GC Day 3

It's been a great day.

Last night was late ending. We started the Legislation Groups and some when past 11:00 in just the basic organization. So by the time we settled in, we were wired and tired.

Started early this morning at the Reform and Renewal Coalition (free!) Breakfast where we were prepped for the items of the day, specifically the Judicial Council nominees. There are many nominees from some splinter/edgy groups that have the potential of forcing some radical judicial decisions, even making some of our discipline unconstitutional (United Methodist Constitution not US).

Worship was nicely done again, a rockin' worship band by a UM church from Lake Harriet UMC, Minneapolis, MN (okay, so it wasn't really a rockin' band, but it was more than we've seen so far!)

A great report was given by the group NothingButNets.org it's a partnership between the UMC, the NBA, E SPN, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to purchase and deliver insecticide laced mosquito nets to children in sub-Saharan Africa so that they can sleep without worry about getting bitten by Malaria infected Mosquitoes. 20% of all children under age 5 in this area die of Malaria every year. $10 buys and delivers one net. A young girl of 6 here in the US heard about this project and began collecting money for nets. So far she has collected enough for 4000 nets (yes, that's $40,000 by one little girl alone!). This is a great project we should get behind because it's easy to "sell" and quickly effective. Watch for "Buzzkill" shirts….

More Legislative group meetings until lunch then an amazing presentation by Dr. Mark Yarhouse on Scientific Research, Sexual Identity and Sanctification. I'll say more about this later but let's leave it at this, he brings some refreshing new insight to this challenging issue. And it just may get us further in ministry and welcoming to people who have felt ostracized by the church.

More Legislative group meetings finished the day.

But on a more personal note...

I met Benton Heisler on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel. He is a District Superintendent in Western Michigan. We've had dinner together last night and tonight. We've had some wonderful discussions about ministry, about struggles in our conferences and many friends in common. It's amazing how God places the right people in our lives to bless us and help us grow. Benton will be one of those not only for this conference, but for years to come I'm sure.

Holly Grant is a lay delegate from East Ohio (far east). She is in the Legislative Group I have been sitting in on with Kim Reisman. (of our delegation) I sat with her at the Renewal Luncheon and talked about her ministry with her husband (a pastor of about the same sized church as COFS) and our common beliefs in the traditional conservative views of Methodism.

It really has been a beautiful day on many levels. God is doing something like we've asked, the Holy Spirit has been moving. When one bishop from Africa, Joao Somane Marchado, began to preach some simply began to weep. It was a passionate sermon, a challenge to get back to our first love, Jesus Christ! It begins and may God continue to touch hearts and lives in this General Conference.

Tomorrow will be much of the same. We'll be in a plenary session until lunch and then legislative groups until 11:00 p.m.

This evening I took a walk to Walgreens to get some medicine for this terrible cold I've contracted and turning in early. More tomorrow, very tired.

Peace ><>

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