Arrived late to the laity address where Conference Lay Leader Shirley Cauffman was busy with the welcomes, introductions, and business of the laity. She mentioned the laity newsletter at http://www.vaumc.org/Page.aspx?pid=545 as well as Laity Sunday which this year will be on October 17th with the theme of Disciples Transforming the World Through Presence. For our scout masters there is an amazing Conference Scouting Fellowship that involves all the scouts sponsored by the UMC's in the Virginia Conference (it's at VUMAC November 5-7th which is the same weekend as the UMM's retreat at VUMAC).
Then there was skit by Darlene Ammon and Janet Bracey entitled Our Call. To sum it up --
--Christ calls us to be his disciples, be his hands and feet, be his ambassadors in the world.
Darlene then shared her witness which included this pretty awesome quote from her:
"Have you ever noticed how God takes, what seems to us, the very worst thing and turns it into the very best thing?"From that she has learned to pray this simple prayer, "God put me where you need me and use me as you will." God calls each of us and he calls us by name. Remember Isaiah 43 and hold to the knowledge that God knows each and every one of us by name.
Then the laity address moved into the Re-think call series --
-- what if we ... re-think call? not in terms of what is, but what could be -
- what if call wasn't just clergy? would you answer?
-- what if call wasn't just for one or two hours on Sunday? Imagine the impact on our communities and our world.
-- what if call is a verb? Re-think call.
-- what if we ... re-think the Virginia Conference? re-think church? re-think religion?
Finally the laity address ended with an update from the All Things New Committee. If you remember, in 2006 the Virginia Conference committed to creating 250 new faith communities in 30 years. In 2008 the Conference delegates overwhelming approved the recommendations that came out of the 250 Task Force committee. So now, here in 2010, was presented the All Things New - Keeping the Story Right.
All Things New is ...
... a vision for spiritual renewal
... our conference response to the great commission (go and make disciples)
... a reclaiming of our Wesleyan heritage (the world is our parish)
... a proclaiming of faith (shaped and transformed)
... a moving from ... to ...
from protecting the Virginia Conference to transforming the culture of the Conference
All Things New is a vision to plant - to take members of a living thriving community and plant them in a new location.
All Things New is an invitation to harvest - to shift our focus from our own world to God's world.
The church often forgets the Easter Story; Jesus Christ is alive, Jesus Christ is risen, Jesus Christ is here with us right now. We need to turn from the empty tomb and see the living Lord calling us by name.
After a brief pause the business of the 228th session of the Virginia Conference began. There were a few prayers, a few welcomes, and a few recommendations to be approved. Everything went very smoothly - so smoothly in fact that Bishop Kammerer stated that we were to have an extended lunch because we finished early. Kewl!
During lunch I had the opportunity to go help with Stop Hunger Now filling bags with soy protein, dehydrated vegetables, vitamin powder, and rice. The conference goal is 100,000. The Bishop and her cabinet made 10,000 in an hour and half earlier in the week. In the hour and a half that I was there we made just over 26,000 bags. By the time conference business reconvened there were over 33,000 bags. It was a blast working with other Methodists, doing good for others. It was also humbling to realize that somewhere in the world a family of four will be immensely grateful to receive this little bag of food while I just threw away the remains of my lunch (meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy and peas). We waste more than many people in the world ever dream of eating! Wow.
When we reconvened we had a worship service which was led by the Reverend Vance P. Ross who is the Baltimore/Washington Conference Bishop. There was a skit (remember that I mentioned the skit rehearsal during my day one blog?) called The Tree Guys written by Laurie Simmons. The scripture passage was Mark 1: 16-20. Reverend Ross began his message by stating that every moment is a Gift of God that we should savor and kiss for we may not have it. His message is entitled Authority Calling and he quoted the refrain of a song by KEM called Love Calls, "There's no where to hide when love calls your name." True with authority calling - "there is no where to hide when authority calls your name." The God we serve is inviting us to an authority calling. Then he quoted Vincent Van Gogh ... "If you hear a voice within you that says 'you cannot paint' by all means paint. That voice will be silenced!" What Reverend Ross was telling us is that if we hear a voice telling us we're not capable of fulfilling that authority calling, just do it. That voice will be silenced. He was really an amazing speaker and I was enthralled and inspired by what he had to say.
After worship we once again returned to reports, recommendations, and resolutions. During the dinner break I went back to the Stop Hunger Now tables and continued bagging. By the time I left to go to the Service of Ordination we had 70,000 bags filled. I think we'll make that 100,000 goal before lunch tomorrow!
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1 comments:
Love the bagging for hunger thing hopefully we can do thatat the church. I like her put me where you need me and use me as you will this is something I have started asking God daily.
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