If you blinked, you would’ve missed a bevy of movements occurring around us. Indeed, there has been no shortage of activity within the life of the church, both on the local and denominational levels. Given the measures we’ve taken (and will continue to take) in order to navigate the recent permutations of General Conference (I’ll provide us greater details on steps we’ll assume as a congregation in September’s Spire), it would be easy to overlook other noteworthy movements, especially within the bounds of our Annual Conference (WV & Garrett County, MD).
Bishop Sandra Steiner-Ball has faithfully served as our episcopal leader for 12 years (the maximum term for a UM bishop in any given annual conference). During her tenure, she’s provided exceptional care and has offered us innovation, strong, discerning leadership and a spirit of unity that isn’t always present in other areas of our denominational life. We’ve been blessed by her ministry with us and we’re prayerful for her as she and Barry now shift their sights on serving the Western PA Conference.
Meanwhile, we ready ourselves for similar transitions and new opportunities:
Officially, come September, the WV area will welcome a new bishop, Debra Wallace-Padgett. Bishop Debra and her husband, Lee, come to us from the North Alabama and Holston Conferences, located in the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Uniquely, she is the only bishop who will “rove” between jurisdictions, leading both Holston and WV Conferences (the imbedded picture outlines the Holston area). Accordingly, it is with optimism that we anticipate new, creative partnerships and shared resources in a rapidly evolving ministry context.
Brothers and sisters, I’ve said it before and it bears repeating: Though it goes against every impulse we have when it feels as though life is in flux, we must remember that uncertainty doesn’t justify immobility. Uncertainty about the future doesn’t legitimize immobility in faith or stagnancy in mission. May we bind together as a people who follow in The Way. May we take to heart the reality that our God is, indeed, Alpha and Omega—the God of the our beginnings and ends, but acknowledge this too: Our Lord blesses and buoys all those in-between as well. In fact, scan the scriptures and see that most—if not all of the miraculous movements of the Lord occur in the middle. Join me in that confidence as we sojourn to present Christ to the community around us!
