are excited because they checked every box and did it in a way that we believed would just be an amazing place for us to holy conference together.

Dianne Burnett: So I want to expand on that then a little bit. Becky, maybe you could just share what should we expect from this beautiful venue? What should that overall experience, what do our folks need to know what they're walking into at Samton?

Becci Wood: You Sure. I think one of the things that when I had the opportunity to visit last August and actually mirror the dates that were going to be there this August, ⁓ that was just so refreshing is that the team on the ground, both at the Convention Center and our area hotels, they are excited about us being there. ⁓ Mike alluded to kind of the history here in the U.S. of the Methodist Church, but there's such a strong history of Methodism. across Africa and it is so connected to culture there. And so when we talk about being global Methodists, ⁓ they're connected to that word Methodist because there's been such a rich history of the Methodist Church in across Africa. So the teams, the people that we're working with, the convention centers and the tourism and stuff, they're excited to have us. there because they know that this is a historical event not only for us, but also for them. So that was just really refreshing when we visited last August. As Mike said, we're just heading into a very beautiful area of Johannesburg, the Santa Ana area, and it is very accommodating to everything, whether it be our lodging or the convention center. ⁓ And as he mentioned, once you Once you arrive in Johannesburg at the airport, the gaw train is right there and we'll have hospitality teams welcoming you and helping you get onto that train if you're coming during the operational hours of that. If you're arriving outside of those times, again, our hospitality and logistics team are keeping ⁓ track of when people are arriving and will have other means of transportation to transport our guests from the airport into. the Santon area and get them to their hotels. So people are going to be in different places looking for our delegates and our attendees as they arrive in Johannesburg and helping them make their way to their hotels. And then we have a great team that will be waiting for you with registration and help you get kind of oriented. We are trying to be mindful of ⁓ time change, as you alluded to earlier, Diane, and allowing our delegates and guests to arrive. couple days sooner depending upon what time zones they are coming from so that they can orient to the time difference that they'll experience. But then we're going to have opportunities starting even before the official start of general conference with the mission experience and being able for people to participate in a training ⁓ from Spirit and Truth that they'll be presenting and then being. out doing some prayer walks and some food distribution and just being able to bless the people in the Johannesburg area. ⁓ Not only that day before conference, but we have many projects that are going to be happening during the event for people that have opportunity to go off site and participate in the mission experience. So there's just a lot of moving parts to it, but everybody's working hard to ensure that it's just going to be the best experience it can be. ⁓ for this year's general conference.

Dianne Burnett: Okay, so I have a really serious question, but I feel like the delegates, especially if you were delegates in 2024, will appreciate me asking this. Will there be box lunches?

Becci Wood: Hmm. One of the wonderful things about the culture of South Africa is that a meal is truly breaking of bread and it is very relational and so there will not be any boxed lunches. be participating. Unless you choose to get a box lunch at the food court or something, you'll have that option. ⁓ If indeed you go over to the food court, there will definitely be some lunches you can purchase there that I'm sure are going to be served in a box. But at the convention center where we'll be hosting the delegates and ⁓ our episcopacy guests and speakers and volunteers. It'll basically be buffet and from all of the reviews from the Sandton Convention Center, they've had incredible reviews on their food services. So we're looking forward to what they're gonna provide for us as a part of that event.

Dianne Burnett: delegates you heard that here breaking news there will be no box lunches at the St. Inconvention Center in Johannesburg for the 2026 General Conference and let the crowd do a collective hallelujah so all right well I just you know I've enjoyed this time I mean we could talk hours about General Conference let's be real the different parts that go into it it is just there's a lot in a lot of

Becci Wood: That's right. Mm-hmm.

Dianne Burnett: great people doing great work and you know Mike you mentioned earlier we just need to be in prayer for the different moving parts and just general conference and the delegates and the nominees and all of the things and so I would just like us to kind of wrap up this conversation around general conference with each of you just sharing maybe specifically what encouragement you would offer to the church in this and then maybe a specific prayer request that you have. as leading in your area of expertise or your area over general conference and how we can be praying for you specifically during this time. And Mike, I'll start with you.

