General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church. The 2012 meeting will take place April 24-May 4 at the Tampa Convention Center.

The Commission on the General Conference selected "Make Disciples of Jesus Christ to Transform the World" as the theme for The United Methodist Church's 2012 General Conference.

The theme echoes the mission of The United Methodist Church as a way of aligning the General Conference with the denomination's central mission.

That way, the conference is not a one-time event, but a part of the ongoing ministry of the church.

The 1,000-member assembly meets every four years to consider revisions to church law, as well as adopt resolutions on moral, social, public policy and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for churchwide programs for the next four years.

A committee of representatives from the Commission on the General Conference and the Council of Bishops was charged with making recommendations for a theme and logo to the full commission for approval.

Once a theme was selected, the United Methodist Publishing House's design team developed logo proposals for consideration.

"We sensed that people across the church are longing for clarity about our mission, and we believed that the theme of the General Conference should reinforce and celebrate that mission," said Jim Harnish, a commission member and chair of the committee.

"We hope that the spirit of God will use this theme to unite and energize our people to fulfill this mission and enable us to set clear priorities for the use of our resources."

The logo, which complements the theme, depicts a graphic image of the cross (representing the presence of Jesus Christ at the center of our mission) with circles extending from the cross (expressing energy and movement into ministry in the world) imposed against a bright sun and blue water (representing Tampa, Fla., the conference site). The imperative verbs make and transform underscore the urgency of the mission and the call for active response.

For more information, please visit http://gc2012.umc.org.

After several months of study, the 30-member delegation from the North Texas Annual Conference voted unanimously to support the basic recommendations of the Connectional Table, knowing that the legislation will be perfected at General Conference.

Lay delegates are particularly passionate about the proposed changes because they are consistent with how effective organizations function, delegate leaders say.

"The most important piece of the Call to Action for the North Texas delegation is the emphasis on vital congregations. We are unanimous in our belief that the local congregation is the key for church renewal in North America," said the Rev. Don Underwood, chairman of the NTC delegates. "The research completed by the Call to Action team demonstrates that we can both measure and help create missional vitality. We are excited about the possibilities that open up if we, as a denomination, will truly focus on developing and sustaining vital congregations."

The delegation also supports general church structural and governance proposals, including the merger of nine of the general agencies led by an executive general secretary, Underwood said.

The changes "are essential in enabling the general church to effectively support congregations in their quest for missional vitality." he said.

It seems like some things never change – at least in recent years. It is January and the NFL playoffs are going on without the Dallas Cowboys. This makes 16 years with only one playoff appearance, and the finger-pointing continues.

I am a Cowboy fan but not a fan of the ownership, and I find some perverted joy when the team fails, for it represents a failure of individuals for whom I have little respect.

There needs to be a change at general manager, yet the owner doesn't want to make the change.

But the consensus is that change must be made to get the franchise on the right track.

Those of us in The United Methodist Church know about resistance to change. Each New Year, we watch the release of membership numbers that show we continue in decline.

We know we need change, but we want the change in ministry areas other than ours. We, like the general manager of the Cowboys, are willing to change the coach or players but consider what we are doing as OK.

A friend of mine works for a large telecommunications company whose focus for the year is "Change Energizes Us!"

Each morning when she turns on her computer, the screen shows this graphic. Although she was uncomfortable with it as first, she now realizes the truth of the statement – she feels energy within the organization and the possibility of a new direction.

Change is on my mind as I, a member of the NTC delegation to General Conference, prepare myself for our quadrennial gathering of 1,000 delegates to do the organizational work of the church (but remember that the real work of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world).

General Conference is the church's official governing body and the only organization that can speak for United Methodism.

This will be my third time to serve, and I know that most of the news will be about the church's position on social issues – abortion, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, immigration, etc.

But the General Conference will deal with the possible reorganization of our church to create more fruitful congregations.

And the true work of the church happens at the local congregation level and not in Nashville, Washington, or New York.

A Connectional Table report proposes making major changes to the general agencies and discontinuing guaranteed appointments for the clergy. This is where each of us needs to focus our attention, for it is here where the possibility of renewal will happen.

In future columns, I will address the issues in detail and seek your participation with the General Conference delegates in deciding the future of The United Methodist Church.

Richard Hearne is Lay Leader of the North Texas Conference, which stretches from just this side of Bogata to just that side of Burkburnett. E-mail him at rbhearne@sbcglobal.net.

Have you ever seen glimpses of God's grace in life?

Normally, I try to respect the privacy of individuals and what they do for others in life, but I witnessed an act of love that is too good to not share.

