Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
This year is a pivotal time for our Conference and denomination. I invite you to spend time each day in prayer as those who are delegates to this year’s special General Conference prepare for conversation and decisions which will impact all of us going forward.
The Disciple Groups which have been created are more than clusters or zones. I invite and encourage each of you to connect with those persons in your groups to pray together, speak with one another and listen to one another as this year unfolds.
It is also important that we continue to reach out in mission and ministry to those who have yet to learn of God’s presence in their lives. It is essential that we model love and grace for those who hunger and thirst to be heard and understood. It is our calling to be God’s messengers in today’s world; bringing the Good News of Christ to those who attend our church, those who knock at our doors and those who are still seeking to find a place which will feed and transform their spirits.
Faith communities in the Midwest District are already engaging in transformative ministry in our neighborhoods. Together we can do more than each church has already accomplished. Speak with one another about what you’re doing. Envision a new ministry that can be shared by members of your Disciple Group. May it lead you to create new spaces for new faces, as we continue to fulfill the Great Commission. Reflect upon the Holy Bible and how it continues to shape your servant leadership.
May the Lord bless you and keep you during this year,
Rev. Dr. Margie Crawford
Midwest District Superintendent