A Future with Hope

"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Ephesians 4:1-3

General Conference begins next week. This will be my sixth General Conference, and each time, I go with excitement, anticipation, a little dread and some nervousness. But over the years my over-riding reaction to this once every four year event is excitement.

What I look forward to most of all is the worship. It is truly amazing! The music is varied and beautifully done; the visual impact is breath-taking; the preaching is inspiring. Worship undergirds the entire General Conference experience – beginning with opening worship, starting each day with worship, sharing Eucharist each noon, offering prayer stations throughout, and finally concluding our work with closing worship. The entire event is steeped in worship – as well it should be, for how can we listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit – how can we remind ourselves Whose we are and what we are truly about – unless we take time to worship?

However, as we are all too aware, even in the midst of these high points of General Conference, there are also moments that are extremely difficult – moments filled with passion and emotion –moments that cause pain and division.

So, as we approach this important gathering of United Methodists, The Commission on the General Conference offers this framework for our time together. Let me share a condensed version for you to consider as we, too, come together as Christians in any context.

Guidelines for Holy Conferencing – What God Expects of Us

• Every person is a child of God. Always speak respectfully. One can disagree without being disagreeable.
• Be open to the possibility that God can change the views of any or all parties in the discussion.
• Listen patiently before formulating responses.
• Strive to understand the experience out of which others have arrived at their views.
• Be careful how you express personal offense at differing opinions.
• Accurately reflect the views of others when speaking.
• Avoid using inflammatory words, derogatory names, or an excited and angry voice.
• Avoid making generalizations about individuals and groups.
• Make use of facilitators and mediators.
• Remember that people are defined, ultimately, by their relationship with God – not by the flaws we discover, or think we discover, in their views and actions.

Wise words – for General Conference, Annual Conference, or anywhere we gather as Christians.

So as United Methodists from around the world begin to gather in the next few days, please hold us all in prayer. In fact, I would suggest that daily you pray this prayer offered by the Hosting Committee of the Central Texas Conference:

O Holy One, Be Thou our vision for the church …
For all the United Methodist conferences …

We pray for Your guidance and Your strength. Be Thou our Vision for the world…
We pray for Your justice and Your peace. For Your amazing grace… Help us to see what we need to see… Help us to be who You call us to be…

O Holy One, Let our breathing lead us into a place of ever deepening faith.

Let us be awake to the Divine Indwelling where you promise, “I shall live in them and I shall walk the corridors of their heart.”

Let this be a time of … Holy Listening … Holy Conversations … and Holy Conferencing.

Amen

It is my prayer that God’s spirit and wisdom will guide all our words and our actions, so that when our work is done, it is God’s work that has been done and God’s name that was praised.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility. … So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” (Ephesians 2:13-14, 19)