Energizing & Equipping Local Churches - Witnessing for Christ

Written: 6/25/2009

        Bishop Michael Lowry convened his first Central Texas Annual Conference as new Episcopal leader June 7-10 at White’s Chapel United Methodist Church, Southlake.   It was serendipitous or divine guidance that the conference would meet for the first time in over 40 years in a church setting while introducing a new theme that focuses on the local church —  “Energizing & Equipping Local Churches to Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World.”  More than 500 volunteers at White’s Chapel demonstrated Christ’s love through their gracious, competent hospitality.  The local church’s vital role in making disciples was emphasized in the bishop’s Episcopal address, in his daily Bible studies on Paul’s instructions in Acts to witness for Christ, and in the dynamic preaching of Dr. Walter Kimbrough, pastor emeritus of Cascade UMC, Atlanta, at three worship services.

In his Episcopal address, Bishop Lowry’s call for “courageous witness from the pulpit and in the marketplace” was met with enthusiastic applause. “Paul starts where the people are, not where he thinks they ought to be,” he said of Paul’s writings in the Book of Acts. “One of the mistakes we make in the church is to think people know all about the Bible and our beliefs … it’s our opportunity to witness and share. … When you witness, you enter into a dialogue — listening as well as talking,” he said, adding that it take 48 to 49 weeks for someone to move from introduction to the Bible and theology to making a commitment. A copy of Bishop Lowry’s address will be available soon on the conference Web site at www.ctcumc.org and in print format.

Special Laity Session

In a series of “firsts,” the Rev. Karen Greenwaldt, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Discipleship and a member of the Conference, led the laity in special session on “Reaching Out to God/Reaching Out to the World” in which she expounded on the denomination’s four focus areas.

In the first joint clergy/laity memorial service, Dr. Kimbrough’s message of remembrance for the clergy and the laity who had passed during the year was one of joy for “We are standing this morning on their shoulders, having benefitted from knowing them.” He reminded the body that “We are recipients of the gift of grace — with death swallowed up in victory;” that we need transformational experiences in our own existence —“Life is a loan that you have to give it back;” and instructed, “If you can’t be excited about what God has given you, how can you share it with others. I don’t know about you,” he said, “but I’ve got something to shout about.”

At another point in the business session, the body remembered Dale Smith of DeLeon, a longtime partner in ministry in the Central Texas Conference, who died during the past year. She served in many leadership positions, but is remembered for her diligence as Annual Conference parliamentarian for 20 years.

Perhaps the biggest “first” was the “United Methodist Night at the Ballpark” time of fellowship with Bishop Lowry throwing out the ceremonial first ball for the Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays baseball game. The Texas Rangers lost the game, but the United Methodists had a winning evening!

Other Actions

In focusing on rethinking church, the report of the Mission Ministries program area lifted up current ministries — 22 different ministries as starters — that are fulfilling the Church’s missions under the four areas of focus:

•  Developing principled Christian leaders for the church and the world

Did you know the average age of pastors in the U.S. is 57? Who will lead us in the future?

Did you know it’s the responsibility of every local church to seek out and develop future leaders

•  New places for new people and renewing existing congregation

Did you know the U.S. is the third larges mission field in the world?

Did you know the United Methodist Church is committed to developing 650 new churches by training 1,000 new church starters?

Did you know every church/congregation needs to look outside itself, to think and act beyond itself and that every church this is not reaching new people is making the conscious decision to die?

•  Engaging in ministry with the poor, and

Did you know that half the world’s people live on less than $2 per day?

Did you know that ministry to eliminate poverty begins with people who want to do something about?

•  Stamping out killer diseases of poverty by improving health globally

Did you know that getting an infant under insecticide-treated bed nets through age six means that child has a good chance of surviving malaria?

Did you know that one of the major affects of poverty is poor health and poor health can lead to poverty?

Did you know that ministries having a major impact on developing communities are community vegetable gardens, schools and clinics?

In other actions, Annual Conference lay and clergy members:

•  Celebrated 35 years of consecutive membership growth,

•  Received recognition for the largest increase in missionary support among conferences in the South Central Jurisdiction,

•  Passed a $10,545,210 budget that reflects a 0.54% decrease from the previous year,

•  Adopted a model for Congregational Effectiveness,

•  Approved health benefit premium increases of 11.2% for both active members and retirees,

•  Appointed a task force to examine the conference alignment of resources, structure and organization to ensure faithfulness and fruitfulness in the ministry of making disciples,

•  Commissioned 11 for provisional membership and ordained 10 as elders — the average age for those ordained is 52, for those commissioned is 35.7, and for the combined group 43.87 — two thirds women / one third men,

•  Retired seven elders, one associate member and one local pastor, collectively representing 266 years in ministry,

•  Celebrated nine Global Mission Churches, 36 Five Star Churches and 36 Covenant Relationship Churches,

•  Received $10,551 for the Annual Conference offering to support four justice ministries — Crime Victims Council, Methodist Justice Ministry, Parents & Children Together and Tarrant County Restorative Justice Center/Home of Greater Joy,

•  Collected $5,551 for the Central Conferences Pension Initiative.

Pension Support to Escalate

In a special report, the Board of Pension prepared conference members for what will be major increases in pension support beginning in 2011, and urged that this additional support not be at the loss of ministries. On the proposed Constitutional Amendments, members had a thoughtful, prayerful debate. Votes will be reported on the CTC Web site after all annual conferences have had an opportunity to vote. Conference members passed a resolution to continue support to the Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) ministries and another calling attention to immigration, customs enforcement raids and detentions.

            Membership in churches of the Central Texas Conference stands at 163,793, an increase of 1,282 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 47,004, an increase of 167. Church school attendance stands at 58,336, a decrease of 2,181.

Comments

1. Judy Gotcher, Certified Lay Minister wrote on 6/25/2009 6:15:47 PM

This was the BEST, MOST INSPIRING, conference I have ever attended. The church setting was fabulous and indeed added to the atmosphere of being in church as well as a business meeting. Bishop Lowry is down to earth and going to be one the very best, if not the best, Bishop we will have. Your coverage was good. Will look forward to reading his address after hearing it. Dr. Kimbrough was wonderful and a delight to listen to. Great, great conference......Thanks.......