A Quick Conference and Quick Elections

I attended the two day conference of the North Alabama Conference. Usually this conference starts on Sunday afternoon and finished late Wednesday afternoon. However, not many of the lay delegates could come or all you got were the retirees. So our conference last year shortened by one day, and this year it was shortened to the two days. The Memorial Conference was moved to Thursday night and to one of the churches. That was well attended and it was a good service instead the sterility of the college Coliseum. We women had our clergywomen gathering right after the service in the parlor of the church. That was nice too. I think it was one of our better gatherings. The Bishop even joined us for awhile. Then the next day we started the long day of Friday. A lot of us were concerned that elections though would lead to a long weekend. The last elections took a whole lot longer than planned for. I felt like we were running through the business pretty fast almost at light speed with little discussion. We had no Bibles study, no workshops and fewer worship services.

Bishop Huie spoke to us about the changes that are going on in the Texas Conference. As I listened I thought to myself, "It won't be long that we will be doing some of the same things."
She also preached at the Ordination service. She was imaginative and creative, well spoken. Boy is she a dynamite. The commissioning service will be done later at another church. Bishop messed up though the ordination of Jan McCarver, I think he must have forgot what she was being ordained for. But that will be corrected.

The next day was a quickie too. We did finish the elections. I had to leave early because of the girl's had a Dance Recital, that I was not going to miss even for the conference. Now something you need to know is that last year we had a big argument over one of the petitions that came before the conf. this petition was to tell the President to end the war. The same petition came up again. The person from the petitions committee did a good job presenting it, asking us to stop and pray for those who have died in the war. It was very moving. The Bishop brought up that he had lots of letters about last year's discussion, and so he did not want us to have a discussion again. That just ruined the tone, because our conference has always had a history of discussing things sometimes pretty heatedly, but coming out on the other end. Everybody was pretty upset that we could not discuss, he even used the Roberts Rules to keep that from happening. But then one of the Pastors out maneuvered him and brought an amendment to it. The amendment basically took out the language of telling the President what to do and took out the time line. Well it passed, and the Bishop was fed up. Two other people at that point stood up to speak. One of them started saying that maybe we needed to think about what sacrifice we could make and he basically shut him up. Well don't you know then the conference was pretty mad at the Bishop. You see we have history of being able to speak and be listened to. Usually we have one for the and then one against, like that. That is all he had to do. You know we are students in a class that you tell us what to think and what to do, and be quiet. I spoke to the man about what he was trying to say. I know this man very well. Good fellow, bright, thoughtful, worth listening too. His son is a Marine in Iraq. What he was trying to say, is okay, instead of just saying we are for peace, lets to something, find out what is needed in Iraq. How we can make things better and do it. You know I think he is on to something. I suggested he present that next year. Start now finding out how we can help, how we can do something and present it. I don't like war anymore than anybody else, but I think writing the President and telling his to cease fire, and withdraw immediately is not the only answer. I think we the people need to begin to give and help too. I don't remember it being so bad last year, but that was a year ago. I do think that a fair discussion is okay. But with limited time like this was set up for, there is little time for discussion.

The place we met was great, I have no complaints. I don't even mind making possible for lay people who work to be there. But what would it mean if we just go ahead and met on Sunday too. Go ahead and give enough time for what has to happen and be taken care of. Have lay speakers or retired ministers preach. I think it was too short of time.

Now to the elections. I am going to put the results of the clergy elections up here, and you tell me what you see and think....

General Conference
1. Will Garrett
2. Bill Morgan
3. Mark Parris
4. Paul Hillard
5. Robert Sparkman
6. Amy Bowers
7. Tommy Grey

Jurisdictional Conference
1. Dalton Styes
2. Sheryl Thornton
3. Steve West
4. Rudy Guess
5. Glenn Conner
6. Andy Wolfe
7. Robin Scott

Alternates
1. Amelia Sims
2. Alan Head
3. Sara Cameron
4. Tim Barnes
5. Alan Weatherly
6. Dale Cohen
7. Kenny Baskins

I will say we had more mission moments that were really inspiring. We had good ministry reports also. I would say over all it was a good conference.

Grading the candidates for ministry

For two full days the Board of Ordained Ministry of the North Alabama Conference met to interview the candidates for the various areas of Ordained Ministry. Those two days happen after a full evening of worship, training and meetings the night before. Yes, it is a working retreat, but we take time for worship, and communion. We are reminded of who we serve and who does the calling and whom is called. It is a difficult task sometimes, and easy at others. It is refreshing to be with colleagues. The Board has on it Ordained and Laity. In some cases the laity ask the harder questions, and sometimes the ordained do. Whatever we do we do it with prayer.

