A few scattering thoughts

     Kudos to everybody involved in the Detroit and West Michigan sessions of Annual Conference. Both of them were full of spiritual vitality, food, fun and fellowship, inspiring testimonies and plain old hard work. New this year, both sessions were live streamed. Persons in South America, Africa and Europe picked up our proceedings.
     Friday morning worship, May 21, a number of persons in the Detroit Conference celebrated their baptisms with pithy testimonies. Some of them had been sprinkled, had water poured or immersed. One of the baptized recalled his baptism by immersion in cold lake water at the top of the morning. Most were baptized in church although another witness noted that she was baptized in the pastor’s office. Tinged with emotion, another person recalled being baptized – the death of his mother six years later and the church supporting the family as a result.
     Ordination in West Michigan Annual Conference provided an unexpected joy and blessing also. Severe illness prevented Jennifer Jue’s elderly mother from attending her ordination as an elder June 6, 2010. She would have to fly into Grand Rapids from California. Instead, Jennifer’s mother watched it by live feed. She recognized her daughter among others, heard her name called, and witnessed the laying on of hands seated thousands of miles away. The live streaming blessed and thrilled the mother, the daughter and countless others.
     Both conferences did an excellent job of “equipping…local churches for ministry…by providing a connection for ministry beyond the local church.” (Paragraph 601 BOD)
     “Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” remains our visionary challenge for the whole church. (Paragraph 120 BOD) Both conferences heard about those challenges in sobering statistics. Membership, worship and church school attendance are still going down. At the same time, our giving to mission is near the top or tops in particular channels of giving. Your heart for mission, struggles to make disciples, keep the doors open and bills paid has not daunted your zeal for helping the “least of these.” Thanks be to God.
     West Michigan Conference turned in $36,239 for various causes. Plus, $613,787 had come in for Haiti Emergency Relief by the end of May. Detroit Annual Conference collected $80,272 for numerous mission causes. Through May, churches submitted $540,869 for Haiti Emergency Relief.
     March 2011, I am expecting another well attended and implemented Bishop’s Day on Evange- lism: Engaging Ministry with Poor in the Michigan Area. Bishop’s Day is an annual Continuing Education Event designed to keep the mission of the church before each local church. We’re still challenged to stop and reverse the membership and worship slide in every local church. As a pastor taught the children in her children’s sermon to say “We can do anything with God’s help.” Do we so believe? I do!!! All our training dates are projected for one of the Saturdays in March with a tithe of the Pentecost crowd the attendance goal for every district. If two districts want to combine their efforts, so be it.
     Finally, I will be taking some of my required Renewal Leave this summer. “Every bishop in the active relationship shall take up to three months’ leave from his/her normal Episcopal responsibilities for the purpose of reflection, study and self-renewal during each quadrennium.” (Paragraph 410.2 BOD) By the time you read this missive, some of it will be gone. Nevertheless, here are the initial dates: June 7-18, 21-28 and August 5-26, 2010. My office and Clergy Assistant, each Cabinet and its Dean plus the Directors of Connectional Ministries will be available to respond to your daily ministry needs. As I put these few scattering thoughts to rest, know that I am grateful and blessed with the privilege and responsibility of serving the Michigan Area of the United Methodist Church.