PNW Charge Conference Information

Only the items to be voted on by the charge conference will be presented at the meeting.
The items that must be voted on include:

• ​Clergy Compensation
  • Compensation for clergy and lay assigned can be determined using the PSW worksheet. Then it must be entered via the People Portal. Clergy, Treasurers, SPRC Chairs, and Administrative Assistants have access to compensation.
• Recommendation of Candidates for Ordained Ministry
• Nominations Report and Election of Leaders (include all elected leaders and positions)
• Recommendation of Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers, and Certified Lay Ministers (CLM)
• Reading of names of inactive persons on membership rolls and voting to remove if this is the second year they are read. This is generally not done every year.

These reports must be submitted to the district office at least one week before your charge conference, unless indicated otherwise. Other forms and reports are due by December 1. See below for more information.

Forms are downloadable from this page to be used as worksheets as you prepare for your charge conference. Once ready, your church administrator, pastor, or other leader must enter the information into your Church Dashboard via the People Portal. This ensures that all completed forms are accessible to those who need to view them, such as local church leaders and district or conference staff. All appointed clergy and local church leadership in key roles should have access to the Church Dashboard.

• Pastoral Support Worksheet and Compensation Module: Churches with paid pastoral support (FT and PT, clergy and lay pastors, with/out benefits) download the 2026 Pastoral Support Worksheet (PSW) as a guide. When you are ready to submit the completed PSW information for 2026, the Finance Chair, S/PPR Chair, or Pastor will submit the PSW information in the Compensation Module on the Church Dashboard and print the report to share at the charge conference. | PDF download
  • DOWNLOAD and READ the first page before starting.
  • Definitions for the Pastoral Support Worksheet. | download PDF
• Candidate for Ordained Ministry: Pastoral Leaders should complete this form if they have a candidate(s) for Ordained Ministry, Certified Candidacy, or Licensed Local Pastorship. Please use one form per candidate. A vote is required at the charge conference. | download PDF
• 2026 Church Nominations Report: This should list all elected/selected leaders at the local church as approved by charge conference vote. Attach this report to your Church Officers Contact List when you submit it on your Church Dashboard. (This is not the Church Officers Contact List.) The Church Administrator, Membership Secretary, and Pastor should complete this form. See the Nominations Guidelines and a Sample Report.
• 2026 Church Officers Contact List: The PNW Conference uses this information to communicate with key leaders about their work in the local church. (This is not the Nominations List.) The Church Administrator, Membership Secretary, and Pastor should complete this form.| download PDF
• Lay Servant Report & Recertification: If someone in your congregation is applying to be, or actively serving as a Lay Servant, they must complete this form and submit it for approval at the Charge Conference. | download PDF
• Lay Speaker Report & Recertification: If someone in your congregation is applying to be, or actively serving as a Lay Speaker, they must complete this form and submit it for approval at the Charge Conference. | download PDF
• Certified Lay Minister Report & Recertification: If someone in your congregation is applying to be, or actively serving as a Lay Minister, they must complete this form and submit it for approval at the Charge Conference. | download PDF
• First and Second Reading of Names: reading of names of professing members who are no longer active in the life of the church, per 2020/2024 Book of Discipline, ¶228.2b (4), are reported at your charge conference and voted upon. If changes are made at your charge conference, please note those in your quick minutes. | download PDF
• 2025 Quick Minutes: used to record the business/votes and those attending and voting at the Charge Conference. The Recording Secretary should complete and submit the Quick Minutes within one week of the charge conference. | download PDF

• Work with your district administrator and/or assigned presiding elder to schedule your charge conference.
• Publicize the meeting according to Disciplinary requirements: at least 10 days in advance by at least two methods.
• Notify any clergy with a charge conference relationship at your church once you have the date of the charge conference, so that they can attend. Clergy with a charge conference relationship at your local church are included in the Leaders Listing on the Church Dashboard.
• Check in with key leaders to ensure all required forms and reports will be completed in time.
• Submit required forms on the Church Dashboard at least one week before your charge conference.
• Download the meeting agenda and communicate with your presiding elder about any necessary details.
• Distribute completed reports to participants before the meeting.
  • Electronic distribution is acceptable for people who can access it easily. Consider having a few printed copies on hand for your charge conference members if you are having an in-person meeting.

 For successful virtual Charge Conferences, the following additional suggestions are helpful:

• Encourage everyone to connect to the Zoom meeting from their own device (computer, smartphone, or telephone) at their home location.
• For those who do not have access to the internet, gather in small groups (2-4 people) to share a device.
• If your meeting has a large group gathered together in person, anyone speaking should do so into a microphone in order to be heard (both in the room and virtually).
• Someone who has digital copies of all reports on their computer should be prepared to share their screen so everyone can see the reports being presented.
• Most votes at the charge conference can be taken by general consensus or by a “show of hands.” The Superintendent, Presiding Elder, or tech advisor can give directions for voting.
• When a private/written vote is needed (such as affirming a candidate for ministry), the Zoom poll option can be used. The Superintendent or Presiding Elder will know how to do this and give instructions.

