High Hopes - Annual Conference and Making Connections

One of the things that I love and appreciate about United Methodism is that ours is a church of connections. In three weeks we’ll share in connecting as we gather in Baltimore for the 225th session of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. Annual Conference is always an exciting time, as it affords us an opportunity to experience our broader ministry as we connect with persons who we may not see often, but who share a common faith as Methodists. One of the amazing parts of Annual Conference is the joyful noise that seems to pervade our gathering each year. It is the joyful noise of persons reconnecting with each other, the joyful noise of singing and preaching. It is the same joyful noise that almost certainly was shared by those who gathered at the Lovely Lane Meeting House in December 1784 as they joined together to discern about the future direction of our faith community.

Indeed, it is a blessing to connect for a time to consider matters that are important to our faith and life together. Our Pre-Conference materials invite us to use our time together as a time for Holy Conferencing. We are reminded of the words found in 1 Peter 3:8: “Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” In Eugene Peterson’s offering of these sentiments from 1 Peter in The Message, we are reminded to “be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble.” What powerful words of faith and life these are. Indeed, these are words that we can live by as Christians.

As we prepare for Holy Conferencing this year, I pray that we will recall the words of 1 Peter, and that in our time together and in the days that are before us, we will be filled with the joy, love, unity and the humility of God.