Thursday at GA

This day promises to be a long one. We began at 8:30, with prayers, presentations, and overtures. We worshiped before lunch. My lunch gathering today was with alumni of CREDO. You may remember that 8-9 years ago, I attended a CREDO conference, offered by the Board of Pensions, to offer clergy the opportunity for renewal in health, vocation, spirituality and other areas of vitality. I was happy to catch up with 3 others who were at that conference with me, although there are now over 1,000 clergy who have benefited.]

Your commission from Peaks--George, John, Jordan, Jude and I--has been working hard and holding up. Sometimes the decisions are difficult, and we do not always get what we prefer, but that is the beauty of our connectional church. There is room for differing opinions.

9 new mission workers were commissioned this afternoon, and we honored 41 who are retiring. A huge group of Young Adult
Volunteers (75) was commissioned for a year of service and intentional community. We paid tribute to Synghman Rhee, our former moderator, born in N. Korea, who died Dec. 31, 2015.

I don't know how familiar many of you are with Robert's Rules, but I can tell you that it's really easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of amendments, amendments to amendments, and whether a "yes" vote really means "yes" or "no." (I know this should be obvious, but believe me, it is not.)

We are finally getting real Portland weather--that is, it's really raining! Not my favorite weather for trekking back and forth from hotel to convention center. Please keep your General Assembly in prayer these next couple of days. Besides being tired, we are now damp around the edges, so we pray for civil discourse, and not too many amendments.


Jordan and me at work.