Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church
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The Missouri Conference is one of the 54 annual conferences of the United Methodist Church (UMC) in the United States. It is part of the South Central Jurisdiction. The conference oversees United Methodist congregations and ministries throughout the state of Missouri and is headquartered in Columbia, Missouri.[1]
As of 2024, the Missouri Annual Conference reported 102,258 members, with an average worship attendance of 37,535 across its congregations.[2]
Since 2016, the conference has been led by Bishop Robert Farr. Prior to Bishop Farr, Bishop Robert Schnase led the conference from 2004 to 2016.[2]
Methodism reached Missouri in 1798 when John Clark preached in the territory.[3] In 1805, Bishop Francis Asbury appointed Joseph Oglesby to explore prospects for Methodist work in Missouri; two circuits were formed in 1806, and the Missouri Conference was organized in 1816, as part of the Methodist Episcopal Church.[4] By 1826 the state was divided into fifteen circuits.[4]
The denomination split at the General Conference of 1844, resulting in the creation of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.[5] The northern and southern branches reunited in 1939 to form the Methodist Church. In 1968, the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren to form the United Methodist Church.[6]
In Missouri, the East and West annual conferences were consolidated into a single Missouri Conference on January 1st, 2003.[7][4]
Districts
The Missouri Annual Conference is organized into five districts, each overseen by a district superintendent.
| District | Superintendent |
|---|---|
| North Central | Mi Hyeon Lee |
| Northeast | Adrienne Denson Ewell |
| Northwest | Robin Bell |
| Southeast | Jon Thompson |
| Southwest | Mary Rodgers |