Mike Grant: There, like you said, there are so many things that are going on right now. We're in the midst of ⁓ legislation. So if you wish to be writing legislation that needs to be in by May 1st, ⁓ we are hitting deadline after deadline. And if you're interested in knowing the organization of what needs to happen when that's available on our website. So take a look at that for those who like to be in the weeds and know what's going on and when, ⁓ but we are There's just so much that I would encourage you to keep praying for and doing. Pray for the delegates that are coming, that they are truly prepared for what God has in store for them. Pray for the leadership. I wish I could name, wish we had the time, I would name the 30 folks that are on the committee. And because just all of them are working so hard, most of them leading their teams, there's 100 and. 60 or 70 other volunteers that are gonna be coming to be a part of the event. There are folks that are coming from all around the world just to represent their denominations and to see the work that we are doing. There's just so many moving parts. Please pray that we do them with excellence. We want this to be an amazing experience that everyone leaves saying, this is how church should be. This is how holy conferencing should look.

Becci Wood: Mm-hmm.

Mike Grant: I think we made an amazing start in Costa Rica and I hope we just continue in that line when we get to Johannesburg. I would appreciate your prayers for the General Conference Commission. There is so much that still needs to happen. There's still an awful lot of things that need to be tied up and put into bows and we're a lot, it doesn't seem like it's that far away, but it's coming quick. And so we covet your prayers. I would covet your prayers as we lead and They were just trying to keep everybody pointed in the same direction, making sure that all the little things get done, all the personalities are working as one and with the same goal. We just want to make sure that all that we do honors Christ and glorifies his church. So please pray for the whole process and know that we are excited to be with you and we're excited for those who are coming, we're excited for those who are watching. And I'm excited for what the church is going to look like on the other side as we see where God has taken us and what he's doing.

Dianne Burnett: Absolutely. Becky?

Becci Wood: Yeah, I think one of the things that I have observed over this last 14 months with the Global Methodist Church and the gatherings that I've been ⁓ privileged to be a part of is this anticipation. I think that the question that many ask is not, will God show up, but how will God show up? And that's just been refreshing. think that I would just invite people to come in with that expectation, not will God show up because He's already promised us we're two or three gathered together. He will be there in the midst of us. But that anticipation of how will God show up and how does He want to show up, not just for us collectively, but how does He want to show up for us even individually? And what is the work that He wants to do in this tribe known as the Global Methodist Church? Even to go back to Mike's prayer at the beginning so that we can advance the kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. So just a position of asking that I think as far as prayers, I would just covet your prayers, especially for our international relations team. They're working so hard to ensure that people can be granted visas. One of the reasons that that South Africa was chosen is that we had a. great collective ⁓ response to visas being able to be issued globally. And for us, that's a huge value. And there's a lot of places, even some of the other locations we considered that we couldn't have ⁓ a number of our annual conferences even invited. And so just pray for our international relations team as they're continuing to work hard, especially for three areas that we really want to see. those annual conferences be able to be on site with us and to join in the celebration and the gathering there in Jogannisburg. So I ask for your prayers there. And then ⁓ we just, we wish we could open it to everybody within the global Methodist church, but we have limitations on our site and just having discernment on how we allow and invite people in and how we do that well is definitely on the. precipice right now for us. And so we're trying to seek God's wisdom in that as well.

Dianne Burnett: Absolutely. Right, and you know, and I will say like, that is why we... invest, I would say, in a high quality livestream and different options is because we know that there are those limitations, but we still invite people to join us as they can. We want our church to tune in and to be part of that even if it's in spirit. We invite people so not only the livestream but to join us in prayer and just all the different ways that you can still be plugged into General Conference even if you're not there on site.

Becci Wood: Yes. right.

Dianne Burnett: All of those are important, no matter where you are. It all plays into ⁓ the general conference. And so we invite all of you to join us in whatever way or capacity that you can. ⁓ And so thank you guys for sharing so much information about general conference. Like I said, we could talk hours and hours, right? There's so many things to talk about. But before we end,

Becci Wood: Absolutely. Thank you.

Dianne Burnett: I can't help but like I do in every episode, we want to anchor it back to a local church because that's truly where the Global Methodist Church our heart and a lot of the work we do at General Conference, right, is with the thought of local church in mind. And so I would love to hear from each of you about something that's happening. First of all, tell me your local church, give that shout out to your local church and then tell us something maybe exciting that's happening and how the Lord's been showing up there. And so Becky, I'm going to start with you. I know you're not technically Global Methodist. You're part of the Wesleyan

Becci Wood: church.

Dianne Burnett: but we still would love to hear about your local church.

