the BIG meeting

Tonight was Trinity's charge conference - in United Methodist circles this is our big annual meeting.  Back in the day, way back, John Wesley would meet with the pastors for conferences each year and they would report on all manners of things - such as attendance at classes and bands, offering collections and missions to the poor and marginalized.  In the Iowa Annual conference we still follow this pattern...and I think this is a very good thing.

What made this evening special was that we had a good turnout of folks from the 5 churches in our county, I was especially pleased with the turnout from Trinity UMC!  Not only did we have most of the church council present, we also had our lay speaker and our School for Lay ministry student.  In time I pray that we will have more folks taking advantage of these opportunities to grow in faith and service to their local churches through the Lay Speaker Academy and School for Lay Ministry.

All in all our time together was fruitful, we spent some time in bible study, we shared some ideas for ministry and I got to know folks a bit better - those sitting at my table didn't want to stop talking to work on our creative/art project, but we sure could sing!

It was also a special evening because it is likely the last charge conference for our District Superintendent, Rev. Anne Lippincott.  Anne and I go way-way back - she was my pastor when we first moved to Iowa in 2001.  It was out of the church she was serving that I was called to ministry and Anne guided me through the discernment and candidacy process.  It is an honor to call her a colleague and a friend.

A year ago I never would have dreamed that I would be serving a church as a solo pastor in the Northeast District.  I am humbled to be called to serve as an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church...I could not imagine doing anything else in this season of my life.  I am indeed very, very blessed!

Trinity UMC is a wonderful church with so many gifts and graces - God is so good to place me here at this time...I pray that we all work together to discern how God is calling us to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World - and then let's get out there and make things happen!

To God be the Glory!

(btw, special congratulations to the Waverly-Shellrock Freshmen football team -I wasn't able to make the game tonight due to my responsibilities at Charge Conference - but they continue their undefeated season winning both of their games tonight!  I can't wait for Ethan to get home and tell me about it!)