I should have mentioned that Day 2's reflection really had a little bit of Day 3 in there. See, you break up into legislative sections on Day 2, and discuss everything in your section and vote on your section's items - but all the other stuff about voting on the consent calendar and the other items you don't even do or hear about until Day 3. For me, Day 3 was my last day - I didn't get to go to Saturday's events.
Also, in all my excitement over the legislative items, I neglected to reflect on the best part of Day 2 - the fixing of appointments!
Did you know that your pastor is only appointed for one year? They have to be re-appointed every year that they are here! Of course this isn't the olden days - and pastors now know ahead of time if they are being moved to another church - but the official fixing of appointments is still awesome.
Each districts is called at different times, and the Great-Northern District is 2nd for the Thursday morning. I have to say, I feel a bit of a traitor on this day - I walk in with Bethany and Jason - who will be interns at Arcata next year - and we sit next to the Arcata UMC group - Steve and Hillarie come in later and there is no room - they sit behind. I must say, I'm very excited for Jason and Bethany - maybe a little over enthusiastic about the whole situation, but I really like them. Anyways, This is Jason and Bethany's first conference - everything is new and they don't know what to expect. Names of churches are called along with those who are appointed - As the names of the appointed are called, they stand. Yes, when Arcata UMC is called, Cindy is appointed, and then Jason and Bethany appointed next. (I realize now I write all this assuming that 99% of those reading this know exactly who I am talking about). After everyone in the district is called, the rest of the group lays hands upon these appointed - I was there to do this for Jason and Bethany and I felt so moved by the whole situation. This is a new step for them and a new step for Arcata UMC - and though I was there to represent the Church of the Joyful Healer - I felt a part of Arcata UMC at that moment in time. It was AWESOME.
So, on with Day 3 - there are other Fixing of appointments that happen - and many awards. Two members of Eureka 1st UMC, Ken and Paula Blackshear, got the Bishop's Award this year! The Bishop's Award is always inspiring - there are so many people in the United Methodist Church doing amazing things - for other people!
Day 3 is such a hodge podge of stuff, and there is ample time to go look at things upstairs. Upstairs is Cokesbury Book Store and the Mission Handcrafts... there are booths about many of the different groups within the conference or other groups that are supported in and through the United Methodist Church. If you go when everyone else is listening to a boring speech (yes, there are a few of these) - you can peruse the area with very little congestion. I got a few fun things for the boys through Mission Handcrafts - got myself a couple of fun books that I hope to use in JoyWorks (the parables of Dr. Seuss! you know you want to borrow it!).
Kids at Conference - I have to explain this before I go on to the next cool thing that happened on Day 3. There is a glorified childcare at conference called "Kids at Conference" - my kids loved it. As a parent and former childcare worker, of course I'm a little critical of programs like this and I know that there are things they could have done better (one thing was to not have so much down time that kids bring their DS with them and do that for hours! - OK, I could have said no, but when there isn't anything else for them to do, and the other 5 boys have their DS, I suppose at least they are playing together, in a way, sort of....) But, in general, I was pleased with the program. The boys went swimming a lot, went to the Indian Museum in Sacramento, A movie ... they had fun, so that is truly all that matters. At the end, they have all the kids who were a part of "Kids at Conference" come up on stage during the special offering time - they present the offering to the Bishop. The offering this year was Bridge of Love to Angola - to re-build a medical clinic in a place called Bom Jesus in Angola. It was touching - it was moving (I want to go do a mission in Africa now! Actually, I've wanted to for a while - too bad I don't have the money to do so, and well, I suppose I'm a little scared - ok, I've gotten you distracted). They sang a song from Angola (did you know the common vernacular in Angola is Portuguese? It was very cool.
After the presentation - we pick up our kids to go to the District Dinners. Funny thing happened at this time - we are on our way down the escalators and I see Rod! I tell the kids "Say hi to Pastor Rod!" - Quinn then says "That's Pastor Rod??!!" - at the District Dinner Rod comes to say hi - and Quinn tells him he's gotten old... ah... children, they don't hold anything back.
District dinner is a time where just the people of our district get together. It's kind of fun - Cindy had a game going on during the dinner. I was so involved in getting the kids' food that I didn't participate in it - it's OK, I helped her make up the game. The food was, well.... OK. Not enough. They should ALWAYS plan for more, just in case! Anyways, the boys saw a friend from earlier - they started playing some DS together after we ate (OK, the DS isn't all that bad.... kids really do interact with it - just a lot of screen time). I love district dinner - but we had to leave early. Kids were melting down. It had been a long week.
Back to Steve's house for a tiny bit of swimming - then bed. The adults stayed up late for one more night of fabulous conversation. Getting to know Jason and Bethany was great, and I feel even closer to Hillarie and Steve and Karla! Next year conference is in Burlingame in San Mateo County . It won't be the same, but it'll still be great. There are some boring and negative sides to conference, but on a scale from 1-10, I give conference an 8, and I really do enjoy it!
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