ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE
Greater Northwest Episcopal Area Annual Conference: Bob Wilson’s Wednesday Impressions
This year’s Annual Conference was a first for me, as well as the first-ever joint meeting of the Oregon-Idaho and the Pacific Northwest Annual Conferences (as the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area). In addition to our new Bishop, there were representatives—clergy and lay—from around 450 churchesin Oregon, Idaho, Washington and Alaska… a mob of Methodists for sure.
“Do this and you will live”
The theme for this year’s Annual Conference—and indeed for the remainder of the quadrennium in the Pacific Northwest—is “Do this and you will live,” (Luke 10, 26-28). It’s from the prologue to “The Good Samaritan” story, in which a lawyer tested Jesus by asking him what one must do to inherit eternal life; Jesus asked the lawyer, “what does the law say?” and he answered, “love God, and love neighbor.”Jesus responded: “do this and you will live.”
The bishop invited us to keep this scripture next to us for the next four years, praying with it, living with it, “inviting it in for coffee.”
Duties of a Lay Member
The first event of the afternoon for the laity was an orientation to conference processes and the duties of a lay member. It was emphasized that lay members are not delegates (representing our respective churches), but rather “members”. To be sure, we have a responsibility to bring news and concerns of the church to Annual Conference, and to return to our churches with an account of the session. But when it comes to voting, we were charged to vote our consciences.
Ministry Displays
Outside the meeting rooms and between the sessions, many visited the Ministry Fair, featuring some two dozen tables and booths, representing United Methodist projects and programs. The variety of boards and organizations ranged from Camp and Retreat Ministries to Wespath (aka the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits); from United Methodist Women to the Reconciling Ministries Network, so there was plenty to do while waiting for legislative sessions—or meals—to start.
Service of Installation
The highlight of the day—and one of the highlights of the conference—was the installation of our new bishop, Elaine Stanovsky, who transferred from the Mountain Sky Annual Conference. I never think of the UMC as much of a “high” church, but there was a lot of pageantry at the Installation Service. Welcoming her were representatives from the Western Jurisdiction Episcopacy Committee, including Rev. Donna; then following the welcome, Bishop Elaine was presented with “signs of ministry”, including a pastoral staff, Bible, Book of Discipline, a towel and basin, and a gavel.
In her lovely sermon accompanying the installation, Bishop Elaine provided a helpful reflection on the lawyer’s question and Jesus’ response in the framing passage above. The lawyer, she said, was looking for a checklist of tasks to complete in orderto get his “golden ticket” to heaven; butby drawing forth and exploring his answer from “the law,” Jesusrevealed that the “answer” had nothing to do with heaven or “golden tickets”; in fact, the bishop suggested, thislaw isn’t really about “the law”, but rather it’s about living in love with God and neighbor. And in that lies the way of life.
Perhaps the high point of the service was a communal baptism. Waters collected from hundreds of world rivers—accompanied by dozens of cedar boughs—were presented to the bishop by a representative of the Native American community. A responsive baptismal liturgy was read, and during the reading, “water bearers”walked through the crowd, waving the cedar boughs and sprinkling the people with these waters of life…reminders of our baptism.
Acceptance and Response
As the installation ceremony concluded, Bishop Elaine assured the gathering that “I gladly assume with you, and among you, this ministry of word, sacrament, and order; of pastoral supervision, governance and service…I am resolved to serve faithfully and well the congregations and people of the greater northwest area, as bishop, pastor and friend.”
And the people said:”On behalf of the congregations and people, we receive you, Bishop Elaine, with joy and thanksgiving, as our bishop and pastor. We pledge to you our prayers, our loyalty, and our support as you lead us in the ministry of reconciliation entrusted to us all…amen and amen.”