Tuesday, I met with clergy from across New Mexico and El Paso in Albuquerque, while on Wednesday I met with clergy from across Arizona. This was the first Annual Southwest Conference Clergy Convocation - an event at which our clergy will gather to discuss topics relevant to our time.
In both settings, we reflected on our calls to ministry in a time of prayerful reflection and devotion. We then spent some time talking about the challenges and the joys we experience in our settings for ministry.
The Albuquerue crowd spent the rest of their time talking about changes they see coming in their ministry settings and about strategies for the Southwest Conference becoming more Multi-Cultural.
The Phoenix crowd began with the same prayerful reflections, but after that decided they would spend their time addressing the questions of effective means of Stewardship in times of diminishing resources and about how to maintain the integrity of the gospel's prophetic edge when many of our members are telling us not to mix religion and politics.
These were two very valuable days for me, and I want to thank all of my colleagues in ministry who gave time out of their busy, busy lives to be fully present for the Convocation. I look forward to doing this again next year.
No comments:
Post a Comment