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Christian conferencing,  holy conferencing. . .

Dr. Bill Wilson

It is that time of year when we share together in the rhythm of being United Methodist – Annual Conference! And, for some of us, a return from the quadrennial gathering of the global United Methodist Church in Fort Worth as the West Virginia Conference delegation and others of us working for the General Conferences sessions participated in the quadrennial General Conference.  As United Methodists we are connected to each other through conferencing. We have in our local churches an annual Charge Conference chaired by our District Superintendents. Our local congregations are connected together as an Annual Conference, and the West Virginia Annual Conference is connected with the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference where our bishops are elected and assigned.  We are an Annual Conference in the global United Methodist Church where the General Conference speaks and gives direction to our mission and purpose as United Methodist followers of Jesus Christ. 

All of these conferences have their roots in the first conference between Rev. John Wesley and some Methodist preachers held in London, England in November 1739.   From that year forward they agreed to meet in London every year on the day before Ascension Day (in April or May).  The purpose of their annual meeting was discussion of theological and doctrinal issues, prayer, worship, mutual support, and accountability for Christian discipleship.  John Wesley understood this conferencing to be one of the means of grace, along with prayer, worship, the Lord’s Supper, Bible reading and study, and fasting or abstinence.   He understood the purpose of conferencing as some of the best practices given by God to the Church in order to lead people to be followers of Jesus Christ and to keep persons in relationship with Christ.

The West Virginia Annual Conference will gather in the great tradition of our Wesleyan heritage to engage in Christian conferencing. This holy conferencing will look a little different this year as we begin a four year focus of renewing our purpose as a Church – “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”  We will gather in Buckhannon in June with time around the Lord’s table,  a series of preaching services,  Bible Study, and worshipful work with wonderful music from across the world.   We will remember our life together and we will be challenged about being the body of Christ as we reach out to share Christ with others.  We will carry out the business of the conference by electing persons to program and administrative ministry and adopting a budget for our work.  We will celebrate our ministry and mission of the churches and pastors and local communities that make up the West Virginia Annual Conference.   We will renew relationships and make new ones.    We will experience the ordination and commissioning of persons to engage in ministry and the retirements of those who have been serving faithfully.   We will be energized to carry out our vision as the West Virginia Annual Conference – that, “all persons are on a journey of Christ-like holiness”.

Join with me in remembering and praying for our Resident Bishop, Ernest S. Lyght, as he presides and leads us in this year’s Annual Conference gathering;  remember all clergy who serve in the life of the Annual Conference as pastors and other ministries;  remember in prayer all lay members from churches and districts of the Annual Conference.    Join me in praying that God’s Spirit guides and directs all that we do and say.  Pray that we will be attentive to God’s grace through all we experience, through the preaching of Rev. Dr. Walter Kimbrough, through the Bible study leadership of Mrs. Marjorie Kimbrough, through the musical leadership of Jorge Lockward,  good fellowship and thoughtful decision making.

 Grace and peace,

Bill