I always get excited when our larger church family gathers. It means meeting new people, exchanging ideas about worship, praying for one another, being blessed by a meaningful Taizé service, learning new songs and discovering the ways we are connected to one another.This year the theme is IMPACT. I really can't tell you more than that because I haven't heard what that means. I am excited to hear David Vasquez-Levy, the keynote speaker, and we will be welcoming Diane Weible, our new conference minister.
As I reflect on the word "impact" I suspect that we might be thinking about ways our Christian lives affect others and our world. Sometimes I forget that I represent Jesus and my actions catch me up short from time to time. I have often said, that you can tell the most about a Christian by their "reactions" more than their actions. What I mean by this, is that our true colors are most often seen when we are least prepared to have others see us. As a pastor, I am lucky - my clerical collar is a helpful reminder to me that I am God's servant. It helps me behave, you might say. It's a little difficult to fuss at someone when you are dressed as a pastor. However, I am always God's child - striving to serve and love no matter how I am dressed.
Some of you have heard me say that "we put on our Sunday attitudes when we put on our Sunday clothes. We can be fussing at our family one minute and then we step into church and paste a smile on our faces." In Gold country where we live, often Sunday clothes are the same as what we wear throughout the week. I kinda like that. God sees us exactly as we are and just loves us to pieces! We don't need to pretend but it is good to remember that we have an IMPACT on everyone we meet!
I'm excited to be sharing with you each day the ways this conference will impact me and us! Dancing to annual conference! Pastor Bonnie
