[RMC News] [General Conference News] Delegate Reflection April 29. Rev. Carolyn Waters

[Strickland, Skip]

The first reserve clergy delegate, Rev. Carolyn Waters, writes the following remarks. Rev. Waters is the Senior Pastor at Christ UMC, Denver, Colorado.  Rev. Waters reflects from Forth Worth, Texas as she is attending the 2008 General Conference.  (Rev. Waters can be seen in a digital video-cast at the rmcumc.org website):


Reflections from General Conference 2008-04-29
 
As I take a few minutes to reflect on Tuesday April 29th, the discussion of Episcopal Leadership is happening on the floor of the General Conference. I desire to give you some sense of feeling and emotion about being here.  The Two-Stepping Team has done such a great job of giving you the agenda and content of each day, I’d like to give you a little of the heart and soul.
 
There are moments of feeling extreme pride about being a part of such a wonderful connection.  It’s the same feeling I’ve had all of my adult life when driving past any sign that has “Methodist” or “United Methodist” on it and responding in my heart by saying “I’m a part of that!”
 
But there are also moments of hanging my head and responding, “Am I really a part of that?”  My response thus far at being present at General Conference is to say: “The United Methodist Church is Not For Sale!”  We will hold true to the intention and spirit of  our Wesleyan tradition that represents the social gospel and a ministry of justice and compassion.
 
All of what we are doing here is good and all of it is important.  Even the parts that make me angry or sad matter greatly.  The most encouraging symbol of this General Conference is the presence of newly elected delegates and “young” or “youthful” delegates. This group of delegates has a true vision of “hope” that transcends our years of tradition and individual agendas.
 
Yesterday I saw a lay delegate from the Oklahoma Conference that was the first elected lay delegate when I was in Oklahoma 35 years ago!  I said: “What are you still doing here? You should give this up to the new generation!”  To which he said, “I’ve been thinking about that!”
 
Our church has to move forward.  We have to move on.  The world is moving forward, and we are dragging our feet in the sand.  The “Future with Hope” starts by letting go of the control we only imagine to have. There is amazing hope facing my home community of Denver.  There is amazing hope facing the Western Jurisdiction.  There is a wonderful hope facing the people called United Methodist.  We will welcome that hope if we walk into it without fear. We will embrace that future if we walk into it with God in our lives.
 
Carolyn Waters
1st Clergy Reserve Delegate
Christ Church, Denver, Co
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