Dear Capital District friends:
We are living through a historic season in the life of our beloved United Methodist Church.
At our General Conference, our denomination made a decision to align with our best understanding of God’s unconditional love for all as known through the life and witness of Christ who extended grace to all persons. We modeled this love in several ways. We ensured that all people are able to respond fully to God’s call in their lives in ministry among us. We restructured the denomination with sensitivity to the needs of cultures around the world to shape their religious lives in harmony with their indigenous contexts. We expanded and deepened how we will live together in society. Then measures were even put in place to assure that changes made would not be forced on anyone who might not be ready for them.
Annual Conference was special as well. Guest presenter, Dr. Ashley Boggan, reminded us that we are a part of a Wesleyan heritage that has from its beginning been a cutting-edge religious movement for which the world is sometimes not ready. Early Methodists were sometimes even seen as “vile” in their passion to share love in unconventional ways at the time. But in that “vileness,” or through new expressions of God’s love, they were at the forefront of how God was moving civilization toward the future. Then there were the inspiring “RE’s.” Our Annual Conference made decisions to REstructure administratively in order to be faithful to our new reality. We REnewed our commitments to important ministries such as the Lydia Patterson Institute, Huston Tillotson University, Campus Ministries, Project Transformation, and more. We REimagined the possibilities of ministries with children and youth with Dr. Tanya Campen. I was especially inspired as we REceived new elders and deacons as full and provisional members, affirmed newly licensed local pastors for the first time, and welcomed more sisters and brothers who in various ways have decided to become a part of what God is doing through the United Methodist Church.
The sense of awe that I feel in this moment reminds me of the awe that was expressed during Pentecost as everyone experienced the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Their new understanding and awe at the apostles’ signs and wonders led to sharing their possessions so that all needs were provided for as they built community. Verse 47 emphasizes that they attended to “the goodwill of all of the people” among them. In doing so, the Lord added to their number daily.
I am grateful for our denomination’s intent to attend to and care for all persons among us. I pray that we will continue not only to be inspired by those deciding to walk alongside us in ministry, but also that our encouragement will be fueled by lives uplifted and transformed as part of a loving, caring, and connectional community. We strive to model the love of Christ as our endeavor in the United Methodist Church.
Grace and peace,
Marcus