The Laity’s Corner: A new wind’s a ‘blowin’

Lyn Powell

Whenever my grandmother sensed a cultural shift in the community, she didn’t call it a cultural shift – she simply said “there’s a new wind a ‘blowin’. As a member of the Council of Bishops’ Messaging Task Force #1 (which means there must be a #2 somewhere), I can share with you that indeed a new message will be introduced to the General Conference in Fort Worth this April.

To understand why we need a new message, we must look at the state of the church. We know, like all other mainline denominations, we have been losing serious membership since the 1970’s. In response to this challenge of declining numbers, the Council of Bishops has covenanted to focus its resources on, and hold itself responsible for, Seven Vision Pathways: Develop new congregations – called Path OneTransform existing congregationsTeach the Wesleyan Model for making disciplesStrengthen clergy and lay leadershipReach new generations of childrenEliminate poverty in community with the poorExpand racial/ethnic ministries
Next, the Connectional Table took the seven vision pathways and developed Four Areas of Focus for the entire denomination: Address the clergy and lay leadership crisisDevelop new congregations for new people – Path OnePartner with the poorStamp out killer diseases
So, what makes all of this a new message? What is so different about the four areas of focus? What is different, what has never happened before, is that the Council of Bishops, the Connectional Table, and the General Agencies have covenanted with one another to work collaboratively on the four areas. All thirteen Agencies are beginning to concentrate their energy, resources and budgets around the four areas, working together for best results. No more working in 13 silos.

In addition, the General Council of Finance and Administration has structured the denomination’s proposed budget around the four areas. The Connectional Table is asking every annual conference right down to the local churches to begin to draw in on the four areas. Think of it –– the whole church now has the opportunity to engage in an integrated, coordinated ministry experience. After General Conference, several teams will take this message of coordination to area events, where they will invite local churches to catch the vision and join the ministry of the four areas. Bishop Janice Huie made a powerful statement when she said “Imagine what could happen if all of us, by the grace of God, start to move in the same direction.” That is the message we will hear over and over at General Conference –– let us embrace these four areas of focus, reclaim the passion of the movement and shed the ennui of the institution. Now that is a message to get excited about!

Lyn Powell is the Lay Leader for the North Georgia Conference, and has been chosen to deliver the Laity Address at General Conference.