I’ve just returned home to Fort Worth after spending a week with my fellow bishops of the United Methodist Church at the twice-yearly Council of Bishops meeting. The meeting, which began with a memorial worship service on Sunday, Nov. 4, was held at ...
A while back a friend called my attention to a March 2013 article by David Brooks entitled “How Movements Recover.” A part of what grabbed my interest is the often repeated comment about the “Methodist” movement. Movemental growth in the church for a...
One of great ministries taking place in the Central Texas Conference is Methodist Justice Ministry (MJM) under the leadership of Rev. Brooks Harrington. MJM is an outgrowth of First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth, Texas. Their website (http://...
When the first George Bush (that is George Herbert Walker Bush) was President, he lifted up what he called for “1,000 Points of Lght.” President Bush urged us to focus on the better side of our nature by lifting up organizations (ministries) that ...
One of the great Focus Areas of the United Methodist Church during the last eight years has been combating killer diseases. In particular, the United Methodist Church has focused on combating the killer disease of malaria through Nothing But Nets and...
In May of 2008 Jolynn took a trip to Ethiopia with the group from the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio (where she was serving as a faculty member). The trip was led by a retired Lutheran Missionary whose place on the UIW faculty ...
A critical central core strategy of the Central Texas Conference comes straight from the Four Focus Areas of the United Methodist Church – ministry with the poor. Two quotes come to mind. The first grows from the soil of Methodism in its original ...
It was Sunday morning, August 18th, and as we dressed to go to church the music floated in the open window at Pembroke College, Oxford University. The night before we had been debating whether to go to Wesley Memorial Methodist Church (think First ...
The night before the recent CTC Conference on Stewardship, the Cabinet met with Clif Christopher and Joe Park (the Conference teachers). Those of you who know stewardship and know Clif are aware that the subject is really spiritual formation, mission...
The last part of this week has been fascinating. It is include much of the key elements of the Wesleyan way of being Christian in my life. Thursday morning opened with a breakfast with my prayer and accountability partner. It is a way I stay grounded...
As we go through the work of the Council of Bishops, we (the bishops) by necessity operate at a 30,000 foot level (leading a worldwide church). And yet I find my mind and heart going back to the hands on sharing of the gospel of Christ. On the ...
Yesterday I was in Nashville preparing the presentation on the Four Focus Areas (New Places for New People, Leadership Development, Ministry with the Poor, and Combating Killer Diseases – Imagine No Malaria) for General Conference. As we worked, all ...
“There is one looming adaptive challenge that we can address only through major learning, innovation, and the wisdom of everyone through Christian conferencing. The United Methodist Church in the United States has a future only to the extent that it ...
Just prior to Christmas, I had the joy and privilege to visit the Project 44 Farm. Many of you know about Project 44 which began as a ministry to refurbish donated cars and give them to those in need. That wonderful ministry continues to grow. Not ...
This year we have continued our special emphasis on the Focus Area - Imagine No Malaria (INM). Nothing But Nets was step one in this mission, and last year we expanded our efforts to INM. We asked congregations to engage in special giving to this ...
The first part of this week, I am at a Healthy Church Initiative workshop being attended by the Cabinet, some members of the Conference staff, and our Lay Leaders (Steve McIver and Kim Simpson). In major part, we are investigating a major tool for ...
As of Monday our Conference offering for Glen Lake is $39,379. This is a remarkable response of extravagant generosity far exceeding our goal of $23,000. In addition those at Conference also responded with great generosity in lunch giving to spring ...
Currently the Central Texas Conference is engaged in a major emphasis called Imagine No Malaria. It is a passion for me and (I believe) for us as Christ followers. Such a great ministry springs from the larger connectional church of which we are a ...
I see the Spirit of the Lord moving among us as we struggle to engage the church we love in transformation. Over and over again, the call of a new day in the Lord beckons us into the future. Recently this conviction has come to me through a variety ...
It has been a busy week getting back into the flow of ministry after time out for vacation and the School for Congregational Development. While gone I had the opportunity to engage in some stimulating reading: Jesus Wars by Philip Jenkins, Church ...
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I am at Duke for the Episcopal Leadership Forum. Yesterday (Monday) we heard from three outstanding presenters – Dr. Dana Robert, Dr. Gil Rendle and Mr. Gary Shorb. Each was insightful and challenging. Dr. Robert is on ...
Starting Sunday evening, May 2nd, I will be at the Council of Bishops meeting and remain for an additional two days for a meeting of a Task Group of Bishops and General Secretaries on aligning our church with the Four Focus Areas: combating the ...