February is coming!  By February - I do not mean winter (although the suggestion is intentionally implied), I do not mean Valentine’s Day (I’m wary of chocolate temptation), and I do not mean Lent (that starts March 6 on Ash Wednesday).  What do I mean?  Special General Conference (February 23-26 in St. Louis MO).  Rev. Baron of First UMC was kind to give me summaries of the 3 Plans that the Commission On a Way Forward presented to our last Annual Conference (Amanda Smith-Lucier, our Lay Member to Conference, gave a verbal recap during worship and also at Church Council).  The Three Plans are:  the One Church Plan, the Connectional Conference Plan, and the Traditionalist Plan.  The One Church Plan is the only plan recommended by majority of Council of Bishops and supported by majority of the Commission on the Way Forward.  Information on the three plans is available in the Fellowship Hall (Basement of the Church) or please reach out to me for conversation (via phone, email, or in person).

The United Methodist Church was formed in 1968 - a year fraught with tension and division.  In the midst of disunity in so many places, the Methodist Episcopal Church found a way to not only hold together but to also join with the Evangelical United Brethren.  Issues of racism and equality for women threatened the merger and the continuation of the denominations.  Through commitment to the unity found in the Holy Spirit and the gentle guidance and reliance upon God, we successfully merged and have continued to grow in connection and grace for 51 years.  Please - Please - PLEASE, continue to hold in prayer all who will be meeting in St. Louis as well as all who will be affected by the decisions made there (the Whole Church). 
Blessings!
Pastor Kristi

What Will This Year Bring?

A fresh new start for all!  New year, New You!  Optimism abounds at the beginning of a new year - usually…  Except when it doesn’t. 

2019 has no Olympics, no major elections, no end of days predictions (remember 12/21/12 and Y2K?) and yet I find that it could be one of the most important years for the United Methodist Church.  There will be a special General Conference Feb. 23-26, 2019, in St. Louis, Missouri to make determinations for our future as a denomination. 

What decisions will be made – what changes will come with those decisions – will these decisions impact our worship and ministry here in Alplaus?  Some churches are quite worried about their future – others know where they will stand and how they will respond for any given circumstance. 

Here is a list of clergy and Laity who will be delegates to the Special General Conference from Upper New York Conference.

Rev. Bill Allen
Rev. Dr. Michelle Bogue-Trost
Rev. Thom White Wolf Fassett
Greg Forrester
Rev. John Martin
Rev. Bill Mudge
Rev. Holly Nye
Riley O'Flynn
Rev. Colleen Hallagan Preuninger
Shirley Readdean
Blenda Smith
Rev. Beckie Sweet
Marthalyn Sweet
Ian Urriola
Carmen FS Vianese
JJ Warren

Please pray for these folks and all who will be preparing to gather for this brief and important Conference.  For more information – look to UM News or unyumc.org, or ask me.
 
Blessings!
Pastor Kristi