The New England Annual Conference is an Annual Conference

Annual Conference

An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...

 (a regional episcopal

Episcopal polity

Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...

 area, similar to a diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

) of the United Methodist Church

United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...

. This conference serves the congregations in Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

, New Hampshire

New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

, and eastern Connecticut

Connecticut

Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...

, plus one congregation in Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

. The conference's administrative offices and the office of the bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 are located in Lawrence, Massachusetts

Lawrence, Massachusetts

Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...

. It is part of the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference. The bishop is the Reverend Peter Weaver

Peter Weaver

Peter D. Weaver is a Bishop of the United Methodist Church in the Boston Area where he presides over the New England Annual Conference of the UMC. He has three children.-Education:...

 (Boston Area).

The New England Annual Conference maintains four campground/retreat centers:

• Camp Aldersgate, North Scituate, Rhode Island
• Camp Mechuwana, Winthrop, Maine
• Rolling Ridge Conference and Retreat Center, North Andover, Massachusetts
  North Andover, Massachusetts
  North Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. North Andover is the home of Merrimack College, a private, Catholic four-year institution ....
  
  
• Wanakee United Methodist Center, Meredith, New Hampshire
  Meredith, New Hampshire
  Meredith is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, USA. The population was 6,241 at the 2010 census. Meredith is situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee. It is home to Stonedam Island Natural Area and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad...
  
  

Districts

The New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

 Annual Conference is further subdivided into 8 smaller regions, called "districts," which provide further administrative functions for the operation of local churches in cooperation with each other. This structure is vital to Methodism

Methodism

Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...

, and is referred to as connectionalism

Connectionalism

The term Connexionalism is today most commonly used to describe the theological understanding and foundation of Methodist polity, as practised in the British Methodist Church and the American United Methodist Church...

. The districts that comprise the New England Annual Conference are:

District 1 - Northern Maine

District 2 - Mid-Maine

District 3 - New Hampshire

District 4 - Tri-State

District 5 - Connecticut/Western Mass

District 6 - Central Massachusetts

District 7 - Metro Boston Hope

District 8 - Rhode Island/Southeastern Mass

• Southeastern Massachusetts
  • Acushnet Wesley United Methodist Church, Acushnet, MA
  • Long Plain United Methodist Church, Acushnet, MA
  • Myricks United Methodist Church, Berkley, MA
  • Bourne United Methodist Church, Bourne, MA
  • Northside United Methodist Church, Brewster, MA
  • Bridgewater United Methodist Church, Bridgewater, MA
  • Bryantville United Methodist Church, Bryantville, MA
  • Carver United Parish, Carver, MA
  • Cataumet United Methodist Church, Cataumet, MA
  • First United Methodist Church, Chatham, MA
  • Chilmark Community Church, Chilmark, MA
  • Cotuit Federated Church, Cotuit, MA
  • Cuttyhunk Union Methodist Church, Cuttyhunk Island, MA
    Cuttyhunk
    Cuttyhunk Island is the outermost of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. It was the first site of English settlement in New England. It is located between Buzzards Bay to the north and Vineyard Sound to the south...
    
    
  • High Street United Methodist Church, Duxbury, MA
  • East Bridgewater United Methodist Church, East Bridgewater, MA
  • Eastham United Methodist Church, Eastham, MA
  • Harwich United Methodist Church, East Harwich, MA
  • Haven United Methodist Church, East Providence, RI
  • Edgartown United Methodist Church, Edgartown, MA
  • Union United Methodist Church, Fall River, MA
  • John Wesley United Methodist Church, Falmouth, MA
  • Faith Fellowship United Methodist Church, Mansfield, MA
  • Central United Methodist Church, Middleborough, MA
  • South Middleborough United Methodist Church, Middleborough, MA
  • Nantucket United Methodist Church, Nantucket, MA
  • Centre Trinity UMC, New Bedford, MA
  • Saint Paul's United Methodist Church, New Bedford, MA
  • Chartley Norton United Methodist Church, Norton, MA
  • Trinity United Methodist Church, Oak Bluffs, MA
  • Saint Mark's United Methodist Church, Onset, MA
  • Orleans United Methodist Church, Orleans, MA
  • Osterville United Methodist Church, Osterville, MA
  • Plymouth United Methodist Church, Plymouth, MA
  • Provincetown United Methodist Church, Provincetown, MA
  • Swift Memorial United Methodist Church, Sagamore Beach, MA
  • Somerset United Methodist Church, Somerset, MA
  • South Yarmouth United Methodist Church, South Yarmouth, MA
  • Memorial United Methodist Church, Taunton, MA
  • Trinity United Methodist Church, Taunton, MA
  • Christ United Methodist Church, Vineyard Haven, MA
  • Wesley United Methodist Church, Wareham, MA
  • Wellfleet United Methodist Church, Wellfleet, MA
  • Cochesett United Methodist Church, West Bridgewater, MA
  • West Falmouth United Methodist Church, West Falmouth, MA
  • Westport Point United Methodist Church, Westport Point, MA

• Rhode Island
  • Barrington United Methodist Church, Barrington, RI
  • Arnold Mills United Methodist Church, Cumberland, RI
  • Cornerstone of Faith United Methodist Church, Coventry, RI
  • Greene United Methodist Church, Coventry, RI
  • East Greenwich United Methodist Church, East Greenwich, RI
  • Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church, Hope, RI
  • Christ United Methodist Church, Kingston, RI
  • Wesley United Methodist Church, Lincoln, RI
  • Calvary United Methodist Church, Middletown, RI
  • Saint Paul's United Methodist Church, Newport, RI
  • North Kingstown United Methodist Church, North Kingstown, RI
  • Epworth United Methodist Church, Pawtucket, RI
  • Portsmouth United Methodist Church, Portsmouth, RI
  • Mathewson Street United Methodist Church, Providence, RI
  • Trinity United Methodist Church, Providence, RI
  • Vida Abundante United Methodist Church, Providence, RI
  • First United Methodist Church of Warren/Bristol, Warren, RI
  • Asbury United Methodist Church, Warwick, RI
  • Open Table of Christ United Methodist Church, Warwick, RI and Providence, RI
  • Zion Korean United Methodist Church, Warwick, RI
  • Grace United Methodist Church, Westerly, RI
  • The River United Methodist Communities of Faith, Woonsocket, RI

External links

• New England Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church