A Family’s Shared Experience at the GMC Conference

By Morgan Howe

As preachers’ kids who grew up in The United Methodist Church, Revs. Sarah and Gabe Wanck, respectively lead pastor and associate pastor at Marion Aldersgate Church, a Global Methodist congregation in the Great Lakes Annual Conference, share a common upbringing in the church.

One of Sarah’s best childhood memories includes attending UM Church annual conferences with her father, and Gabe shares this cherished memory as he witnessed his parents’ journey into ministry, attending conferences with them. Recently, the clergy couple transitioned to the Global Methodist Church and are happy serving their local GM church, which is located deep in Southern Illinois.

Given their similar experiences as teenagers and their calls to full-time ministry, it’s no surprise they encourage their son Hudson, 13, to participate not only in the life of their local congregation, but also in the wider church.

“Growing up, Methodist conferences were just a part of our lives,” said Gabe. “So when the Great Lakes Annual Conference elected Sarah as one of its General Conference delegates, we immediately started thinking how we could attend the historic event as a family. When we learned Conference organizers were recruiting pages to assist delegates during committee and plenary sessions, it was a no brainer for us – Hudson and I would volunteer as pages so we could join Sarah in Costa Rica.”

The Wancks say they approach ministry together for two main reasons. First, ministry is part of their lives; it affects the entire family, making it a natural choice for them to participate in nearly all church events as a family. Second, as they have faced personal and professional challenges, they discovered the benefit of navigating them together.

They also acknowledged the importance of exposing Hudson to a broader understanding of the church. They wanted him to see the body of Christ as a larger entity, filled with thousands of people seeking the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit for the whole church.

“I think for kids to grow in the faith and successfully participate in the church as adults, they need to see it on a large scale,” said Sarah. “As important and essential as the local church is for their formation, our young people also need to be exposed to the wider church, to know that it consists of millions of people from all over the world, who together are seeking to follow Jesus.”

Attending the convening General Conference as a family seemed like a great opportunity to help Hudson understand how large his church family is. Hudson was eager to join. “Even before my parents asked me, I had already decided I wanted to attend the Conference with them,” he said.

Initially, Gabe and Sarah were prepared for the Conference’s organizers to say Hudson was too young to serve; they were elated when he was accepted to work alongside his father.

Sarah said she prepared Hudson for any odd comments he might hear about his age, but in the end her fellow delegates warmly welcomed his involvement. “It was encouraging to see them acknowledge what young people can contribute, breaking the stereotype that perhaps minors shouldn’t participate.”

Hudson served as the youngest page and the youngest volunteer at the Conference, assisting with a range of tasks essential to the smooth operation of each session. His responsibilities included the prompt distribution of key documents to delegates, and carefully counting votes on various legislative matters to ensure accuracy. He also learned to provide technical assistance with voting devices, patiently helping delegates navigate any issues. His role extended to closely observing delegates and signaling to the presiding officer whenever one of them wanted to address the assembly. Sarah and Gabe were proud to see their son contribute to the good order of the Conference along with other pages.

“The sacrifice Hudson had to make to attend the Conference was missing two weeks of school. He continued online learning and studying when he was not working on the Conference floor,” said Gabe. “But at one point or another, the pace of events wears down most delegates and volunteers, including Hudson. He rested, but he performed his role as a page and finished his school work, which is a pretty big feat for a 13-year-old.”

Father and son served as pages. Some days, they worked two out of three shifts, and some days, they worked a morning and night shift, spending long hours together in the convention center from seven in the morning until almost ten at night.

Several memorable moments stood out for the Wancks during the Conference, including a worship service at the Methodist School of Costa Rica in San Jose, the country’s capital city. Gabe and Hudson helped people navigate the space, particularly assisting those with mobility issues during the Holy Communion Service. Hudson enjoyed seeing kids from another culture sharing his passion for music, and Gabe found joy in joining a dance circle with the students.

For Sarah, the most significant aspect of the conference was witnessing the GM Church as a movement rather than just a denomination. She has longed for a movement of the Holy Spirit that transforms local churches and communities with the message of God’s love in the Wesleyan way. She emphasized that Aldersgate Methodist Church and many others made tremendous sacrifices to nurture the hope that the GM Church will be one marked by the movement of the Holy Spirit.

“We hoped Hudson would see a Church that could attend in an orderly and mature way to challenging legislative matters, and also be sensitive to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit,” said Sarah. “And praise the Lord, he did see that! I’m sure his days at the convening General Conference will make a lasting impression on his life, and I look forward to seeing how it shapes him as one of Jesus’ disciples.”

The tradition of attending gatherings as a family isn’t new for the Wancks. In addition to annual conferences, Gabe and Sarah have participated in New Room Conferences for several years. Hudson joined them in recent years. These conferences have served as spiritual retreats for their family; they find it encouraging to see more children and teens participating, illustrating the church’s effort to engage younger generations.

This focus on including young people resonates with Sarah and Gabe, particularly as they reflect on their formative experiences as teens and later as adults. Regrettably, they left many UM annual conferences discouraged by the rancor and discord they witnessed. Both agreed the GM Church’s convening General Conference felt refreshingly different. They hope their son and other young people see a GM Church that always strives for harmony and concord despite inevitable differences.

In that atmosphere of hope, Hudson wanted to remember his experience by collecting signatures in his commemorative convening General Conference Hymnal. All of the Church’s bishops and the Rev. Keith Boyette, the denomination’s transitional connectional officer and its pivotal leader, all signed (Boyette retired at the close of the Conference). Bishop-elect, Rev. Dr. Carolyn Moore wrote in Hudson’s hymnal, “When it’s your turn, give them Jesus!”

“At some point, the GM Church’s founding generation will yield leadership to Hudson and his generation,” said Sarah. “By the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power they will carry the movement forward. If we’ve done our job right in these moments, then, as Bishop Moore put it, Hudson and his generation are going to give the world Jesus, too!”

Looking ahead, the Wancks plan to attend the New Room Conference next year. And their 2025 annual conference, along with many others, will elect delegates to attend the GM Church’s 2026 General Conference. If possible, the Wancks will attend both gatherings, exemplifying how ministry can be a shared experience, rooted in faith, family, and the hope of building a movement that inspires future generations.

Morgan Howe is a Communications Specialist for Global Methodist Church.