Etch Your Spirit on Your Soul

Once again, I had the pleasure of representing our church laity by attending the Annual Conference in Stamford, CT this past weekend with Pastor Gene and Deacon Deb. As usual, it is a long, grueling weekend, but it is also full of amazing and very friendly people, fabulous music, and thoughtful prayer. All of this is mixed in with meetings and speeches, which could be more exciting but, alas, part of the process.

I will leave the details of the conference to Pastor Gene and Deacon Deb, who are much more knowledgeable than me about the inner workings of the church and the true meaning of all those meetings and speeches.

The conference was overflowing with diversity, compassion, and welcoming faces. I met so many new people from CT and NY, each with their own story to tell. There was a lot of discussion about the new cooperative parishes and how each church is adapting to these changes. It has its challenges, but everyone was positive that it would work out, given some time and patience.

The weekend always ends with a worship service with a nod to the confirmands and new ordinations. I look forward to Bishop Bickerton’s sermon. He is a dynamic speaker, and he did not disappoint. This year, the theme was about the diversity of The United Methodist Church and how we can all contribute to its success through our uniqueness. He noted that each of us has a unique fingerprint and can contribute to the church and the world with our individuality. He sent us away, saying, “Don’t let your souls go smooth. Continue to etch the spirit of your character on your soul with your unique fingerprints.”

God Bless the Annual Conference.

-        Eileen Brogan