From June 17 through 20, 2026, The California-Pacific Conference gathered for their 42nd Annual Session in La Quinta, California. Officiated by Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank of the Los Angeles Episcopal Area, the session’s theme was Astonish. Bishop Dotte Escobedo-Frank set the theme during opening worship on Wednesday afternoon with her sermon from John 14:11-12. Bishop Escobedo-Frank shared about the wonders of God’s creation, of Jesus’ miracles, and how we are to now take up that call to “even greater things.” She highlighted ministries throughout our conference, comparing them to lights in the world.
Throughout the conference session, music was a highlight during worship. The Astonish Ensemble, led by Braden Pontoli, featured strings, piano, vocals, sound bowls, and even a dancer during opening worship. On Friday morning, the conference honored Juneteenth with a special worship worship, led by the Juneteenth Jazz Quintet, made up of several young people in our conference including: Victor Cyrus-Franklin, III, Manuela Rodriguez, David Nnamdi, Angel Czazchkoff, Julian Chiu, and soloist Haqumai Sharpe. The Quintet continued to play during breaks and before plenary sessions. On Friday evening, the day closed with a worship service led by the young people of the conference. The Be Still Ministry band from Santa Ana UMC led singing, and several young people shared their testimonies before those gathered entered into a time of prayer for one another.
On Thursday morning, Bishop Escobedo-Frank shared her State of the Church address, focusing on technological advances throughout the past several generations, beginning with her grandmother and moving through her own grandchildren. She challenged those gathered to consider the church’s role in social and technological progress, and how we can align ourselves to encourage social holiness.
Thursday evening, during the Celebration of Life Memorial Service, Monalisa Tu’itahi (Immigration Ministries Coordinator) spoke from John 11: 17-35. She highlighted the moment that Jesus was able to meet Mary and Martha in their grief and encouraged us that God can meet us where we are, especially as we move from ordinary moments to extraordinary experiences.
Thursday’s sessions concluded with a vigil hosted by the Justice and Compassion Essential Ministry Team. Participants gathered to remember victims of injustice, to give thanks to God, and to be reminded of God’s light in the world and within each person. The gathering included time of communal prayer and solidarity, centered on hope and the presence of God amid suffering and injustice.
In the Friday morning plenary, Rev. Ken Suhr, Director of Congregational Vitality for the Conference encouraged the conference to “move from acceleration to resonance,” speaking from the first two chapters of Acts. Taking ideas from the book When Church Stops Working by Andrew Root and Blair D. Bertrand, Rev. Suhr encouraged us not to strive for more, faster, and overall growth in numeral ways that we witness in Acts 2. Instead, Rev. Suhr focused on the church from the first chapter of Acts, where “before there was movement, there was waiting. Before there was growth, there was prayerful dependence on God.” Resonance happens when we slow down and focus on encountering each other and God.
Bishop Dolores Williamston preached during the commissioning and ordination service on Saturday morning. She spoke from 2 Kings 4:1-7, aligning our Astonish theme with the overflowing miracle of the oil given by the widow. She encouraged us that God can do things beyond our imaginations, and often we only have to be willing to pour out a little of what we have for God to do a lot.
Several awards and recognitions were presented to lay and clergy during the sessions. The #BeUMC awards were given to an outstanding clergyperson, lay person, and congregation that exemplify the mission and vision of The UMC: Pastor John Crewe (Lahaina UMC), Mele Maka (Conference Lay Leader), and Valencia UMC. Bishop Escobedo-Frank presented the Bishop’s Award to eight individuals who have faithfully dedicated their time and heart to a life of service to God: Khanh Doan, Rev. Dr. Edward Hansen, Randa Krakow, Robert N. Mansfield, Jr., Kara Mark, Rev. Alan Mark, Leah Gallardo Switzer, and Suanne Ware-Diaz. Certified laity were also honored, with eleven laypersons receiving certifications for lay speakers and one for lay minister on stage during the opening plenary.
Throughout the session, delegates for the 2028 General and Jurisdictional conferences were elected: Erin Hawkins (lay), Rev. Tom Choi (clergy), Monalisa Tu’itahi (lay), and Rev. Molly Vetter (clergy) will serve as delegates to General Conference 2028. The delegates to Jurisdictional conferences will be: laity – Cathy Wilson, Mele Maka, Ana Goard Johnson, Rachel Thodes-Wickett Gipson, Jason Takagi, Maikolo Brown, Michael Mitchell, Kevin Kang, Sonya Lee, Guillermo Torres; clergy – Won-Seok Yuh, Allison Mark, Moonyoung Lee, John Finau, Melissa MacKinnon, Hannah Ka, Brian Parcel, Bob Rhodes, Amy Aitken, and Israel Alvaran. Reserves were also elected, four each for lay and clergy: lay – Young Mae Kim, Dione Taylor, Sharon McCart, and Gaye Fisher; clergy – Lea Booth, Charlene Zuill, Stephanie Rice, and Christy Ann Clark.
Members approved a new apportionment calculation, called the “tithe model,” where 1/3 of the churches in the conference will pay 9 per cent of their annual income in apportionments, 1/3 will pay 10%, and the largest 1/3 will pay 11% of their income. The new apportionment calculation will take effect in 2027.
The Eco-Ministry Strategy Group and Young People’s Ministry Board both passed changes to their organizations, with Eco-Ministry being elevated from a Taskforce to a Strategy Group, and the Young People’s Ministry Board moving forward as a consolidated body of the previous Conference Councils on Young Adult Ministries and Youth Ministries.
Several resolutions were passed that focus on equity: RES 26-04 | Supporting Equality for All General Conference Delegates addresses visa barriers facing international delegates to the 2028 General Conference in Minneapolis. RES 26-05 | Inclusivity, Equal Protection, and Sacred Worth addresses gender inclusivity and the sacred worth of transgender and non-binary people. And RES 26-06 | Encouraging the Use of Unionized Venues asks the Annual Conference to express a preference for unionized venues when booking future sessions and provide detailed reporting back to the body regarding employee treatment at venues.
In addition, Resolution 26-07 was approved, Call to Review the Legal Status of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. Submitted by the Hawaiʻi District Acts of Repentance Task Force, this resolution calls on the 2028 General Conference to request a UN review of the legal status of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, and asks Cal-Pac to take proactive steps to address historical wrongs against the Hawaiian people.
On Friday, the conference passed a total budget of $10,009,605, which is just over $600k higher than the 2026 budget. However, the new Chief Finance and Benefits Officer announced a 4% spending plan from invested assets, lowering the reliance on apportionments for the budget and bringing the apportioned budget down by $1.34M.
We welcomed five new Elders in Full Connection, one new Deacon, and presented seven provisional members.
Thirteen clergy retired.
Nine churches were closed or discontinued: Westmont UMC, Mission Community UMC, Montclair First UMC, San Gabriel First UMC, Young Hwa UMC, Chapel of the Valley UMC, Bethany UMC, North Oxnard UMC, and La Trinidad UMC.
Membership stands at 44,215, down 2,282 from the previous year.
Worship attendance stands at 21,232, down 430 from 2024.
Church school attendance stands at 4,335, down 430 from 2024.
Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2025 is 1,068, up 157 from 2024.
Adults and young adults in small groups for 2025 is at 15,443, up 531 from 2024.
Worshippers engaged in mission for 2025 11,857, up 376 from 2024.
Number of persons served by community ministries for outreach, justice, and mercy (including feeding ministries) is 677,908, up 115,411 (or 20.52%) from 2024.