Annual Conference

Nancy and I are at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, attending the Nebraska Annual Conference. Downtown Lincoln is kind of neat, though it was extraordinarily windy here, yesterday. We ate lunch today at a place called Tico’s, just up from the State Capital. Terrific enchiladas. I appreciated worshipping at St. Paul UMC last night, located just across from the hotel. The pastor was telling me the building dates back to 1901. I’ve noticed Nebraska United Methodists put considerable emphasis on the pioneer heritage, which I find very appealing.
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If you’re not familiar with an Annual Conference, it’s a practice going back to the earliest days of Methodism, in the latter part of the 18th century. Clergy and elected lay representatives gather in our respective conferences (we’re part of the Nebraska Conference) to worship, hear reports, ordain new pastors, hear reports, hear more reports, vote on various matters—and, at the end of the multi-day gathering, fix appointments for the coming year. My father was a Methodist pastor, and I can remember him going to Conference not knowing whether or not we might be moving the next week, or where we might be moving to. These days, a pastor will likely know months before Conference where he or she will be serving in the coming year. In larger congregations, such as St. Andrew’s, long term pastorates are the expectation.
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The Conference stopped for a moment to mourn the passing of an Afghan woman who had made friends here during a tour of Nebraska. Zakia Zaki, who ran a radio station in northern Afghanistan was slain by gunmen earlier this week. From what I’m reading in the newspaper, she was the second female reporter to be killed in Afghanistan in less than a week. This was a woman who dared to show her face in a burqa culture.
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There’s a certain trade-fair element to Conference. It’s fun to see what others are doing and I always leave with a couple of "keeper" ideas.
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THIS SUNDAY AT ST. ANDREW’S
June 10, 2007
8:00, 9:15 & 10:45
Bruce Davis preaching:
UNDERWATER JESUS: A Sermon On Pirates
We’re on Summer Sunday School schedule, which means we have classes for the kiddies at 9:15
This is a Breakfast Club Sunday. We’ll be serving pancakes in the Family Life Center, with proceeds funding our Habitat For Humanity Ministry.
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The Men’s Softball teams play this Sunday evening at 9:00. The Co-ed team plays at 9:30 on Monday night. The Co-Ed team is running into a LOT of rainouts.
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>From RICHARD H.: In the spirit of bringing faith and the arts together: Richard H. (from St. Andrew’s) and Faith-Westwood U.M.C. invite you to submit your art works for consideration for the annual Faith-Westwood UMC Festival of the Arts Sunday, July 29th, 2007 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. The festival celebrates the visual and musical arts and will feature artists of all ages from the Faith-Westwood UMC congregation, surrounding art communities, and local colleges and schools. Contact Richard or go to www.faithwestwood.com for more information. Deadline for submissions is Jun 22, 2007.
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CHRISSY M. asks for prayer, as her father is in the last days of his life….Congratulations to BRIAN & LAURA B. at the birth of a son, AIDEN.
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Now, let’s see if the Cornhusker Hotel internet system will let me send this.
BRD