annual conference
As one of Central’s lay delegates, I had the opportunity to attend the Texas Annual Conference for the first time last week. I did not grow up in the Methodist Church and have only been an official member since partnering with Central a few years ago. I walked into the Opening Worship service on Sunday night with no preconceived notions of what to expect.
The theme of this year’s conference was “Reinvigorate” so the creative arts team kicked off the service with music and spoken word centered around reviving and renewing God’s call on our lives. The table of Central folks was wrapped in joy as we proudly watched our very own Ezra Bordelon share his talent and heart with everyone. Throughout the week, so many people approached us to compliment Ezra’s voice and leadership. I felt like I was part of a rock star’s entourage! It was a great reminder of how lucky we are to have his creativity every single week at Central.
“Reinvigorate” was a fitting choice for the gathering as everyone is still adjusting to the recent split of the denomination. Almost half of the churches in the Texas Annual Conference chose to disaffiliate and join the Global Methodist Church in December 2022. Bishop Harvey’s Episcopal Address called us to reimagine the future of the church and to unite in our mission. She unraveled the familiar story of Lazarus in a way that I had never heard before.
On Monday, the lay delegates and clergy voted on ratification of four constitutional amendments. These amendments were approved by General Conference held in May 2024 but must be ratified by a ⅔ aggregate vote of conferences all around the world to become church law. These amendments related to regionalization, inclusiveness of the church, racial justice, and educational requirements for clergy members. For the past few weeks, your delegates from Central have discussed these topics amongst ourselves and have also reviewed materials from the Texas Annual Conference and UMC regarding these issues. We believe that the ratification of these amendments will be beneficial to the church. The results of the aggregate tally should be available in early 2026.
Pastor Julia co-chairs Reconciling United Methodists - Texas Conference (RUMTX), a group dedicated to the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ folks in the UMC. They hosted a Happy Hour event at Frost Town Brewery on Monday night where we were able to celebrate the progress of the church while also recognizing that the work is not over. I am constantly in awe of Julia’s dedication to this cause. I have watched her gently remind so many people that they are fiercely loved by God. She is a powerhouse of knowledge, goodness, and grace. (How did we get so lucky?)
Tuesday morning’s keynote speakers introduced us to the 3 Practice Circle model for navigating conversations. The three practices are: 1) I’ll practice being unusually interested in others. 2) I’ll stay in the room with difference. 3) I’ll stop comparing my best with your worst. The Central staff believe that this will be a valuable tool as we plan discussions among congregants, community members, church council, staff, and community partners.
At the business meeting on Tuesday afternoon, Pastor Michael was surprised with the Eric Anderson award. This award is given by First Methodist UMC in memory of Pastor Eric Anderson. Eric had a magnanimous spirit, a selfless approach to ministry, the heart of an evangelist, a concern for all (especially the disenfranchised), and was a beloved team player among all with whom he worked. One young clergyperson that embodies these same characteristics is chosen each year to receive this award. Central’s table went wild on behalf of all of you! We all know what an amazing gift Michael is to our community and it was fun to see that acknowledged at the conference level.
We were also doubly delighted to see Mackenzie, our pastoral intern serving at Central, and Connor, a pastoral intern from Central that is serving at Bellaire UMC, be recognized for the work they are doing this summer.
There were so many other special moments that took place throughout the week - retirement services, ordination services, more worship, and a LOT of business reports. I learned about so many programs that the UMC offers that I think that would be of interest to our community. I plan to highlight some of these throughout the year. Some of you may recall the Thrive markers that Pastors Julia and Michael introduced earlier this year. These five elements - Clarity, Kinship, Joy, Abundance, and Witness - stayed at the forefront of this gathering to remind all of us of our shared ministry goals. The staff at Central is committed to Thrive! and spent the day on Thursday vision casting and working to create a cohesive story that describes the work that happens here in each of us and in our building.
If you would like more information on the amendments or any of the other conference news, please reach out to one of the pastors or staff. We would be happy to have coffee and discuss!
The theme of this year’s conference was “Reinvigorate” so the creative arts team kicked off the service with music and spoken word centered around reviving and renewing God’s call on our lives. The table of Central folks was wrapped in joy as we proudly watched our very own Ezra Bordelon share his talent and heart with everyone. Throughout the week, so many people approached us to compliment Ezra’s voice and leadership. I felt like I was part of a rock star’s entourage! It was a great reminder of how lucky we are to have his creativity every single week at Central.
“Reinvigorate” was a fitting choice for the gathering as everyone is still adjusting to the recent split of the denomination. Almost half of the churches in the Texas Annual Conference chose to disaffiliate and join the Global Methodist Church in December 2022. Bishop Harvey’s Episcopal Address called us to reimagine the future of the church and to unite in our mission. She unraveled the familiar story of Lazarus in a way that I had never heard before.
On Monday, the lay delegates and clergy voted on ratification of four constitutional amendments. These amendments were approved by General Conference held in May 2024 but must be ratified by a ⅔ aggregate vote of conferences all around the world to become church law. These amendments related to regionalization, inclusiveness of the church, racial justice, and educational requirements for clergy members. For the past few weeks, your delegates from Central have discussed these topics amongst ourselves and have also reviewed materials from the Texas Annual Conference and UMC regarding these issues. We believe that the ratification of these amendments will be beneficial to the church. The results of the aggregate tally should be available in early 2026.
Pastor Julia co-chairs Reconciling United Methodists - Texas Conference (RUMTX), a group dedicated to the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ folks in the UMC. They hosted a Happy Hour event at Frost Town Brewery on Monday night where we were able to celebrate the progress of the church while also recognizing that the work is not over. I am constantly in awe of Julia’s dedication to this cause. I have watched her gently remind so many people that they are fiercely loved by God. She is a powerhouse of knowledge, goodness, and grace. (How did we get so lucky?)
Tuesday morning’s keynote speakers introduced us to the 3 Practice Circle model for navigating conversations. The three practices are: 1) I’ll practice being unusually interested in others. 2) I’ll stay in the room with difference. 3) I’ll stop comparing my best with your worst. The Central staff believe that this will be a valuable tool as we plan discussions among congregants, community members, church council, staff, and community partners.
At the business meeting on Tuesday afternoon, Pastor Michael was surprised with the Eric Anderson award. This award is given by First Methodist UMC in memory of Pastor Eric Anderson. Eric had a magnanimous spirit, a selfless approach to ministry, the heart of an evangelist, a concern for all (especially the disenfranchised), and was a beloved team player among all with whom he worked. One young clergyperson that embodies these same characteristics is chosen each year to receive this award. Central’s table went wild on behalf of all of you! We all know what an amazing gift Michael is to our community and it was fun to see that acknowledged at the conference level.
We were also doubly delighted to see Mackenzie, our pastoral intern serving at Central, and Connor, a pastoral intern from Central that is serving at Bellaire UMC, be recognized for the work they are doing this summer.
There were so many other special moments that took place throughout the week - retirement services, ordination services, more worship, and a LOT of business reports. I learned about so many programs that the UMC offers that I think that would be of interest to our community. I plan to highlight some of these throughout the year. Some of you may recall the Thrive markers that Pastors Julia and Michael introduced earlier this year. These five elements - Clarity, Kinship, Joy, Abundance, and Witness - stayed at the forefront of this gathering to remind all of us of our shared ministry goals. The staff at Central is committed to Thrive! and spent the day on Thursday vision casting and working to create a cohesive story that describes the work that happens here in each of us and in our building.
If you would like more information on the amendments or any of the other conference news, please reach out to one of the pastors or staff. We would be happy to have coffee and discuss!
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