"Love Boldly"

From May 14 to 17, 2026, the Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) in Austria took place in Salzburg. Under the motto “Love Boldly” from the Vision Statement of the worldwide UMC, the Annual Conference members and various guests celebrated a festive worship service on the first day, thereby opening the 97th session of their church parliament.
 
The engagement with the motto was clearly visible and palpable – in the reports and discussions during the conference sessions, but also, for example, in the panel discussion with guests on Friday evening and, above all, in the fellowship of this small but very committed conference. Time and again, the emphasis was placed on what is also stated in the Vision Statement: that it is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to love boldly. “The motto really resonated with me on a personal level”, said a conference member during the closing service.
 
Encouraging Numbers
It is encouraging that the number of worship service attendees, which had reached a low point during the COVID years, has increased noticeably again, noted statistician Ben Nausner. The financial contributions of members and friends have also increased. At the same time, costs that have risen significantly due to inflation and other factors also affect the church. So, the task remains to encourage people to contribute financially, as well.
 
Diverse work with children and youth
The director of the Children and Youth Ministry, Pastor Dorothee Büürma, reported on the networking day focused on “Pastoral Care for Children and Youth.” Some of the topics and questions continued to occupy the participants even after the day had ended. Examples mentioned included the question of worship formats that accommodate diverse needs, or the question of how to communicate the Gospel in ministries with children and youth. Reflections on the need to create structures that enable children and youth to actively participate and help shape congregational life responsibly were also discussed. In addition, it was announced that the violence prevention policy had recently been revised. It was also noted that the next YouMe (youth gathering of the Regional Conference of Central and Southern Europe) will take place in Austria from July 15-18, 2027.
 
Wrapping up tasks, taking on new ones 
In a small conference with many tasks ahead, it is important to keep an eye on the energy levels of dedicated individuals – and a staff member who decided to discontinue his or her service always leaves a noticeable void. With regret, but with great gratitude and heartfelt blessings, John Calhoun was bid farewell. For six years, he had served as pastor of the English-speaking congregation of the UMC in Vienna. After a total of 26 years of service as a missionary for The United Methodist Church’s global mission agency – including assignments in Russia, the Middle East, Africa, Ukraine, and most recently in Austria – he will return to the U.S. with his wife in July. Fortunately, his successor is expected to be announced in just a few weeks.
 
Joint worship service to mark the occasion
The members of the Annual Conference concluded their meeting with a joint worship service with the congregation of Salzburg UMC. Pastor John Calhoun led the service for the final time, together with Maria Sonnleithner. In his sermon on Micah 6, Bishop Stefan Zürcher also referred to the conference’s theme. God’s walking alongside His people and the church throughout history is an expression of God’s bold love. His presence and companionship empower believers, in turn, to walk with God with a willingness to take risks and to love boldly.
 
Author: Bishop Stefan Zürcher, Zurich
 
Photo: www.emk.at