so this is the week. (how many of my posts start of with the word "so?" it is this awful verbal habit of mine to start every sentence with that word. sorry). so anyway, this is the week. one way of looking at is that i have been looking forward to this week for 10 years.
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and here i am.
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in less than 24 hours i will be driving to valley forge, pa. to attend the annnual conference at which i will be ordained as an elder in the united methodist church.
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annual conference is always a mixed bag for me. for those of you who are not methodists, or who are not familiar with our methods, the basic unit of the united methodist church is the annual conference, which is made up of clergy and laity from all the united methodist churches in a particular geographic area. in this case it is the greater new jersey annual conference which means it is all of new jersey plus a few churches in new york and pennsylvania. we gather together once a year to do all of our official business, to worship together, to be connected with one another, and to set the course for the next year in ministry.
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and as i said, it is always a mixed bag for me. it is at once too long and too short. it is too long in that it breaks my normal rhythm as a pastor and keeps me out of the office (and away from my family) for 3 days, making it difficult to do the things i need to do in the local church that week. and sometimes, sitting in the midst of a debate about how health care costs ought to be paid by a variety of funds yadda yadda yadda, it feels reeeeeaaallllyyyy long. but on the other hand, when it comes to spending some time with all my friends and colleagues, sharing a meal with someone i haven't seen in a year, and worshipping together as a powerful body, it isn't nearly long enough. i am always dreading it and anticipating it at the same time.
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but this year is different. this year i am really excited about it. i am just so ready for it to be here. i am ready to go through all the things i have to go through for ordination to occur. it is like graduation week in school. all the seniors get to go the gym to go over details and stuff like that. that's how i feel. i have butterflies of anticipation in my gut.
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i have been invited to blog about my experience at annual conference this year, along with some others who will be doing the same. you can check it out here, if you are interested. i have also been told that the conference will be streamed live, which means if any of you want to watch my ordination, you should be able to do that. whenever i find out the web address of that stream, i will let you know.
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so, think of me tomorrow as i am driving to my destination, marching to a milestone. i'm ready.
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grace and peace,
greg.
Comments
Way to go man. Soak it all up.