Monday Afternoon - All Things New Report

The young adult band Crave from Asbury Church in the Harrisonburg District greeted members of the annual conference on their return from lunch on Monday. Olma Garibay, a deaconess, offered the opening prayer.

The Rev. Marc Brown presented a video to open the All Things New, Fruitful and Multiplying report, a plan to open and revitalize churches throughout the conference.

Last year, members of the conference were told about the "four parts of Virginia." Stories about churches in each of the areas was related through a video presentation.

There is growth in populations across the state but a decline in the number of members of United Methodist churches. In 2006, the Virginia Conference approved a motion to plant 250 new faith communities in the next 30 years. The 250 Task Force has been responding to the decision. The parable of the talents was told. The man with five talents gained five more. The one with two talents, gained two more. The man with one talent, buried it. The men with five and two talents were praised and put in charge of many things. The man with one talent called him a lazy servant.

God has given our churches treasures of the gospel. In some places the treasures have grown... in others, they have not.

The report was adopted.

Listen to Bishop Hope Morgan Ward's Sermon

Bishop Ward

Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, resident bishop of the Mississippi Conference, brought the afternoon message.  She told the story of vaccinating 2,000 people on a hot day in Bolivia. Yellow fever as traveling from village to village. A mentor and friend had legal pads and they were told to write down the names of everyone who had been vaccinated. People came from miles around. At the end of the day, at a clearing in the jungle, about 200 people were gathered. There were only 10 doses left. Some had walked seven hours carrying children. They brought forward the 10 smallest children. The leader came forward and asked, "Do you have any Bibles in the truck?" They had four and left them.

Nine months later the mentor came to visit. He said the people read the four Bibles and started a church. The legal pads with the names were taken to the minister of health. A census had never been taken in that area. Because they ran out of vaccine, the first public health initiative was launched. "I was a young adult. I had been in church every Sunday in my life, but it was at that moment that I experienced the overshadowing of God in my life. I realized that's the kind of God I want to serve. That's the kind of God I want to tell others about."

"We know the 250 Task Force won't bring this work to task," she said,  "but the overshadowing of God. That is where we find the power and the purpose."

She told the story of preaching in a small congregation in a changing Hispanic community. The pastor was 72, her first appointment. There were two people when she was appointed. It had become a mission center and over 300 visited during the week for day care, health checks, and tutoring. Over 50 people gathered for worship.. half of them children. "God will surprise us. He will invade our lives."

She talked about her own conference and referred to the poorest town, in the poorest district, in the poorest state. They thought about who they might send to this place. A district superintendent said he had a student local pastor, Wayne, who longed to live in ministry with people who live hard. They sent a team to Greenville. As they drove through a difficult neighborhood one said, "Let's get out of here." The other said, "Stop the car." The student local pastor who had seen prison from the inside looked until they found an 800-square-foot house and moved in. He was burglarized twice but the people who gathered around the first hot dog grill told others to leave him alone. They began to have open air meetings in the front yard of the house. In November of that year, Wayne had a heart attack and died. But the people picked up the banner and said, "We're going on."

'There is one great reason why there is a Virginia Conference," Ward said, "to be intermingled in the world, that light shines radiantly, that Christ is lifted above all. We've been called to take what we've discussed this afternoon, take it home, and put feet and legs on it. We need to look at the edges of society because God is overshadowing our world."

Elizabeth Cumbest

After Hurricane Katrina, 14-year-old Elizabeth Cumbest was moved to write songs of praise to God. She started sharing them with people in her district. People began to hear Elizabeth's songs and they were compiled on a CD. She has sung them across the connection. The CDs have raised $48,000 to help rebuild.

Elizabeth was at the conference and gave the gift of her song to the gathered members.

Commitment cards were given to lay and clergy members. The bishop urged each one to look at the ways they can assist the All Things New campaign.

Angie Williams, the conference director of youth ministries, introduced "Deech" Kirk, executive director of the Center for Youth Ministry Training. He is also an associate pastor at Brentwood Church in Nashville. He explained that the number of young clergy is dwindling. Christian Smith said that most youth believe: my relationship with God exists so I might feel good. It's "Benign Whateverism."

Kirk said, "They have not been touched by a faith that makes a difference in their lives. We must give youth knowledge to back up what they're feeling. Wherever there is energy, they believe God exists also, and they are right.

"Youth today reject institutional settings," Kirk said. "Our generation hasn't done a lot of conferencing. They don't like top-down leadership... they want to be involved."

But he said, "I'm hear to tell you today I've been overshadowed by God's love and I have a special place in my heart for ministry."

Youth want to see the Word of God alive in somebody else's life, Kird said. Testimonials work. Invite your older generations to speak of how God has walked with them.