Pastor Christopher's Commissioning

The highlight of yesterday's annual conference was Christopher's commissioning. Bishop Robert Schnase was powerful and challenging. Bishop Jone's state of the conference address asked us to reach for excellence. The highlight of every annual conference, every year, for me is the ordination and commissioning service.

Thirty five years ago, at annual conference in Sam's Chapel at Kansas Wesleyan University I received my call. Each year, where ever ordination is held, I go and celebrate and remember. It was a delight to stand with Christopher and his family as a sponsor as he was commissioned as a provisional member of the conference. It was an honor to watch as the bishop blessed him and others as they continued the journey to full membership and ordination.

In his sermon, the bishop charged us as followers of Christ to bring people from darkness into light. To leave to the darkness our fears, our prejudices and those hateful violent impulses that we might live in love, in faith and in hope. Christopher and the other ordinands and commissioned were challenged to be bearers of the good news to all people.

We are challenged as well. We are invited to continue to lift Christopher up in prayer as he continues the journey. We are challenged to find others whom God is calling and we are called to also be the ones to invite others into a life changing relationship with God.

I am grateful to remember my call, but more importantly to live it out and to share with Christopher and others.

Will post more highlights from conference in the next day or two.

I am....

Graced to Serve.
Cindy