I was on the Team that evaluated the practice of ministry. That meant we evaluated people in areas of preaching, teaching, and pastoral skills. Each candidate had a presenter who had written a paper on each person. There are three areas evaluated, ours, then the Called and disciplined life, and theology and doctrine. Each candidate wrote a paper on each area that was read and then reported on by a reader. I read one candidate's paper on practice of ministry which means I watched a taped worship service and sermon as well as the written work in this area. I presented one person, which meant I collected all the reports on my candidate, read all his paperwork, their file, references, watched several taped sermons and worship services then collated all that in a three page report to give to the committees and teams. We read those papers and then interviewed the candidates. As I said a lot of work. After three interviews we meet as a team to discuss the three candidates and recommendation. Then the Committee meets, I forgot to tell you I was on Committee A, which had all three teams. We then discussed the three areas and the grades and decided to accept or deny the request of the candidates. Then we presented the candidates to the larger board made up of two more committees and vote on each candidate. Then we start all over again.

I have to tell you there were some very sharp, creative, risk taking individuals that came up for ordination this time. For those who were coming up for probation or our new title, Minister-in Residence, they had to show readiness. For those coming up for full connection they had to show effectiveness in all areas. Those who missed or were denied didn't miss by much, either they just were ready yet or not affective. They can come back again.

The Minister-in-Residence is a new program that will begin this year. It is based on a program at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. There will be coaches and a program for them to go through, networking, leadership training, etc., stuff you don't learn in Seminary, but before learned the hard way with no one to help you. I think this is going to be a great addition to our conference and really help the beginning pastors and deacons grow in the ministry, and perhaps be more capable of it sooner than later. It help the Board in recommending those for this level as well. I wish they had this when I was beginning.

I am on my third year and have one more year, unless the Bishop reappoints me for four more. I like serving on the Board, and think I have something to offer the Board and the church.

Believe it or not, most candidates came away saying it was a positive experience. I presented someone who had been turned down last year for full connection. Yes, they were mad, and disappointed at the time. But they talked a lot about what a good experience this year had been for them, how much they had learned, how better connected they were to others, and how they experienced God in all that. And they did a much better job this time, you could even tell the difference in the paperwork, the tapes, and just talking with the individual. He has decided he liked his training, groups, and mentor so much last year he is going to continue his work again this year. It was a really affirming process for him. I don't know if I can tell you he passed or not yet. I think that will be posted sometime at the North Alabama conference website. But the candidate knows.

As I listened to the interviewees, I wasn't sure I could do as well as some of them did. I remember fumbling for some of the answers about Wesley Theology. You know they really grilled me on that, having been a Baptist, but overall it was an affirming positive experience for me. I hope it was for those we interviewed. I sure learned some things from some of the clients, new books to read, and some ideas to think about for my ministry.

Growing Healthy Churches conference

Growing Healthy Churches conference challenges churches to be more obedient to God

Written: 2/13/2007

On February 9-10, more than 100 North Alabama clergy and laity gathered at the Brandon Ministry Center in Florence for the Growing Healthy Congregations conference sponsored by the Northwest District. The featured speaker was Dr. Paul Borden, author of the books Hit the Bullseye and a new book Direct Hit. Dr. Borden is Executive Minister of Growing Healthy Churches (formerly American Baptist Churches of the West), which is an association of American Baptist Churches in Northern California and Northern Nevada. Since the mid 1990s, this association went from only 36 of its 200+ congregations experiencing growth to now more than 170 growing congregations. They have now stated a new vision of a double portion which is to not only have growing existing congregations but to plant 300 new growing congregations by the year 2012.

You can read the full article here.

If you look at the picture on the front row, I am next to the woman in the pinkish orange blouse, I have on a brown long sleeve tee-shirt. Yep that's me with the short brown hair cut.

Highlights: During the two-day conference Dr. Borden shared stories and insights of how he has seen and helped declining local churches become vital, growing, disciple-making congregations. Growth indicates health; no growth indicates no health. He also explained one challenge for local congregations is shown in a recent Barna survey. It revealed that 91% of church members said they believed local congregations exist to serve them. Dr. Borden shared how this inward focused, as opposed to an outward, community focus, is part of the disobedience of many congregations. Borden explained how it was important for pastors and staffs to learn to exercise leadership behaviors such as passion, courage and flexibility. He also said it is important for leaders to keep growing and resource themselves and be resourced in their growth.He emphasized that the pastors and staffs role, as described in Ephesians 4, is to equip the saints for ministry. This means staff should help lay people discover and use their gifts and passions in the ministry of the church rather than doing all the ministry of the church. Borden also explained to pastors that is their job to establish the mission and vision of the congregations. And then not only cast the vision, but create a sense of urgency to energize people to jump on board and work toward that vision.

