NTC Annual Conference Opening Worship Service Celebrating - The Grace of Our Differences

JOE DAN BOYD
Special Correspondent 

The pews were packed in First UMC, Richardson's, new sanctuary Sunday evening, as Rev. Clayton Oliphint welcomed members of 2007 North Texas Annual Conference to the first-ever annual conference worship service in this church’s 127-year history.

Graceful dancers geared style and step to the sound of bagpipes, tin whistles, hand bells, didgeridoo and music from each of the world’s seven continents. They quickly established a dominant theme: The Holy Spirit's ageless emphasis on celebrating our worldly differences, through which we all may become stronger spiritually.

Bishop Alfred L. Norris dramatized that theme by juxtaposing two Scriptures: Genesis 11's Tower of Babel, where God gave the people many languages, followed by a reference to Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit empowered everyone at Pentecost, despite a plethora of languages, to hear and understand the Good News proclaimed by Galilean Apostles of the early Church.

"Yet today we still build towers by refusing to allow others to inhabit our space because their human capital is suspect, and so we avoid exposure to their cultures, mores, principles and lifestyles," declared Bishop Norris. "As a result, we often are not inclusive.

Kingdom beckons
"But, God does not condone provincialism or parochialism; God's Kingdom beckons, is global in scope, elastic in nature, and I celebrate that," added the Bishop. "God takes our individualities and molds us into a community of pilgrims. "Even the Disciples of Jesus had their differences," emphasized Bishop Norris. "Peter was bombastic and John was meditative, for instance. Yet, Jesus told each of them to go into all the world and proclaim his Word from shore to shore.

"Still, sometimes the world comes to us to enhance our growth, both culturally and spiritually," declared the Bishop. "Today, for example, we are experiencing a pattern of multiculturalism that rivals the majestic colors of the rainbow.

"God is doing new, exciting and glorious things in our midst: Even tonight, we heard a gospel song sung, and sung well, by an Anglo UMC choir," he quipped.

When we fail to celebrate such differences, Bishop Norris believes we become devoid of spirit and growth: "It is because of our differences that we grow into the fullness of Christ!

Inviting & hospitable
"Someone has even paraphrased John Wesley, revising his famous line, 'the world is my parish,' to read, 'the world is in my parish,' emphasizing anew our call to be both inviting and hospitable," added the Bishop. "In summary, we are all to speak the universal language of love.

"After all, love is God's language; love is who He is," explained Bishop Norris. "You and I, and all the people of the world, are joined to each other by this unifying language of love."

A special expression of love on this night was a litany of thanksgiving for the life and service of the late NTC Bishop Rhymes H. Moncure, Jr.Led by Area Provost Rev. James E. Dorff, the litany was based on a Charles Wesley hymn, If Death My Friend And Me Divide, emphasizing how much we grieve Bishop Moncure's untimely passing, while marveling at how poignantly he graced our lives and our churches in such a brief time.

Before the end of this opening NTC service, Bishop Norris commissioned 95 Interns for Project Transformation and Connect To The Kingdom (C2K) ministries.

"This is a very high moment in the life of our Conference," he emphasized. "These young people have agreed to give up their vacations, and to be the hands and feet of Christ while serving those who are in need during the summer months.

"May they proclaim grace and freedom," added the Bishop. "May they go with God, and may God go with them. We should all be proud of their commitment, and especially to Whom they have committed themselves."

In his prayer for the success of the Interns, Bishop Norris expressed hope for those to whom love is a stranger: That they may yet find love through these generous Intern friends.

"Nurture them, that as they give, they may also receive," the Bishop prayed. "That all may catch the flame, that all may experience Your love and grace and that all may know You are the living God."

As the evening service drew to a close, and after all present had received Holy Communion, Bishop Norris shared his personal testimony, moved to do so by strains from the ancient hymn, Amazing Grace.

"I walked down the aisle while our congregation sang that hymn, and it’s still my favorite. After all, it was to that musical accompaniment I gave my life to Christ, and every time I hear Amazing Grace, I feel like walking down the aisle again!

"If I was not already a Christian, I think I would join tonight," concluded Bishop Norris.

So say we all!

Bishop Alfred L. Norris consecrates summer interns for Project Transformation and Connect to the Kingdom at the opening service for the 2007 North Texas Annual Conference.

Sacred dancers depict the 2007 Annual Conference theme:"That all might catch the flame."