Annual Conference, Day 4


This morning's run was a nearly 10 mile circuit of the Marblehead peninsula. I hadn't run that far at once since the Kentucky Derby Festival over a year ago! I was impressed that Brent Watson, the assistant DS from the Foothills District, ran the whole way with us and we had to rein him back so we could keep up with him (the preceding statement was brought to you through the generous sponsorship of Rev. B. Watson). We (Brent, Rob, Blaine, and I) had some great conversation - some silly and some serious. We talked a lot about doing ministry in this day and with young people and how to respond to "the homosexuality question."


This run and our conversation was worth the whole conference, in my opinion (this is, after all, my blog).


When we finished, we walked for a while, and I got to meet the lay delegate from Millersport. She seemed really neat. Then I ran into my former DS, who I mentioned the other day. I have to admit that I now feel bad for thinking her fall during the net games was so funny, especially since she was needing a cane to help her get around. And the fact that she greeted me very nicely; we had a little chat about my new appointment and she expressed excitement for the fit, for us and for the church.


After this exciting morning, it was time to go back to session... which included a little worship and the Bishop setting appointments. Then we debated a couple more resolutions and it was time to go. We were out by lunch time (well, it was a little after noon, but it wasn't yet 1).


At General Conference, there had been an auction for a basketball, and the West Ohio Conference bid $80,000 on it (with the money going to the Nothing But Nets program). By the end of conference, $434,017 had been raised (to be split among that program and two other missions: in Cambodia and Vietnam). Additionally we commited two million dollars to go to the pension program for Central Conferences in Africa, the Philippines, and Eastern Europe.

When I got back to the house, I found that the family had gone to Put-in-Bay without me. So I thought I'd get some ice cream or maybe buy Pastor Rudy's book at Cokesbury... except my wallet was in the car. So I walked out to the dock and visited my friends and came back here for a nap...

...which I'm now ready to take!