• By Benton Heisler, West Michigan Conference Director of Connectional Ministries •
The candidates for ordination stood before the Bishop at the 2011 West Michigan Annual Conference, as he asked the “Historic Questions”. Many answers were not a simple “yes”, but noted a belief that their “yes” would only be possible “with the help of God.”
I came away from Annual Conference convinced that indeed God was at work in our midst “helping us.”
We set a record of attendance (1,800+) as people gathered for the Miracle Saturday.
We set a record for the amount of money ($41,000+) given in the special Conference offerings. We heard the testimony of lives being touched at our newest church start Valley Church.
Our worship and preaching experiences moved our hearts and stretched our minds in ways to put our energy into new forms of action.
One year ago there were no Free Stores; now persons are being connected and served in Evart, Concord, Berrien Springs, Centerville and Boyne City and congregations in other cities are contributing.
The Rev. Rudy Rasmus inspired us with principles of loving our neighbor that transcend the size of our community or economic context.
Miracle Saturday’s mini-events provided experiences, resources, inspiration, connections to ministry networks and a sense of a united community of faith in action for God with one another.
I found myself saying, “Now the real work begins”, after the new Plan of Organization was approved.
Our expectations of new levels of measurable outcomes, evaluation, accountability, alignment of resources toward strategic goals, continued collaborative ministries and constantly improving communication were not accomplished by our approval of this new structure.
The new fruitfulness will now be the focus of our assessment in terms of has our organizational change led to the ministry changes we intended.
I am grateful that eyes will be watching to see what happens next and observing the new expectations and outcomes.
I write this as I take a moment out of my vacation to meet the necessary publication deadline. My geographical context is the Rocky Mountains and my theological understanding is that the real ministry will happen in the “valley.” That valley has its own unique characteristics for each of us.
Our challenge as the Church is to be welcoming, inviting, hospitable and gracious to every person.
God’s message entrusted to us is to model and proclaim that “No matter what valley your journey has led you into, the grace of God will lead you through it and to the place of green pastures and still cool waters on the other side.”
The Psalmist captured these promises in both Psalm 23 and Psalm 121: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills…my help comes from the Lord.”
I pray that as we all engage in ministry with a renewed vision and vigor in the coming year, we will look for the daily glimpses of God’s guidance and grace to help us.
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