Representing Our Church; Creating a Conference — Anyone Interested?
Truth be told, our new and larger Horizon Texas Conference was officially created last August in Abilene by a unanimous vote. But June 8 marks the beginning of the first full Annual Conference of this new Conference — which now stretches from Paris to Brownwood and from Amarillo to Round Rock … and it all begins right here at our church, with a gathering of nearly 500 clergy before the opening worship for everyone that evening at SMU and continuing for two days of business.
Kevin Clanahan and I will serve as FUMC Plano’s matching clergy and lay members (United Methodist conferencing always includes an equal number of clergy and laity). In addition, Jill Stoel and John Shell will serve as at-large lay members to help fill in where other churches are short of their required lay representatives.
Together — along with inspiring worship and singing — we will listen to reports, debates, and educational pieces and vote on legislative items and reports. The votes of clergy and laity count equally — one of the great strengths of our polity (system/organization).
Would you like to join us?
We still have room for three more at-large lay members, and the venue at SMU is as close as Annual Conference is likely to get — next year we could be headed to Waco! Jill and John are planning to carpool, and there’s room in the backseat for you! There’s no minimum age, but you do need to be a full member in good standing. If you’re interested, just contact me through the church office.
In the meantime, we’re sprucing up the place even more to welcome all those clergy on Sunday afternoon, June 8. We’ll need volunteers to show some FUMC Plano hospitality. If you’d like to help us host and be part of a “first” (Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr. will be presiding!), please contact Liliana Peña in the church office.
It really is a historic year for us and for our Conference — and we’d love for you to be a part of it. See you around!
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community,
Matt Gaston
Lead Pastor
