So, February was an interesting month.

Maybe it wasn’t for you, but it certainly was for me. It started with a trip to the Holy Land where I led 20 others to experience the sites that are holy and sacred to our faith. A few days after touching down, I visited to doctor to figure out why I passed out in Newark after clearing customs. A few days later, I was here in Huntington to meet with members of our Staff Parish Relations Team for the first time and to begin to dream about what this season of life would look like for you, for our church, and our family. After that, I went to St. Louis.

I didn’t go to catch a glimpse at Busch Stadium or to eat good barbecue at Sugarfire. I did, however, do both of those things. I was there for General Conference.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of General Conference, let me give you a quick synopsis. It is the lone body that can speak on behalf of the entire United Methodist Church. The appointed body gathers to pray, worship, and discern where God is leading us over the next four years. The work of that body and its deliberative process is what comprises our Book of Discipline, which is our covenant between God and one another for how we seek to live out our faith and organize ourselves. Continue reading “Doing the Unexpected”