Becci Wood: Yeah. Well, I have the privilege of being a part of All Shores ⁓ Wesleyan Church ⁓ in Michigan, where I live. And I actually, my husband and I attend the Muskegon campus where our oldest son is actually the campus pastor. So we have the privilege of sitting under his leadership when we are able to be home and to participate in worship there. But it's a unique setting where we are. It's very much in an area where people have been marginalized socially, economically, and we just love the opportunity that our church has to be on the hands and feet of Jesus in the area where we are. And as I said, I've just really been inspired over this last year with the Global Methodist Church and the movement and what the Spirit is doing. And I've just been able to share even that ⁓ in my own home church and to celebrate that. Because as you said, we are a part of the big C. And ⁓ when we see God's kingdom advancing ⁓ through other works, they might not necessarily be our work at this time. It's just something to celebrate. And so I just feel privileged to to kind of be in both worlds right now, but collectively to celebrate who we are as Westlands. And I believe that God is going to use the Westland movement in some big ways in the years and decades ahead as he keeps advancing his kingdom. And I'd love to see that in my own local community at my church.

Dianne Burnett: It's beautiful, beautiful, amen. All right, how about you, Mike?

Mike Grant: am the lead pastor of Christ Church of Louisville Global Methodist Church. It's about five miles east of Canton, Ohio. And for those who are football fans, we're not that far from the Hall of Fame. ⁓ We, wrong right. ⁓ We just recently started a second worship service, a more contemporary service called The Gathering. And it actually happens at the same time as our main service. And they,

Becci Wood: you

Dianne Burnett: been there.

Mike Grant: they do their stuff at the same time in the sanctuary. We're doing some more traditional stuff. And then we come together and the message is live in the sanctuary and it ⁓ is recorded and played live stream over in the fellowship hall where the gathering is held. And so we come together all at the same time. gather before church together so we have a chance to greet one another. We worship in a style that everyone chooses and is the most comfortable with. our kids are all together in children's church and then we come together at the end to go to Sunday school. even though we kind of have two churches in one building, it allows us to really have one church in two different locations. And it's just been a great joy to see how God is using that and moving among that congregation. And we're just so excited to see where he's gonna take it. That's what's new with our, yeah.

Dianne Burnett: It was exciting and I loved that. Well, thanks for sharing. Thank you to both of you for sharing about your local church. You know, we are, it's just... all the ways the Lord shows up, big and small. But we just have an amazing Lord who is faithful and will just continue to do work in local churches and in general conference. And so I would like to wrap up our time together. I'm gonna put you on the spot, Mike, but I would love just a short prayer for you over our general conference and just to close out our time. And again, thank you both for just the work that, ⁓ being obedient to that call to serve general conference in both ways. and just even Becky, know, as staff, technically it's a job, but when you have your heart and your passion into it, it becomes more than that. And then even more, Mike, as a volunteer to take on this load on behalf of our church to serve as chair in this important role, gosh, just thank you both and thank you for just answering that call. And so Mike, if you wouldn't mind, could you just pray over general conference for us today?

Mike Grant: be honored. Heavenly Father, we just give thanks for the work that you have already done, that you have called together a team to help to prepare. We thank you for each and every one of our team leads around the world as they do their part to bring about this work. And Father, we thank you for the delegates that have been elected. We thank you for the work that is going to be done. We thank you for the location where we will be, and we pray for safety and blessing that. in South Africa in this time as we prepare. We pray for safe travel for everyone who comes. We pray that Lord, you would just be present in power and in might in every part of what we do in the worships, in the holy conferencing, in the business, all of it, that Lord, your will might be done, your way might go forth. And Father, we just pray that Lord, we just lift before you this time and just know that you will use it for your glory. We know that you will use it to build your church. We know that you will use it. as a way that you are honored and given glory. And Father, I just thank you for this chance to be a part of this experience and for everyone who is a part, whether they are in the leadership, whether they are delegates, whether they are coming to serve the servants. We just know that Lord, your will and your way will go forth and you will just make this an event that honors you fully in Christ's holy name. We pray this in all things, amen.

Becci Wood: Amen.

Dianne Burnett: Thank you so much. And again, we are full speed ahead for General Conference. And so we do have the General Conference website, beautyofholiness2026.org, that we are really updating and it's serving us, I would say, the hub for all things General Conference. Now, as things are coming, are, as the comms team, getting it updated as soon as we can. Some of that we've just, you know. We've got to put what we can get, but we will, that is the hub of all things General Conference. So at any particular time, if you have a question, let's say on timeline or, hey, what about travel or who are the Episcopal nominees? Go to beautyofholiness2026.org and that is ⁓ the spot that you can find all of that information. But again, thank you for tuning in to today's episode of Across the Globe. We would love for you to hit subscribe and like and stay in tune with our next ⁓ episode.

Becci Wood: Yeah.

Dianne Burnett: and as they come available. ⁓ thank you again for joining us wherever you are across the connection for this ⁓ latest episode. And we will see you guys next time. Thanks so much.