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The North Texas Annual Conference met this week at Christ UMC in Plano. (We will host next year.) It was a very hope-filled time together. I couldn’t help but feel proud of how many folks from our church were engaged in leadership - facilitating workshops, staffing information booths, helping to plan and lead worship, and working behind the scenes. The highlight of the conference for me was the Young People’s Address, led by our very own church member, Leo Barrios. He and other youth gave an inspiring report. This was the first conference led by our new bishop, Ruben Saenz, Jr., and he did a marvelous job setting a positive spiritual tone. I am excited about the future we have as a conference. The last day of the conference ends with the bishop “fixing” the appointments for the coming year. All of your clergy are returning for another year of ministry, with the addition of Julia Castleman, who is appointed as our new youth pastor.
I hope you will join us Sunday for worship either in person or online as we continue our Happy Campers series and celebrate Vacation Bible Camp. It’s also Juneteenth weekend, where we as a nation observe the end of slavery. As Opal Lee of Ft. Worth, often called the mother of Juneteenth for her persistent lobbying efforts, said, “If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love.” Let’s pray that we can be part of God’s loving answer to the hate in the world by sharing the good news of Jesus.
In Christ,
Clayton Oliphint
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