Greetings on this Friday May 13, 2016

Yesterday morning the decision was made on the “Rule 44”, or utilizing Christian Conferencing, for certain petitions that the conference will be working on.    This decision is probably the best one at this time, as there is a real need for training and educating on how to facilitate and proceed forward in this way of making decisions when working as a global church. Hopefully that will happen within this next four years, and the next General Conference will be able to use this tool to make decisions.   That conference will be held in Minnesota.   Following that conference the church will meet in other areas of the world and not be automatically in the United States.

Right now I am listening to a 14 year old girl, Hanna, who is giving the Youth Address to the plenary (the main gathering of this conference).  She has been the force behind building water wells in an area of Africa – an inspiration to us all and an example of how very important are the youth of our local churches!

The legislative process has begun and will continue through Saturday….which will be the one night that will last until 9:00 pm.   I am observing one of the two Local Church sub-groups which will deal with just over 30 petitions; most of the areas working with petitions have 100 to 200 petitions and more sub-groups to deal with their work.

Remember people of Parker UMC that this Sunday is Pentacost Sunday.  Be praying for the Holy Spirit to come upon this gathering of UMs and on churches around the world!

 

Ruth Wills