I used to dread Charge Conference at church. There were parts that seemed to go fine. But there were always parts where I worried about an argument or people getting mad or something like that.
However the past two years I have thoroughly enjoyed Charge Conference. To the point where I think that, though there is a lot of business that needs to be taken care of during them, there is also a lot of fun and laughter in them!
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| Cover from our Charge Conference Booklet |
One of the things I wanted to share, that I didn't yesterday, is to this point. These typically once-a-year gatherings are necessary to cover a lot of what needs to be done in a Methodist church. There are serious times, like when we are voting on things or discussing things. But they can all come with a bit of levity as well.
And I think in this time, that is what is needed. We have spent so much time being serious and stressed and trudging our way through the pandemic. No, COVID-19 isn't gone. But our churches also need to know we need to find our way forward, and that now means stepping out of comfort zones or finding ways out of the typical boxes we put ourselves in.
And, yes, sometimes that means laughing during a meeting that usually isn't filled with laughter. Or wasn't filled with laughter in your personal experiences.
This year for me there was laughter, sharing, seriousness, and even crying (FOR JOY!).
And that was what we needed in 2021 I think. To give light and a path to 2022 and what lies ahead!
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