THE
MOUNTAINCIRCUIT 2014 ANNUAL CONFERENCE EDITION, JUNE 13 PUBLISHED BY THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
VOL 45 / NUMBER 1
Break habits, discover relationship By Laura Allen
Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton (Western Pennsylvania Area) preaches n Wesley Chapel, where he was
Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton returned to the place of his ordination yesterday to remind members and guests of the West Virginia Annual Conference that relationships matter. Before beginning his sermon during yesterday’s opening worship service, the bishop recalled his relationship with the West Virginia Annual Conference. “There is a place among the hills where people love the Lord, and I know it first hand,” he said. West Virginia is the place where Bishop Bickerton’s relationship with Christ began. A woman in Samaria two millennia ago discovered new life - and a new relationship - when Jesus sat down and struck up a conversation with her as she drew water from a well. “This is highly unusual because there is a habit, a routine, an attitude that has been practiced repeatedly which has become a norm – there is a bitter feud between the Jews and the Samaritans,” said the bishop. But Jesus the non-conformist had a dif-
ordained in 1985.
SEE BISHOP PAGE 3
PHOTO BY ADAM CUNNINGHAM
MOUNTAINCIRCUIT JUNE 13, 2014
Today at Conference Taking Communion 8:30 a.m. Worship with Bishop
Thomas J. Bickerton, preacher 9:45 a.m. Business Session I Highlights
Greetings from West Virginia Wesleyan Resolutions Board of Pensions Cabinet Address 12:30 - 2 p.m. Lunch 2 p.m. Dr. Elaine Heath “Our story,
God’s story” 3:30 p.m. Break 3:45 p.m. Business II (Highlights)
Laity Address Harry Denman Award Nominations 5:30 p.m. Dinner Break 7:30 p.m. Retirement Celebration and Worship
Ice Cream Social after worship!
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If you see a young person walking around, taking photos with their smart phone, thank them! We are very fortunate to have four annual conference pages working with the communications team this year. They are doing fantastic work! Sarah Cartwright (@sarah_marie4796) took this great montage during Communion at opening worship yesterday. Thanks to Jensen Hoover, Allie Sears and Lauren Shanholtzer whose photos you will likely see this week!
TOP TWEET
“
PHOTO BY SARAH CARTWRIGHT.
WOULD WESLEY HAVE SPENT ALL HIS TIME WITH CONVERTS WHO KNEW THE LINGO? OR WOULD HE BREAK ALL THE RULES? WHAT ABOUT JESUS? #WVAC14 — @AGREED
MOUNTAINCIRCUIT JUNE 13, 2014
SEE BISHOP PAGE 1
ferent vision - a way of compassion and love. “I believe this story represents one of the greatest challenges on the Christian journey,” said the bishop. “The challenge to love people like he did.” He cited Webster’s Dictionary, which defines a Christian as “one who professes faith in Jesus Christ,” and someone who “treats people in a kind and generous way.” The bishop shared several examples of how we might recreate the choice Jesus made with the woman at the well in modern times. In one example, A businessman was approached by a family that was down on their luck. The bishop outlined two choices as possible responses. In the first one, made out of a sense of love and compassion, the businessman helped the family with their bills and made sure food showed up on their porch every few weeks. The other choice was one of judgement and cynicism. The businessman refused to help the family and complained to his secretary that he was being taken advantage of. The bishop noted that our choices depend on the presence of Christ within us. “There is no venue, no opportunity, no place, no encounter with an individual where our Christian faith should not be on display,” he said.“Discover a relationship with Jesus and you will discover a relationship with the world.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE BAILEY
WeCare raises nearly $7k The annual bicycle ride to Conference, the We Care 150, raised $6,810 so far. The money will fund clean water projects in Africa through the United Methodist Committee On Relief. In recent years
the ride has raised money for Imagine No Malaria, and relief after the 2011 earthquake in Japan. You can contribute directly to the ride by making checks out to “Conference Treasur-
er” and writing We Care 150 in the memo line. Send donations to We Care 150, P.O. Box 2469, Charleston, WV 25329. View video of the ride on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/wvumc.
MOUNTAINCIRCUIT JUNE 13, 2014
Conference cartoon
Mobilize! Is your congregation ready to begin a journey of spiritual leadership development? Is your church ready to develop a discipleship pathway that will help you be more effective in making disciples of Jesus Christ? Then the Lay Mobilization Institute may be just the thing for your leadership team. Join the Congregational Development Team at New Martinsville UMC on Saturday, October 25, 2015 for a day long retreat to learn about the LMI process. This process is begin used by the Bishop’s Lead Team, District Lead teams, and numerous ministry teams
across the conference. New Martinsville has been leading their congregation using this process for a number of years and has agreed to serve as our host site so that congregations can see how this could work for them. Begin recruiting a team of 5-12 people who will attend this informative retreat. Registration is $25.00 per person that will cover materials that each team member will receive. Find out more by going to http://laymobilization.seedbed.com or by contacting Amy Shanholtzer at ashanholtzer@ wvumc.org or 304.476.2279.
Counted!
“Anyone who lives by the Gospel and allows Christ’s light to shine through them and tries to help others do the same, becomes counted, numbered with the saints. Saints are indeed the ones who the light shines through.” — Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball, preaching during the Memorial Service last night. PHOTO BY ADAM CUNNINGHAM.