In November of 1876, the first meeting of the New Mexico Mission was held at Peralta, marking what is now recognized as the beginning of the current New Mexico Conference.  The appointments included: Peralta, Cimarron & Elizabethtown, Ciruelita, Socorro, Valverde, Silver City and Las Cruces. (Will Steinsiek, Archivist)

New Mexico and west Texas were truly the wild west back in the 1870's.  Pastors, like Rev. Thomas Harwood and his wife, Emily walked the streets of frontier towns with gun fighters and cattle rustlers, but also good people searching for a better life.  Our beginnings were about creating ministries that met the needs of the people pastors found here and fighting injustice even if it meant death.  Our predecessors were bold and brave and focused on sharing the Gospel and building communities.

For our 150th Anniversary, we'll have a fiesta on Thursday night.  The Western Hills food ministry, Sombre Mesa will provide a delicious dinner.  We'll enjoy music followed by a time of storytelling - sharing stories of what our conference has meant to young and not so young. Think about what you might share with everyone.

Our Archivist, Will Steinsiek is working on a display to inform us about our conference history through these many years.  They'll be an area where everyone can share your own photos & artifacts.  Please bring your photos throughout the years of annual conferences past, Sacramento, our connected ministries, trips, conference programs, etc.  If you have memorabilia, please bring that along.  For example, at a recent AC Planning meeting, Kathy Jewell appeared in a bonnet passed down in her family and certainly worn at church way back when.

This is bound to be a great time of fun and celebration together.