Bishop Ward encourages each of us to be readers in this Connections video. View Bishop Ward’s Bookshelf for recommended reading.
Grace and peace to you, United Methodist people of the North Carolina Annual Conference. Today I give thanks for the rich heritage we share as United Methodist people; for a love of learning, a love of reading, a love of growing day by day, in Christ.
John Wesley wrote, “It is impossible for a person to grow in grace without reading.” In this statement he demonstrated the high regard he held for reading in the life of Christians, as they advance in grace.
I encourage each of us to be readers, not only of books that will help us practically in the growth of our church and ministry, but reading of poetry and novels, and essays, and other enriching offerings by those who are gifted in writing.
I will begin very soon, to post on the webpage, a book list. Books which have enriched my own life most recently; and I invite your suggestions of books which have enriched your life as well.
Together, this book list will help us as we grow in grace day by day. John Wesley also said, “Though we are born of God in an instant, we grow by slow degrees.” We are grateful that the life we share is a life of growing in holiness day by day by day.
May reading together, and sharing the insights we gain, be a means of grace in the rich community we share here in the North Carolina Annual Conference.