New England Annual Conference Follow-ups
By request, I’m sending along a few excerpts from last week’s Conference (United Methodist) in Danvers, Mass.
The Episcopal Address (State of the Church), which I mentioned in my sermon on Sunday, is available to watch or download from Vimeo. Highlights include:
41:20 - Bishop addresses the emerging climate in our country.
48:50 - New United Methodist Vision statement: love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.
Kyle Williams and Kamal Carter of A Long Talk presented at a plenary session on Thursday afternoon. Their urgent, engaging and compelling approach to anti-racist work provides a clear and hopeful path for both seasoned justice seekers and those new to the work. I highly recommend finding an hour or so to watch their full presentation. As I mentioned on Sunday, an invitation will be extended soon to participate in a 21-day anti-racist activation experience. Please let me know if you’re interested. I was able to participate earlier this year and will be doing so again. I’d love to have you join me.
You can also view written recaps of the sessions on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and then visit the Conference’s YouTube page to watch the portions of greatest interest.
If you are interested in attending this conference in the future, we already have dates! Next year (2026), it will be held in Manchester, New Hampshire from June 3-6. If you are a United Methodist member of UCU, you would be eligible to serve as a voting delegate, either on behalf of our church, or as an equalization member from our district. If you are not a UM member, you could still attend as a guest, experiencing the worship, speakers, mission celebrations, and observing plenary voting sessions. For those of you discerning membership, this (or the Vermont Conference UCC meeting) can be a great way to experience the greater body of Christ in our region.
I hope everyone’s finding ways to stay cool this week. Please continue to check in on your neighbors, drink plenty of water, and save physically demanding tasks for the cooler parts of the day.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday for our last sanctuary service before we move outside for the summer. Worship will include a few more recognitions and thank yous, as well as our birthday bank offering.
Pastor Jen
