annual conference mountain circuit sunday june 14

MOUNTAINCIRCUITTHE

2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE EDITION, JUNE 14 VOL 47 / NUMBER 3

The View From Above

Published by the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church

by Jake Steele

Fittingly enough, of all places, I was in the balcony to behold it all. Friday’s memorial service started and the choir sang. Individual notes navigated upward, colliding in harmonious concert with other notes. Individual faces seen from floor-level gradually faded into a bigger body. The farther up one goes, the more people become part of a larger pool. Did you ever notice that, from above, the “me” moves out and the “we” takes immediate residence? Isn’t it amazing what one can behold from the balcony?

It was there that I listened to Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett as Acts 4 unfolded and she began to speak about Barnabas. And it was from the balcony that I began to...well...see things differently. From where I was sitting, it became clear that balconies aren’t just platforms for sight, but postures for living; they’re not just fixtures of wood, they also take human form. Balcony people: They’re those who position others to behold new perspectives about themselves and the world around them.

“Balcony people see the best in others,” said Bishop Wallace-Padgett. Balcony people bind the broken-hearted, they’re daughters and sons of encouragement like Barnabas who upbuild the burdened. Balcony people ultimately allow us to see life at another level. As a recently ordained elder at Annual Conference, I sat suspended beneath the ceiling of Wesley Chapel thanking God for the balcony people whose strength and support landed me at this place in life: parents, grandparents, great grandparents, clergy and parishioners past and present, my wife, sister and brother----all of them

bold balcony people like Barnabas who engender spiritual growth because they gave...and they did so generously and sacrificially.

Ponder it long enough and it becomes apparent that balconies do for us what the Body of Christ is called to do for others. In fact, look at the folks mentioned in Acts 4, including Barnabas, and it’s arguable that we can evaluate how well we’re developing disciples to the extent that we’re willing to die to self, to essentially sell out for the sake of loving God and neighbor as self.

Following the benediction, I left the building marked indelibly by the thought that the balcony isn’t simply a place to which we have to option of going. Rather, it’s a person we have no choice but to be as disciples of Jesus. We owe it to all the hands---’the great cloud of witnesses’ (Heb. 12:1)---in the balcony who helped in raising us to new heights. We do it in the name of a Risen Lord who loved us enough to pull us out of death’s basement and whose shed blood at Calvary makes balcony views possible.

As those given the blessing of the balcony, we’re challenged to heed Bishop Wallace-Padgett’s advice: Take time to think. To whom are you a balcony person? Believe it or not, someone in your scope of affiliations could be seeking a boost. Risk being the balcony. Further, who are the balcony people in your life? FInd one in your mental files and after their face comes into focus, look up or look them up. When you do, be sure to thank them for the view.

MOUNTAINCIRCUITJUNE 14, 2015

For this final issue - we bring you stories from - you. This social media collage gives greater voice and perspective to the life of the Annual Conference. We hope you enjoy it! - The editors

TELLING THE STORY OF CONFERENCE...

THROUGH SOCIAL MEDA


Facebook: facebook.com/wvumcTwitter: @wvumcPhotographs: flickr.com/wvumcEnews: wvumc.org/communications

Resident Bishop: Sandra Steiner Ball Editor: Laura Harbert Allen Associate Editor: Adam Cunningham Production: Shawn Withrow, The WVUMC Communications Team

CONNECT WITH US


ELECTED DELEGATES

General Conference Clergy Delegation: Mary Ellen Finegan. Sharletta Green. Ellis Conley

Jurisdictional Conference Clergy Delegation: JF Lacaria, Mark Flynn, Lauren Godwin

Clergy Alternates: Rick DeQuasie, Janet Harman

General Conference Lay Delegation: Jim Berner, Judi Kenaston, Erin Sears

Jurisdictional Lay Delegation: Rich Shaffer, Connor Kenaston, Royce Lyden

Lay Alternates: Fred Kellerman Gayle Lesure

Elected delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conferences pose on Saturday afternoon. From left to right: JF Lacaria, Mary Ellen Finegan, Judi Kenaston, Rich Shaffer, Fred Kellerman, Mark Flynn, Connor Kenaston, Gayle Lesure, Royce Lyden, Erin Sears, Sharletta Green, Lau-ren Godwin, Jim Berner, Janet Harman, Richard DeQuasie. Photo: LAURA ALLEN

THE CONFERENCE CARTOONby Tom Bone III


Bishop Steiner Ball with the children who attended this year’s Children’s Conference. Photo: JUDY PYSELL

Youth scoop ice cream at the annual ice cream social Friday night. The event raises money for the the Youth Service Fund. Photo: JUDY PYSELL

Craig Hinchman practices piano this week before worship on Friday. Craig was the co-director of conference music, along with the Rev. David Donathan. Photo: ADAM CUNNINGHAM

Dave McClanahan performs “Why Should We Wait” at the conclusion of the cabinet report on Friday, during which Bishop Steiner Ball called conference to the altar to pray for the 2400 new professions of faith conference hopes to add by the end of 2016. Photo: JONATHAN NETTLES

THE PHOTO GALLERY


Laura Harbert Allen and Adam Cunningham outside Wesley Chapel on Saturday afternoon. Photo: JONATHAN NETTLES

Working as your director of communications these past 7 years has been one of the great blessings of my life. You have all taught me so much. I am grateful.

At the heart of this blessing is the communications team, which has grown into an amazing generative ministry that serves this conference.

One example is yesterday’s edition of the Annual Conference daily Mountain Circuit, which had so much content, we decided to make a 6 page publication. I wrote two small stories. Adam took a few photos. The rest of that piece was done entirely by the communications team. We received their gifts and did our best to bring them to you through our efforts.

Some might say that we’ve worked our way out of our jobs, but the truth is that this is exactly how it should work. As leaders, we facilitate, encourage and coach the team. And turn them loose to play and experiment; to express the joy of Christ through their gifts.

Today’s edition extends the concept of team to all of you. The middle pages of this issue feature tweets, Facebook and Instagram posts from members of the Annual Conference. I hope you find that they weave threads of this year’s Conference session together; strengthening our “blessed connexion” through the tools of the 21st century.

It’s a risk. It’s not something that we’ve ever done before. It could be the “wrong” choice. But as I type this, I can’t think of a better way to show the richness of conference life through our publication.

This has been the great blessing of the communications team.

We’ve created an environment where risk and experimentation are embraced. Failure becomes the foundation for future success.

This week, my last conference week as director of communications, has been bittersweet. I am confident in my call to pursue the next chapter of my life, but I will miss you.

Blessings and Be Well - Laura

It’s been my pleasure to work with you as the communications specialist for the past seven years. My work here has changed greatly, just as I have - but it’s what you’ve taught me that has prepared me to take this next step in life. It was important to me that I work through Annual Conference this year. Not only to help the team, but because I’ve learned that what energizes me most is seeing and interacting with the people of this Conference.

However what I’ve also learned is the importance of: building a team, giving away power (real and perceived), and trust. Why? As challenging as these things can be, it frees all people to use their gifts where they’re needed most. This happened through the mentorship of Laura Allen, and the many hours spent with the communications team, built upon the SLI model.

I look forward to new opportunities and challenges at West Virginia University in Charleston, and as I continue my graduate study in Integrated Marketing Communications at West Virginia University as well.

Thank you! - Adam

COMMUNICATORS SAY FAREWELL

annual conference mountain circuit sunday june 14

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