One thing I would like to do is go to the Hit the Bullseye Conference'07, here is the brochure for it. One of the reasons I want to go, is that it has workshops for women in ministry and dealing with change in your congregation, and the unique problems women can have. Plus you get to see and meet with the congregations that have changed. Anybody else interested? I think I'll ask for some financial help to go.

Our district has begun what they are calling Healthy Church Initiative based on Borden's work and Natural Church Development. I was able to get ST. John to agree to be part of this initiative. It hasn't started yet, but when it does, I'll be posting about how it goes.

Culture can be offensive to our ears

I haven't finished my posting about the Prayer Summit, I will I promise.

But since yesterday morning I have been in a workshop at our District center led by Paul Borden.
And Bishop Willimon was here this afternoon to discuss and take questions. I'll post some more about that.

This afternoon, they are bringing a woman to speak to us who apparently is offensive to us, but an expert on emergent culture. Her name is LaDonna Witmer. Funny thing is I didn't find her offensive, I just found her alive, truthful, and real. I appreciate that. But if I need to be offended, then bring it on. Funny thing is we forgot that Jesus was offensive to the leaders of his day, the "elders", and the religious thinkers. Have we removed ourselves that far away today?

One of our ministers found her somehow or another and started writing her, and she started responding. She speaking at their church this weekend also. Wish I could be there. But it will be worth it all to hear today. I'll let you know more later and how offended I am.

She writes about her coming down here to Alabama in She Says.

She apparently was at the a Willow Creek conference and you can see a preview of the clip here:
I think I am buying the dvd if they have it here at our workshop.

Prayer Summit Day 2

This is a picture of the lake at Camp Sumatanga. It has a nice walking trail around it. We are surrounded by mountains. The wind is too much and too cold coming off the lake. I have been hiking the trails around the creek and the mountain, the wind is blocked from them. I love this place. Such a place of peace and joy and rest.

Day 2 was such an awesome day of prayer, singing, worshiping, resting. We prayed for our families, our children, for each other, for our hurts. As one person said, it felt like therapy, although we did not do the therapy, the Holy Spirit did. We prayed. We prayed for the adult children who are "prodigals" and we prayed for their parents. So many of the ministers have adult children who don't want to have anything to do with the church, and some who are into drugs and alcohol, some who are very wounded. It was so powerful to pray for these children and for their parents. We broke up into small groups to pray for each other and our children.

Who would have thought that this would have been part of a prayer summit for North AL. I certainly wouldn't have? And yet I see for us to get to the vision of God we must lay our burdens down, be honest seek the healing power of Jesus. As we prayed, I thought of all the parents I know, just that I know whose sons and daughters have left the church, have gone their own way, are into drugs and alcohol or whatever. I thought of them and their continuing to be faithful. I felt that our praying for each other was a microcosm of praying for all our children and all our parents.

Wow, I am tired, but blessed.

Prayer Summit Day 1

Lots of praying. Lots of singing praise songs and hymns. Lots of reading of scripture.

It is without an agenda. The facilitator said that he had no idea where we are going either, that we were to listen to the Holy Spirit speak to us and through us.

Toward then end of the afternoon he had has focus though on the scripture God is love. God loves us. Well that became the turning point for the whole group. He said we were all seeking an encounter with God. He had us then reflect on the point we knew God loved us.

For about an hour and half he had us go walk with God and talk to him about his love for us. Who had he sent that showed us that love? Who had he sent that performed what he called a rescue operation of us.

Then after Supper we came back to pray about the above.

I am not sure I know how to write about this, just yet. It is different than anything I have been to. I am glad I am here. I'll write more later.

Prayer Summit

From this Monday until Thursday, I am gone to a Prayer Summit at Camp Sumatanga for the North Alabama Conference of UMC. Never been to one. Don't know what all is going to take place. Don't know what direction it is going in. I do know I believe in prayer. I do believe our conference needs prayer. I need prayer. Our Pastors need prayer. Our Bishop and Cabinet need prayer. Our churches need prayer. Our church leaders need prayer. Our church members need prayer. So until I have been through this I really won't know what to say.

I know there is internet connection at Sumantanga, but whether I will be able to use it or have time to use it, I don't know.

I do know this comes from International Renewal Ministries. (I find myself reacting to the main picture, and the male language, ie "Godly-men".)

Two of the N. A. pastors, Robin Scott and Paul Lawler have put this together. They felt led to present this to the Bishop to have his okay to do this. He agreed and they then proceeded with the planning of it. They have removed themselves as the leaders or facilitators, and are bringing in an outside facilitator from IRM to lead it. Robin found himself concerned about our conference after the last Annual Conf. (I don't blame him, I have been concerned for a long time.) So after prayer he discussed this matter with Paul, his friend, who is involved in a Prayer Summit in Huntsville. He suggested this. So I am going, and I'll let you know how it goes.

Hey what about praying for General Conf?