Bishop, confirmands agree to 'GANG up'
No group was livelier during the Bishop's Confirmation Celebration Sunday, Feb. 24, than this one from First UMC, Garland. They arrived early to fill up-front rows.
Bishop Alfred L. Norris had everyone's attention as he addressed the 2008 Confirmation Celebration.
BY JOHN A. LOVELACE
Special Correspondent
PHOTO BY JOHN A. LOVELACE
Bishop Alfred L. Norris Sr. GANGed up on about 500 confirmands Sunday afternoon, Feb. 24, and they responded with whoops, cheers and a standing ovation.
This climaxed the annual gathering between the North Texas Annual Conference's episcopal leader and members of confirmation classes --- think typically 6th graders --- from local churches all over the conference. Parking lots full of church vans from places like First UMC, Burkburnett, and Wesley UMC, Greenville, signaled how far some of these youngsters and their sponsors had come --- and had to return --- for this special time with their peers and with the bishop.
Speaking from the Lovers Lane UMC pulpit, Bishop Norris carefully answered questions relayed from confirmands through Rev. Stephen Swisher, an associate pastor at the host church. Typical queries were "How did you become a minister?" and "How did you become a bishop?"
Swisher asked the final question: What advice do you have for these youngsters? Bishop Norris answered (summarizing):
1. Be yourself. Don't try to be somebody else.
2. Remember, there are more people pulling for you than against you.
3. The church needs you and you need the church.
Then, to what had sounded like his closing --- "I'm proud of you, and the church is proud of you." --- he appended, "Now I have a last request and challenge. I want you to join my gang. We won't rob or hurt people or create havoc. I call it my God And Neighbor Group or GANG.
"I'm looking for members who make a commitment to love God and neighbor and to put that love into practice daily. . . You understand that all your closing neighbors are made in God's image even if they don't look like you. How many will join my GANG?" The place rocked.
Two events preceded the bishop's session with the confirmands. An opening gathering filled the Lovers Lane sanctuary. After announcements by NTC Youth Ministries leader Rev. Mike Wright-Chapman, a Tennessee singer/author/writer named Celia Witler, formerly of North Texas, energetically led the crowd through praise songs. Some she wrote, including her widely known "Live Christ." A spirit band of three acoustic guitars and drums and a booming sound system pumped energy into young listeners' pores.
Then came the perennial Confirmation Fair --- a smorgasbord of activities like bounce houses, face painting, crafts, free balloon twists and what may have been a world's record supply of pizza.
Balmy weather allowed the youths to burn energy indoors or gather reflectively --- think pizza --- in the church courtyard.
Pretty much on time, all returned to the sanctuary for the kind of spiritual food that one expects from a beloved bishop.
The closing GANGup indicated that the message had been both sent and received.
PHOTO BY JOHN A. LOVELACE