Nearly a year ago, you may have read in The Dallas Morning News about a woman who was hit by a car on Central Expressway.

She was listed as "Jane Doe" because there was no identification.

Well, Jane Doe turned out to be the mother of my college-age daughter's boyfriend, Brandon.

As you can imagine, it was an emotional and trying time as we visited the family and prayed for the mother. She died in the hospital without ever regaining consciousness.

A year has passed since then.

This past week, we celebrated Leslie's 65th birthday.

I arrived home and found Brandon cooking a meal of smothered pork chops, green beans and corn on the cob.

On the anniversary of his mom's death, Brandon chose to spend the day with Leslie and provide our family with a wonderful meal. What an act of grace and love!

When we can live out our grief in caring and sharing with others, I believe we are experiencing God's grace at its best.

Where have you seen glimpses of God's grace in life?

As we begin another year, I want to focus more on the spiritual side of episcopal leadership.

We as a conference have been going full steam with metrics and measures of fruitfulness and accountability.

But we should not forget where the motivation and inspiration for fruitfulness really comes from: our relationship with God and one another.

To that end, I'll be working with our communications team to put together The Bishop's Prayer Team.

Join the Bishop's Prayer Team

Anyone can sign up to be on the team.

Essentially, you agree to pray for the bishops and leaders of the church, our churches' mission and ask God's help in guiding our work together.

I hope you will join me in one of the greatest opportunities we have: to pray for one another.

May God bless!

United Methodists are transforming the world by feeding the hungry, and the North Texas Conference is at the forefront of providing food to those in need in its area. This is the second of a two-part series on two Annual Conference churches that have innovative approaches to outreach to feed the hungry.

By SHERON C. PATTERSON
Editor

The pallets of canned goods that reach the ceiling cannot dwarf the Rev. Jay Coles' enthusiasm for the ministry of feeding those in need. Rev. Cole, associate minister of First UMC Dallas and director of the church's Crossroads Community Services, has revolutionized fighting hunger.

"CCS was the first agency in the United States to provide healthy large amounts of nutritious groceries to those in need based on age, gender and activity level," said Rev. Cole, who began working there as a Perkins School of Theology intern in 2001 and became director in 2003.

Under Rev. Cole's watchful eyes, this year about 4,600 households were served, which means that 11,600 individuals received 1,320 pounds of groceries. CCS is in downtown Dallas, a few blocks from the church. The program shares space with The Stewpot, a Presbyterian outreach to the homeless. CCS has been a longtime member agency of the North Texas Food Bank. Because of its innovation of distributing food through their community partners (currently 40 sites), FUMC Dallas recently contracted with Feeding America to become the first Dallas County urban hub for the NTFB. This is called the Hub and Spoke Program. The goal for 2012 is expansion to serve 80-100 sites (or spokes).

As a revolutionary in the hunger fight, Rev. Cole speaks passionately in food terminology that is unfamiliar to many.

"Some people have food insecurity; they have experienced the physical and emotional trauma of running out of food and money before they run out of month. As a result, they tend to buy large amounts of foods that are inexpensive and usually unhealthy. Some people live in food deserts; these are places where healthy food cannot be readily or affordably purchased," he said.

"Also, people in need tend to travel through what I call the charity circuit – going from pantry to pantry at various churches and outreach organizations in order to gather enough food. At CCS, we provide enough food to last one week. Traveling the circuit trains them to be dependent and spend too much time searching for food. We help break that circuit here by giving large amounts of food in one stop. With the NTFB, we are rethinking how to address hunger in North Texas. At CCS, we are nourishing people and powering change."

First UMC Pastor John Fiedler says CCS is an important part of the church's ministry.

"Through Crossroads Community Services, we have made it a missional priority to be an integral part of the safety net that keeps Dallas men, women and children from going hungry. By providing substantial amounts of nutritious food and gently used clothing, we also free up grocery money to go for other necessities like rent. In this way, we seek to embody the love of Christ in ministering to and with the poor."

Jan Pruitt, president and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank, is also excited about the partnership.

"Crossroads Community Services has partnered with the North Texas Food Bank for many years. Now, through Hub & Spoke, the North Texas Food Bank can ensure that a generous, varied and reliable supply of healthy food is accessible to feeding programs of all types and sizes throughout Dallas County.

"The ability to expand service beyond our member agencies to now reach smaller groups like Dallas Housing Authority apartment communities, smaller shelters and others in the most food-insecure areas of Dallas County is exciting progress in the fight against hunger," she said.

"Even more exciting is how the food bank and United Methodist congregations are working together to open minds, hearts and doors so everyone has a place at the table."

