Monday Afternoon, Almost Back from Conference Edition

I’m physically back from Conference, but still tired and yet elated. In the interests of informing my eager readership (all three or four of you) and also of procrastinating from other things, here’s my report on General Conference.

You can read Rev. Dona Q.’s version of events on her biog (http://revdonaquixote.blogspot.com/) just be aware that there are many versions of truth. That is, I did indeed experience snorting beverages, but I think they were both RDQ’s fault. Or one was, and the other was the fault of Honest Lawyer. They were not my fault. OK, they were. But we were having fun.

Highlights for me were:

Clergy conference. Wonderful speakers (including James Nelson), powerful worship services, and incredible fellowship made these three days very special. One of the things I love about conference is getting to spend time with clergy colleagues I may email with regularly (or not so regularly—sorry, Honest Lawyer and Former Baptist!), even have lunch with—but don’t always have time to sit and talk with. Clergy conference gave us time to do that. CC was also emotional for me, as I spoke up, for the first time, in front of my clergy colleagues and my superiors in the denomination, about my frustrations and pain and anger about the way I (and many others in my position) are forced to do ministry. I hate crying in public, and there I was, in front of fifty or sixty of my colleagues, weeping. But I know I spoke for others in the room too, they were not only my tears.

General Conference. I was so proud to be living in Canada! The pastor of MCC Toronto, Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, has been awarded the Order of Canada for his civil rights work. This is the highest honour a Canadian citizen can earn. We gave him a standing ovation. The preachers were amazing. Like RDQ, I am so buying the CD of Rev. Lynice Pinkard’s sermon “What’s Love Got to Do With It?”—quite possibly the best sermon I have heard in my life. Bible study, business meetings, plenary sessions…much to learn, much to share. I think I even educated Brit Boy, emailing him notes from sessions between times. Got to love wifi…. I also want to mention the music at worship—consistently wonderful.

Special photo coming soon….