Editor
The Rev. Kory Knott got the crowd going by tossing the balls to the surprised but delighted delegates.
The Plano Convention Centre was converted into a panorama of sights, sounds and action during the Nehemiah Group presentation on Monday, June 4.
Led by the Rev. Paul Rasmussen of the Cornerstone ministry at Highland Park UMC in Dallas, the Nehemiah Group is a task force of clergy and lay people who spent the last year studying and evaluating the Annual Conference experience in the North Texas Annual Conference.
The goal of the task force was to research and offer a more engaging, meaningful annual meeting for North Texas United Methodists.
The Rev. Kory Knott, senior pastor of Argyle UMC, started the presentation with green stress balls in his hands.
Soon almost everyone in the auditorium had the balls in their hands and were throwing them in the air and into large nets that were carried across the aisles. Laughter and glee erupted, with members of the Annual Conference caught up in child’s play.
This was part of the plan.
Annual Conference should have a fun element, the Nehemiah Group says.
An Annual Conference delegate catches one of the stress balls hurled into the audience.
Next came presentations set to music, videos and song.
This was all a part of the Nehemiah Group’s strategy to demonstrate to Annual Conference members what their future gatherings could be like.
Over the past year, the Nehemiah Group identified nine values that our Annual Conference sessions should include: quality production, pace and flow, inspiring presenters, great music, fun, valuable content, creativity, inspiring worship, and participation.
The presentation closed on an even higher note.
Kate Miner, music director of Munger Place UMC, belted out the mega hit “Don’t Stop Believing” as the youth choir of Custer Road UMC in Plano sang along and clapped.
There was electricity in the air and smiles everywhere.
After discussion among the delegates, the Nehemiah Group’s proposal was accepted. Expectations are high for future Annual Conferences. Delegates want to leave energized and inspired.
