I am excited about our upcoming Annual Conference, to be held June 7-9, 2015, at St. Andrew UMC in Plano. Our theme is “Ignite,” and I believe we will awaken to new intensity in the North Texas Annual Conference. You may be thinking to yourself that I, as the bishop, am supposed to be excited. This is true, but I have good reason for my excitement. Let me give you my top five reasons to get excited.
Every year, our Annual Conference gets better and better. We raise the bar of excellence every year by providing high-quality content and exceptional production. We realize that the church world must be as efficient and excellent in its programming as the secular world. Our Annual Conference Planning Team has been hard at work since June. Their efforts will provide a seamless event for the lay and clergy members of the North Texas Annual Conference.
Superb location. St. Andrew UMC in Plano is hosting for the first time. The St. Andrew family, led by the Rev. Robert Hasley, is going to welcome, receive, and host us with gracious hospitality. They are ready for us.
Gifted preaching and teaching. I have invited two of the most inspiring preachers I know: Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of the Texas Annual Conference and the Rev. Olu Brown of Impact Church in Atlanta, who will be one of our keynote speakers. Ashley Elsey from Minerva Consulting will provide valuable information about communicating in today’s world. Our speakers will elevate and encourage the members of the Annual Conference.
Amazing music. We always have breathtaking music at Annual Conference. This year will be no different. Mark Miller is coming from New Jersey. Mark is a gifted musician, music professor, and composer of lots of hymns that many of us sing.
Toolbox sessions. Empowered and educated lay and clergy always excite me. We figured out that Annual Conference should also teach something; that’s why the workshops called Toolbox Sessions were created. An array of topics will improve the ministries of local congregations!
I could go on, but I won’t. I do want you to be excited about this upcoming event in the life of our Annual Conference. In 2012, you made a wise, forward-thinking decision to re-frame Annual Conference.
You decided to no longer have a business or legislative session, but a time of worship, learning, and inspiration.
You created the possibility for excitement at each Annual Conference. I look forward to sharing our time together.
If you are not a member of the Conference or will not be attending, please be sure to talk with the representatives from your church and find out how things went.
I believe that we will leave St. Andrew UMC ignited and ready to transform the world.
~ Bishop McKee
Comments are closed.