Our hope is that Annual Conference will be more than a meeting. We envision it as a time of retreat where we—both as individuals and as a conference—Our hope is that Annual Conference will be more than a meeting. We envision it as a time of retreat where we—both as individuals and as a conference—can realign our lives and ministries with the Holy Spirit.
When I think about “keeping in step,” I picture different running partners I have had over the years. In my first appointment, I had a workout partner who was 6'3" with long legs. When we ran together, it felt like I took two steps for every one of his long strides. Years later I ran with my son when he was in junior high cross country. I assumed his younger legs would outpace me—but instead I found myself slowing down to match his rhythm.
Running together requires paying attention to someone else’s stride.
The same is true for our life with the Spirit. We must learn to pay attention to the Spirit’s pace and movement.
Annual Conference can sometimes feel like a sprint—we only have a few days to worship, pray, learn, and connect together. Yet seasons like Lent invite us into a different rhythm. During these forty days I am trying to slow down: letting go of distractions, creating quiet space in my schedule, and listening more carefully for the Spirit’s leading.
My prayer is that we will all learn to move in step with the Spirit.
I invite you to join us for a blessed, Spirit-filled time at Annual Conference. Registration is now open, and I encourage you to begin making plans to attend.
I also ask you to join in prayer as we prepare. Please pray for our global denomination as we move toward General Conference this fall in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Spirit will be doing important work there as our Global Methodist Church connection continues to grow, now with more than 7,000 churches around the world.
And please pray for our shared ministry here in the Upper Midwest Conference. God is calling us forward together.
May we learn to keep in step with the Spirit as we walk the path before us.