All churches are asked to use the following agenda for their charge conference. | download DOC

Quick Minutes are to be completed and submitted within one week after your charge conference.

The minutes must be entered online on the Church Dashboard (accessible via the People Portal).
Once logged in to the Church Dashboard, you will see a link in the menu on the left for “GNW Charge Conference Quick Minutes 2025.” Click on the link and begin the report.

In addition to the charge conference forms listed above in Preparing for Charge Conference, all Lay-Led Congregations are required to submit an updated copy of their Annual Covenant and any of the Forms and Reports due by December 1 (below) that apply to their church.
This form is not available online at this time. Please fill out the PDF and email it to your district administrator. | download PDF

In addition to the forms listed above in Preparing for Charge Conference that require a vote at charge conference, the following forms and reports are to be completed, shared with your charge conference members, and submitted to the district office by December 1, 2025. Please complete all that apply to your church. The leadership roles listed to complete each form are suggestions and may be delegated to other church leaders as appropriate.

• 2024 Local Church Financial Audit: Complete for 2024 with your audit team (the team can be made up of anyone). This is separate from the Fund Balance Sheet. | download PDF
• 2025 Church MILE Assessment: To be completed by all PNW churches. Members of your leadership team are asked to reflect on the MILE as it is expressed through your ministry setting. | download PDF
• Trustees’ Report: An annual report of assessments and inspections of church property and insurance. To be completed by the Trustees’ committee. | download PDF
  • The PNW Commission on Environmental Stewardship has provided two resources in response to the 2020-2024 Book of Discipline updates to ¶ 2533 & ¶ 2550. The following two items are resources and not required to be completed in 2025.
    • PNW Greenhouse Gas Emissions Audit: Collects the church’s annual energy use (electricity, natural gas, gasoline, and others). | download PDF
    • Check-list for Local Congregations Engaging in Environmental Justice Activities: A guide of five opportunity areas to explore (collaborative leadership, worship life, building & grounds, Christian education, and communication and outreach). | download PDF
• Accessibility Audit: An annual audit to discover and identify physical, architectural, and communication barriers that impede the full participation of people with disabilities and plans to determine priorities for eliminating such barriers. To be completed by the Trustees’ committee. | download PDF
• Parsonage Report Checklist: This annual inspection of the parsonage ensures that all components are in good working order and provides plans for any needed updates. If the parsonage is rented, note it at the top of the form. To be completed by the Trustees’ committee. | download PDF
• Church Profile: Complete or update once per quadrennium or if there has been (or you expect) a significant change, i.e., financial or pastoral change, FT to PT, or PT to lay-led. The Pastoral Leader and Church Council should complete it. Available on the Church Dashboard only.

Clergy Annual Report: All clergy not currently appointed to a local church (Retired Pastors, Honorable Location Pastors, Extension Ministry, those on Leave, etc.) should complete this form if they have been active in ministry in the last year and submit it to the church where they hold their Charge Conference Relationship by December 1. | Available in your People Portal | download PDF 

Annual Report of the Deacon: Deacons in full connection serving in an agency or setting beyond the local church shall relate to a local congregation. Deacons should complete this form and submit it to the church where they hold their Charge Conference Relationship by December 1. | download DOC

Clergy Profile: All active clergy should update their profile using the form in their People Portal if they have not done so in the last two years, or if a change is expected. | How to Update Clergy Profile video

Clergy Continuing Education Form: All active clergy should complete a Continuing Education Form yearly and submit it by Dec. 31. Available in your People Portal

Reports due February 15, 2026 (will be available in the Church Dashboard in early January)

• Pastor’s Report of Membership – Pastors should report on changes in membership that have occurred since their last report. This should be shared with charge conference members.
• Statistical Reports – Reporting church metrics, including Tables 1 – Membership & Participation, 2 – Assets and Expenses, and 3 – Income. Information will be available from the conference treasurer and statistician in early January.

Reports due April 30, 2026 (will be available in the Church Dashboard in early January)
These are to be shared with charge conference members (emailing them is ok)

• 2025 Local Church Financial Audit: Complete for 2025 with your audit team (the team can be made up of anyone). PNW churches should plan to submit their yearly Audits by April 30. This is separate from the Fund Balance Sheet. | download PDF
• Fund Balance Audit for 2025: A Reminder and a copy of the form will be sent out in February.

You access the Church Dashboard through your People Portal. If you have questions about accessing the People Portal or your Church Dashboard, view this short video, or contact your district administrator for help.