7 Vision Pathways and 4 Areas of Focus

The theme of yesterday's sharing was to affirm seven vision pathways and four areas of focus through which our denomination seeks to be led into the future.

The Seven Vision Pathways are:

1. Transforming Existing Congregations
   
2. Developing New Congregations
   
3. Strengthening Clergy and Lay Leadership
   
4. Eliminating Poverty in Community with the Poor
   
5. Teaching the Wesleyan Model of Reaching and Forming Disciples
   
6. Reaching and Transforming the Lives of Children
   
7. Ending Racism as we Authentically Expand our Racial/Ethnic Ministries
   

The Four Areas of Focus:

1. Engaging in Ministry with the poor
   
2. Creating new places for new people and renewing existing congregations
   
3. Stamping out diseases of poverty by improving health globally
   
4. Developing principled Christian leaders for the church and the world.
   

A lot of numbered lists.  The prayer is that the legislation that comes with these may underscore our unity.

Like most of the church-talk here, it is not in our words, but in our actions reflecting these visions that will show our desire to seek the power and wisdom of Christ.

Like most of General Conference, it is the explanation that helps.  A reinterpretation of the General Rules of Methodist Societies has been written by Bishop Reuben Job:  three simple rules:  Do Good     +       Do No Harm         +      Stay in Love With God.  These become a subtext to the above vision statements that might help us interact with our world in authenticity.

Another subtext:  The world needs but doesn't want Resurrection.  We as a church are probably fearful of, but still in need of Resurrection.  What does this denomination look like if we really embrace the theology of the empty grave?

Served the Judicial Administrative Legislative Committee. That committee was organizing itself and deciding what petitions subgroups will look at before the overall committee work begins later in GC.

Served that committee with Dan, Patricia, and Yvette, all of who had been on the Walk to Emmaus, and all of us are elders in the church.  We believe that Emmaus is one of those renewing and moving movements in the church.  

Speaking of movements, what does Methodism need to be?  Perhaps, as was suggested yesterday, we need to be a movement more than being the institution we have become.  Institutions can be hard to change and territorial, movements perhaps can change more freely and include and welcome others.

Please pray for all of us as we seek to be people of the Resurrection, people who are called Methodist.......

Grace and Peace, 

Bob