Home Again

I'm baaaccck! And it is good to be home. Interestingly enough, there is much to write on from annual conference, but I don't seem to have it in me, must be tired.

This morning I went to a worship service in the manner of the "emerging" church experience. I found it all to be very interesting. I liked a great deal of what was happening and the experiential aspects of it. I asked my 16 and 20 year old children what they thought. My 16 year old liked it, except she didn't like the part where we took Communion in table groups. "We are to all be the body of Christ," she said it felt like we were just bits and pieces. My 20 year old thought "there were too many activities." I felt that they were a good judge of what they liked. I was too busy trying to keep my mind open.

When it all comes down to it, I find that there are bits and pieces of how I conduct worship that would be considered very "emerging," however, I still am a fan of "how we've always done it." Not in the "we-can't-do-things-differently-because-the-good-Lord-would-strike-us-dead" way, but rather the respecting tradition way. I too think we need to make worship relevant to the people in the context they find themselves. I just think we need to keep tradition balanced with enough fresh ideas to keep it really interesting.

With that being said....I am adding an early morning worship service on Sundays in June. I am planning on working this idea of "emerging worship" into this new service. I figure if we are going to do something at a different time, we might as well play around with new ideas! I'll update you on how it works out.

Last night at Annual Conference was the ordination service. I have always found this service very moving, probably because every time think, "this is what I am working for." Next year will be my turn...good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise and the Board of Ordained Ministry don't decide otherwise!

We did have a bit of controversy on the floor today. It seems that the committee on parsonage standards wanted to include a bit about parsonages should be smoke and tobacco free. Now, that make sense to me; however, it seems that it wasn't as clear cut as I'd assumed it might be. We had numerous people who stood up to speak about it. Most of the started this way..."now I'm not a smoker myself..." I kind of appreciated the lay gentleman who stood up and said, "I'm a smoker, but I would never smoke in someone's home that wasn't a smoker." At least he was honest. In any event, it was quite a lengthy debate with plenty of speeches for it and against it, a motion to amend it and then a motion to amend the amendment. It came down to a motion that basically made it all right to smoke outside the parsonage, but not inside. It was so close they had to take a vote. Go figure. In any event, the amendment passed.

So, other than the above, there wasn't too much excitement going on, or I can't think of it one or the other. I'll write more when my brain is fresher.

Annual Conference (Part 3)

Ok...so I am not posting this on Tuesday, as I should be, but between getting to a 7 a.m. Communion Service (I know, shocked me too!) and staying out until close to midnight for Gridiron, I just didn't have time. (I am actually stealing a little time right now.)

Yesterday, we had several wonderful reports, one of the most moving was from the Criminal Justice and Mercy Ministries (CJAMM). A young mother with three young daughters came and talked about being sentenced for ten years, and is currently serving her term. She talked about how her upbringing drove her to seek comfort in unhealthy places. She found God through people who reached out to her from prison ministries and she knew that she needed to make sure she got herself together for her daughters and herself. She spoke of how she had become addicted to Methamphetamines and how Meth was a powerful drug, but (in her words) "Meth is not more powerful than my God." Her children were with her, and her family was in the congregation. This was the first time she had seen her children in over 6 months she told us through tears.

The good news was that she was granted early parole and had been accepted into an Exodus house program. We were thrilled for her, and one laywoman commented that if she hadn't been paroled, she would have "gone to bat for her."

Of course, we had other wonderful reports and our church received an award called "It Worked for Us" on a lay ministry area. We are also receiving an award today for the Outstanding Rural church attendance 41-100. Other things discussed was the implementation of a Strategic Vision Plan, but I believe I need have a separate post for this, so I will wait to comment on this after conference is over.

Grace and peace, blessings and joy for our wonderful heritage and connectional ministry in the United Methodist Church!

Annual Conference (Part 2)

Well, the first day of conference is always a time of endings and beginnings. We have the memorial service and recognize those saints who have gone on before us and surround us with the great cloud of witnesses that cheer us onward toward the prize that is eternity with Jesus.

We also have our commissioning service sending into ministry those who have, with the great efforts of friends, mentors and others, jumped through enough hoops to be barely recognized as real official ministers, even though that most of them have been in ministry already. I can make fun of them, because I are one of them. On Wednesday we have the ordination service in which they become real official people who are *special.* I too hope to become *special* next year.

Of course, I am making light of a serious thing, only because, well....it is kind of funny that we have to be 'probationary' (the new language calls us 'provisional' which I think sounds a bit more ominous) for three years. I understand the purpose behind this process, in fact, I believe it is a good thing. I think it is a good thing to check people out, see what you are getting yourself into. Of course, being in the middle of the process myself, I want to tell them "sure, you can trust me, just ordain me already." But, alas, I am a committed Methodist, and that just isn't the way it works.

In any event, the first day was good and I am looking forward to tomorrow. Apparently, it is "casual day" but the Bishop was certain to inform us that in no way should we look "like we are going to the beach." "It's dressy casual" he tells us. Of course, many people come like that everyday!

Blessings for your ministry whether it is ordained or commission, clergy or lay, regardless of our designation, we are all called to be ministers by our baptism. Thanks be to God.

Annual Conference (Part 1)

Well, it's that time of year...the time of year you get to go hang out with friends you never get to see...you hear amazing testimonies of ministry in action...you have wonderful spirit-filled worship services and fellowship with other Methodists....and if the reports get boring, you can always go shop at Cokesbury!

I will be posting daily this week about things that have moved me, maddened me, or otherwise ministered to my heart and pass along the blessings.

For starters, we worshiped this morning at Boston Ave., and heard our Bishop preach. I am always blessed by his messages, and this morning was no different. He spoke of Jesus healing on the sabbath and of Peter and Paul healing the man at the temple. Basically, it was of how Jesus was turning things upside down and right side up and everyone knew it was no longer business as usual. He spoke of how when the spirit fills us - we may look the same on the outside, but we are UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT on the inside. Thank God for God!

As I am writing this I am sitting in the hotel lobby where there is free wi-fi and watching the arrivals check-in. I am reminded that although this week is largely about business, it isn't our business. We should be about the ministry of Christ. It isn't our agenda, but Christ's. Thanks be to God. Amen.