Covenant Day speaker took unusual route to Methodism

Covenant Day Information

By LARRY GEORGE
Center for Missional Outreach

Suzanne Stabile

Joe Stabile

Ministers from across the North Texas Conference will be encouraged to remember their own call from God and to renew and refresh that call in a Covenant Day celebration led by the Rev. Joe Stabile and his wife, Suzanne.

Many of his colleagues know that Rev. Stabile, pastor of Cochran Chapel UMC in Dallas, first responded to God's call to ministry in the Roman Catholic Church.

But not all have heard the compelling story of the struggles he faced in his decisions to leave the priesthood. They included marrying and having a family with Suzanne, having his orders recognized by The United Methodist Church, and serving rural and suburban congregations.

Suzanne, Joe's wife of 25 years, is co-founder of Life in the Trinity Ministries, located in the Micah Center on the Cochran Chapel UMC grounds. An internationally known teacher, director of retreats and Enneagram master (an analyst of personality types and how they interact), Suzanne offers a blend of honesty, authenticity and humor in her testimony. She has been the keynote speaker for Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth and the annual conference of the Southwest Region of the Disciples of Christ Church in Midland.

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Covenant Day Information

Date: Monday, January 30, 2012
Time: 2:00- 5:30pm
Location: St. Andrew UMC, Plano, Texas

Theme: Answering God’s call to Blessings and Empty Places

Speakers: Rev. Joe Stabile and Suzanne Stabile- Cochran Chapel UMC

Elders, Deacons and Local Pastors are invited and attire is casual.

Elzie Odom, the first African- American mayor of Arlington, Texas, will sign copies of his new book, Counting My Blessings, at Dallas' St. Paul UMC, where his son is pastor.

Odom, 82, the descendant of a slave, wrote the memoir to show how a life of gratitude, courage and determination can produce blessings despite obstacles.

Counting My Blessings is a first-hand look at Odom's ascent from the small community of Shankleville in southeast Texas to become mayor from 1997 to 2003 of what is now the third largest city in North Texas.

Odom's son, Elzie Odom Jr., will host a reception and book-signing Thursday, Feb. 16. On Sunday, Feb. 19, the former Mayor Odom will deliver the message during morning worship.

AuthorHouse published the book, which is available online for $12 at Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble through bn.com.

Walking the labyrinth is an ancient spiritual practice found in many traditions around the world. Within the Christian tradition, it was sometimes seen as a symbol of a pilgrimage. For contemporary people, the labyrinth offers a way of meditative prayer, of centering, of drawing nearer to God and to a person’s own soul, of letting go.

Jeanie Miley, a Chartres-trained labyrinth facilitator, spiritual director, speaker and author, will present a brief overview of the history and practice of labyrinth-walking at First UMC Allen and lead a candlelit walk of the beautiful labyrinth at FUMC Allen.

The event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 30, at First UMC Allen, 601 S. Greenville Ave. in Allen. The cost is $40, including a light supper. Click here to register or call the church at 972-727-8561. Registration deadline is March 1.

Just three years ago, Christmas Eve worship in new NTC churches totaled a little under 300. In 2011, that number swelled to more than 2,000.

The tally includes 245 who attended Watch Night services at the St. Luke South Campus, recently renamed The Village UMC. Many African-American churches hold a Watch Night service on New Year's Eve rather than a Christmas Eve service.

"This season is a great time to engage the community," says Jim Ozier, who works with new churches in the conference, "and our planters know the value of immediate and diligent follow-up on those guests."

Whether meeting in schools or new church buildings, the spirit was vibrant and sacred as worshipers celebrated the birth of Jesus and the start of a new year.

The Bridgeport Camp and Conference Center has named Beau Taft executive director and Caleb Burk the assistant director.

Taft has been in youth ministry for more than 12 years and has been a staff member of Bridgeport Camp and Conference Center, or BCCC, since 2005. His previous post was co-director of both the Junior High 2 Camp and Senior High Camp.

Taft is a graduate of McMurry University in Abilene and is coming from a youth director position at Lake Cities UMC in Lake Dallas.

"I am very flattered to have been selected as the new executive director," Taft said. "It is a really exciting ministry of our conference, and I look forward to being a part of so many people's lives that come to camp each year."

Burk, a graduate of the University of North Texas, has been on the staff at the BCCC since 2005. He works directly with guests as they plan events, including lodging, food service and programs.

Burk, who lives on-site to assist guests with 24-hour needs, is experienced in the food industry and has earned a Food Service Manager certificate.

To find out more about the camp and conference center, visit the website at www.bridgeportcamp.org.