The theme for the North Texas Annual Conference this year was IMAGINE!
What a great jumping off place for all the visioning and planning that came out of this conference. Our Bishop McKee is the first and best gift to our Conference. I see lots of good changes coming from his leadership. He runs a tight ship and we give thanks. Your Lay Member, Howard Stansell and I were very pleased with the conferencing and the Key Note Speaker. The conference was held at First UMC, Richardson.
The Methodist church has been tossing around the idea of Re-Think church for several years. The time for action is upon us. Bishop McKee has challenged us to join him in Lent 2014 to forgo one meal a week and give that money to our nearest service agency. His specific challenges will be sent out later, but one of his challenges was to imagine that every church in this conference would be welcoming to a female pastor. We are to imagine what it would be like if we, the church, step deeper into our friendly attitude to be extravagantly welcoming by witnessing to our own faith story and making our welcoming personal and personally inviting. Imagine what it would be like if the church could create a culture of servant hood and invite others to come serve with us. We can only imagine what it would be like if we went out into our communities and met the people and met their real needs and welcomed them into the church’s mission in the world with us. Imagine what it would be like to develop relationships, strong friendships with our neighbors.
Imagine the possibilities when we become like little Christ’s in our community. Let us answer the Bishop’s challenge and live out our faith in vital and real ways. Let us welcome our neighbors and love them just like Christ showed us.
What do you say, church?
Pastor JoNell
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