Bishop Ward highlights the Methodist tradition of gathering for Annual Conference and also gives thanks for persons who have had a fatherly parenting role in our lives as we celebrate Father’s Day this coming Sunday.
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.
On Sunday, we celebrate Father’s Day. It’s a day to celebrate the men in our lives who have been a blessed presence, who have been a guiding force, whose memory and whose living presence blesses up still. We sing with the psalmist, “Lo, we have a good heritage.” We celebrate the companionship and partnership of one another as Father’s Day comes and we pray for everyone who has a parenting role, a fathering role, a role as an uncle or a brother, or a friend. Blessings as this day comes.
John Wesley is often called the father of the Methodist Movement. We gather for Annual Conference these next three days and as we do, we live in the tradition which he began so long ago. Little could he have imagined the expansiveness of the Methodist Movement across the years, now throughout the world. As we gather for Annual Conference we live in the living tradition of Methodist people. Tomorrow, the Lay and Clergy sessions of the Conference will be held. Thursday the full session of the Annual Conference will take place virtually and Friday, we will celebrate ordinations of a number of our colleagues and friends.
Thank you for your prayers in this very exceptional week as we celebrate fathers and as we celebrate the connection we share with all United Methodist people.