Last night our District Superintendent, Quay Adams, presided at our Charge Conference. The purpose of this annual meeting of church leadership is to review and evaluate the ministry of the church, set salaries for the pastors, elect lay leadership for the coming year and recommend candidates for ordained ministry. In Wesleyan tradition we are held accountable to one another. For weeks prior to this conference, specific information is compiled in reports by church leadership and the copy machine becomes stressed. Accolades go to Russell and Nita for putting together the final package. In all of this we remember the importance of our connectional system and celebrate the ministry of the United Methodist Church.
When the benediction was given, we departed sensing all was well with First UMC. However, I wonder if we had continued to overlook one of our responsibilities. That is, calling forth persons to be in ordained ministry. Two elders can call First UMC their home church. One is a college professor and the other one is not in active ministry. We have two ministerial candidates that are currently serving churches. I wonder if we are encouraging persons to hear God’s call to ordained ministry. Some churches are known for the number of clergy that have come from their congregations. Why aren’t we one of them?
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1 comment:
Thank you Jean - I do wonder why we dot have anyone to come forward to be in Ministry, since that is what we need - more shepherds to lead us on our journey.
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