[RMC News] The First Evening of General Conference 2008 [Two-Steppin Report - Conference Communications Team]

[Strickland, Skip]

Subject: The First Evening of General Conference 2008 [Two-Steppin Report - Conference Communications Team]
 
Skip Strickland wrote:

This is our written "Two Stepping in Texas" Report for April 22, 2008. Remember Olon and I are also working on a video report <http://rmcvideo.org/gc08/dailytwosteppin.htm>  each day. Yesterday we used humor to share about preparation for General Conference. Today we recognize that the delegates gather to do important, serious work. What they decide impacts all who identify themself as a United Methodist Christian. Pray for their work.

The morning agenda features a number of persons from the Rocky Mountain Conference. Remember you can watch the initial young people's address through live video streaming on the web at www.umc.org features two of our own young people, Andrew Craig and the Rev. Annie Rigo Arnoldy. Plus Yong Hui V. McDonald and her prison ministry was featured in the episcopal address by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher. You can find out more about this address by going to UMC.org and finding the the General Conference link.

Now enjoy this reflection by Olon. 

General Conference 2008 
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 
Fort Worth, Texas 

The center of the evening's schedule was the Eucharistic Table. 



The center of the Auditorium was the Eucharistic Table. 

Time and Space was all about beginning the General Conference surrounding the Lord's Table for the One Loaf and the Common Cup! 

Visualize the rectangular indoor sports arena transformed into rows and rows of delegate seating. All of the delegates and guests are facing the platform with the Bishops and a font and altar and pulpit. Majestic stretched bands of cloth stream over the heads of the Bishops on the platform and the worship area is a blast of color and light. The floor of the conference is four rectangular sections with isles that form a cross. And there in the center of the intersection of the isles, a round table crafted from wood from the debris of the Mississippi gulf coast storm, Katrina. So too are the pulpit, baptismal font and altar all crafted from the gulf coast wood. 6500 people all in what has become a circle surrounding the center round 'Lord's Table.' 

Into the center of the worship whirlwind is the voice of Bishop Janice Huie. The Bishop who is completing her year of being President of the Council of the Bishops offered a message calling the Conference to a place of faithfulness. She offers an expression that brings the first round of applause, "We come to this place and with fear that the church will want to discuss the relevant social issues of the day. Others come fearing that the church will discuss the relevant issues of the day. And in truth, we arrive knowing that all sin and fall short of the glory of God." She Spoke of how our church often offers a hope that can be likened to "marsh mellow" hope, sweet and appealing, soft and inviting, but when put to the fire . it is up in smoke. "Resurrection" hope is more of what the church is about. She offered a powerful word: 

"Resurrection hope transforms lives and changes futures." 

That felt like the core of the message as she then pointed us toward the table. Bishop Huie is the joined at the table with the President of the Council elect, Bishop Palmer. His large frame and bigger voice calls all in the room to focus at the center of the room. All are invited to stand and face the table and celebrate the loaf and cup! As the mass of people move toward the stations with bread and cup, singing fills the room. During the singing of "let us break bread together," when we begin to sing, "Lord have mercy on me." all in the room could hear the voice of one lone infant crying. 

The General Conference opening worship closes with the rousing singing of "Glory, glory, hallelujah! Since I laid my burdens down." Mark Miller a song leader and composer of The Faith We Sing, "Communion Setting" music leads the singing that rocks the house in the tradition of African American folk singing. 

There at the center was the Eucharistic Table. 

Then Bishop Huie says, Please have a standing break for five minutes. Eventually she calls the Conference to Order for the General Conference of 2008. There is applause and some cheers. She says there is no time for adjournment on the agenda. "We have nine items, let's get started." So the worship spirit is quickly replaced with the matters of business. The list: Organization of the General Conference - Setting the Bar of the Conference, Testing the Voting System, Rules Report & Adoption, Commission on the General Conference Report, Election of Coordinator of the Calendar, Report of the Committee on Agenda (AND THE REV. Dr. YOUNGSOOK KANG IS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE!!), Sensitivity Training, Emergency Procedures, Other Matters, Announcements. 

Into the night and into the tail end of a Texas rainstorm all the delegates file out of the General Conference Convention Center. Each desiring to be in bed prior to 11pm and each planning to be at a morning gathering at 7am! 

So it was that the first official day of General Conference began with an evening centered with the Eucharistic Table. 

April 23, 2008 

Observations by: 

Olon Mulford Lindemood 
Assistant to the Rocky Mountain Conference Director of Communications. 



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