Annual Conference Registration deadline is May 27
Omni Corpus Christi
900 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
361-887-1600
Reservations in the Rio Texas Omni room block for Omni Corpus Christi can be made online through this link: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/corpus-christi/meetings/umc-rio-texas-annual-conference-06032024
The Rio Texas room rate is $147 per night.
Rooms in the block are available Monday, June 3, through Saturday, June 8.
Reservations can be made in this block until the rooms are sold out or until Monday, May 13, whichever is first.
Check-in is at 4:00PM. Check-out is at 11:00AM.
Childcare
Please register with First UMC Corpus Christi at the following link: https://forms.ministryforms.net/embed.aspx?formId=cb6a7888-c952-471e-b676-e5bdf1266f4c
Childcare Registration deadline is Wednesday, May 29
Delegates:
Rio Texas Annual Conference is scheduled for June 5-8, 2024 at American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas. We will be utilizing Watergarden A, on the second floor, for plenary sessions. Worship, clergy session and laity session will be held in Henry Garrett A & B, on the second floor. Delegate check-in will be 1:00-5:00pm, Wednesday, June 5 and 7:00am-10:00am, Thursday, June 6 on the second floor outside Henry Garrett A, B, & C.
Annual Conference registration will be April 15, 2024 – May 27, 2024 at riotexas.org/ac2024. We are currently working with hotels to get everything arranged and will place additional information concerning hotel registration prior to AC registration, April 15. Registration for rooms at Conference hotels will be through the Annual Conference webpage. The Pre-Conference Report will be on the AC landing page no later than May 5, 2024. Additional reports will be placed in the addendum to the Report through May 29, 2024. You may download the Report to use electronically or print it out at your convenience. There will be no printed versions available at Annual Conference.
An initial abbreviated schedule for Annual Conference is below. Adjustments may be made to this schedule through May 31, 2024.
Blessings,
Mickey McCandless
Conference Secretary
Preliminary Agenda
June 5, 2024 - Wednesday
11:30am - Extension Ministry Luncheon
1:00pm – 5:00pm - Delegate Check-In
June 6, 2024 - Thursday
7:00am – 10:00am - Delegate Check-In
9:00am – 10:25am-1st Plenary Session
Opening and Organization of Conference
Trustees Report
Standing Rules Report
Consent Agenda’s and Addendum vote
Bishop’s Message
10:25am – 11:25am - Opening Worship with Holy Communion
11:35am – 12:20pm - Clergy Session
12:30pm – 1:15pm - Laity Session
1:30pm – 5:00pm - 2nd Plenary Session
Lay Leader’s Message
Report of the General Conference Delegation
Celebration of Local Church Ministries
Celebration of Mission Ministries
Lydia Patterson Institute
Teaching Session I – Dr. Ashley Boggan
Service of Remembrance
5:00pm – 6:30pm - Gathering, Food & Fellowship at Brewster Street Icehouse
7:00pm - Organization’s meals, events
June 7, 2024 - Friday
7:00am – 8:30am - Mission Breakfast
8:45am -12:15pm - 3rd Plenary Session
Board of Ordained Ministry Report
Preliminary Report of the Finance Table
Nominations slate – explanation of accepting written floor nominations
Teaching Session II – Dr. Ashley Boggan
Celebration of Mission, Service & Justice Ministries
Huston Tillotson University
Celebration of Intergenerational Ministries
Project Transformation – introduction of Interns
Relating Our Distinctiveness – New Mexico & Rio Texas
During Lunch Break
Rehearsal for Ordination & Commissioning
Finance Table Dialogue for Q & A
General Conference Delegation Dialogue for Q & A
2:00pm – 5:00pm - 4th Plenary Session
Service of Retirement
Teaching Time – Dr. Tanya Campen
Celebration of Leadership Development & Developing Faith Communities
Methodist Healthcare Ministries
Texas Methodist Foundation
Ministry with Youth & Young Adults
6:30pm – 8:30pm - Service of Commissioning and Ordination
8:30pm – 9:00pm - Reception for Persons Commissioned and Ordained
June 8, 2024 - Saturday
9:00am – 12:00pm - 5th Plenary Session
Report of the Trustees
Pensions & Benefits
The Anti-Racism & Equity Coalition Report
Nominations Report finalized with vote
United Women in Faith
Report of the Administrative Officer
Announcement of Dates and Location of 2025 Rio Texas Annual Conference
Fixing of Appointments with Covenant Prayer
Adjourn 5th Plenary Session and 10th Rio Texas Annual Conference
Vendors & Booths
The 2024 Rio Texas Annual Conference is being held in Corpus Christi, Texas at the American Bank Center (ABC), June 5 – 8, 2024. We have rearranged how we utilize the space in the ABC to enhance our relationships within the Annual Conference and reduce our expenses for the use of the facility versus previous years. Worship services will be held in Henry Garrett A & B. The Plenary sessions will be held in Watergarden A. All of these spaces are on the second floor.
In the past we have had a Ministry Fair located in Exhibit Hall A. This year, our space for the Ministry Fair will be very limited as it will be on the first floor in the space of the 100 Hallway, which borders rooms 101-107. Our Conference embedded ministries and direct ministry relationship ministries will fill those limited spaces. Therefore, we are not offering any spaces for many organizations who in the past have participated in the Ministry Fair.
Rio Texas Ministry Group Booth Application
Rio Texas Virtual Whova Vendor
We will see how this year works and make necessary adjustments. If you have been part of a Ministry Fair in the past, I thank you for your understanding and pray blessings on your ministry.
In Christ,
Mickey McCandless
Conference Secretary
Ministry Meeting Room & Catering Request
Plans for the 2024 Rio Texas Annual Conference at the Corpus Christi American Bank Center June 6 - 8 (Wednesday through Saturday) are well underway. We look forward to this as a time of renewal and fellowship as we gather to worship God, tend to Conference business, and support one another in ministry. If you are no longer the contact and your organization is interested in reserving a room, please forward this email to the appropriate contact.
Ministry Meeting Room Request
Ministry Groups requesting a meeting room, breakfast, luncheon, or dinner are required to submit a room request form. Please click on the MEETING REQUEST AND CATERING FORM.
Submitting the form will help prevent double booking and ensure that your room is set up as requested. We have a limited number of rooms available. All requests will be filled on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Catering Request
For those of you requiring catering, please click on the CATERING MENU link below for the American Bank Center’s Oakview Catering Menu. You will need to contact the Catering Sales Manager, Mengdi Liu with the room I have assigned, your menu selections and arrange payment. The menu selection deadline will be May 3, 2024, and the final guest count deadline will be May 22, 2024. The order minimum will be 25 for all meals. After the 7-business day deadline, there will be an additional 25% rush production fee added on for guest count changes. As a city owned building, there is unfortunately no outside food or beverage to be brought into the building at any time. You can email Mengdi.Liu@oakviewgroup.com or call O: 361-826-4739 C: 361-929-8005.
Please keep in mind that because of the cost of resetting a room, we may have to use a slightly altered setup however, we will try to keep it as close to your needs as possible.
The deadline for scheduling a room is April 30th.
If you have any questions, contact Abel Vega at (210) 408-4514 or email at avega@riotexas.org.