Bishop Ward:
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ. It’s a joy to share with you a high honor conferred last week as The United Methodist Association of Communicators met.
Rick Wolcott (UMAC Chair):
I am honored to announce the 2021 Communicator of the Year is Derek Leek, Director of Communications in the North Carolina Conference. Recently Derek was asked by Bishop Hope Morgan Ward and Director of Connectional Ministries, Steve Taylor, to join them for a Zoom call. It is my pleasure to show you a portion of that call now. Please join me in welcoming Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church.
Bishop Ward:
Well, it’s a joy to gather on this Zoom. Rick shall I share the purpose of our call?
Rick Wolcott:
Absolutely.
Bishop Ward:
Derek, we are gathered on this Zoom to congratulate you as United Methodist Communicator of the Year.
Derek Leek:
You guys are sneaky.
Bishop Ward:
We thank you. We salute you. We’re so grateful for your work, your servant leadership among us, and Steve submitted the most beautiful, beautiful recommendation, and I along with him let Rick and others know all of your wonderfulness, all the ways you’ve been creative and in the last year Steve and I both said to one another, “How did he do all this? How’d he do all this?” as we began to just put the things that we remembered and that came to mind and I’m sure there are things we left out. But through the pandemic, through the racial reckoning and violence of last spring, through the continued postponements of gatherings with people across the church, through your wonderful help in the response of our churches so generously to apportionments, on and on and on.
Steve Taylor:
The work of Gary’s [Locklear] service, when we desperately needed a place to gather together and to lament and mourn and you helped make that happen. All of it’s been such a gift brother.
Derek Leek:
Thank you.
Bishop Ward:
And so much of it done on short notice. Just last week on Thursday afternoon, “Gosh can we have it by Monday morning?” And lo and behold by Monday at noon it was done.
Derek Leek:
Wow. Thank you all so much that’s so awesome. You all are very sneaky.
Bishop Ward:
We’re so grateful for what you do and for what you do and for the connection of communicators
Steve Taylor:
Absolutely
Bishop Ward:
and we know the way Derek is held in such high esteem in the community of communicators across the church.
Rick Wolcott:
Derek is a gift and a treasure for all of us and so it’s my honor to be able to represent the leadership team of UMAC (United Methodist Association of Communicators) to officially congratulate Derek on winning the Communicator of the Year Award and Derek you’ve had a chance to sit here and listen to people talk about you. What would you like to say in response?
Derek Leek:
I am so thankful to you Bishop, to you Steve, Rick to you, the whole UMAC leadership team. I’ve learned a lot in the time that I’ve been Director here and a lot of that is because of you all so I’m so thankful. I definitely know that God has given me this position even when I don’t think I’m doing the best or what I feel like I should be doing I know God is helping me and giving me this place so I am thankful to God for this. I definitely don’t want to leave out my team because I would not be doing this if I didn’t have my team so I’m going to give a quick shout-out to LeeAnne Thornton, to Linda Smith, to Chris Daniel, to Amanda Packer, to Jay Locklear, to Ani Simpkins, to Emanuel Lirag and just the whole staff at the Conference because they help us make communications a priority and what it is, so I’m so thankful, again for everyone for their support and you guys are definitely sneaky so I’m grateful.
Rick Wolcott:
Well, congratulations.
Derek Leek:
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.
Announcements
Day 24 – Rev. Sylvia Collins-Ball
![“The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.“ - Isaiah 58:11](https://nccumc.org/lent2021/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2021/02/ncc-lent21-verse-1024x576.jpg)
I grew up in a very rural part of North Carolina, and I came to live with my grandparents when I was three days old. I called my grandparents mamma and daddy. We lived on a sharecroppers farm, in an old wooden four-bedroom home, and no indoor plumbing. Our source of fresh drinking water came from a hand pump that was outside.
I can still hear the sound of that old pump being primed each morning by the hands of my mamma, who was a good old Methodist, and she loved to sing. At just the right moment, with the joy of “Amazing Grace” echoing off her breath, and with the rhythm of her priming that pump the water would gush forth out of the ground much like a well-choreographed musical piece at the hand of a famous conductor. Without fail, our need for water was sufficiently supplied at her hands.
We worked hard as farmers and enjoyed the streams from that old pump, but there were parched places that a cup of water from that pump was not sufficient enough to handle the thirst of that moment. We had our hail storms, hurricane winds, droughts, insect attacks, and crops destroyed. We had our share of broken hearts and families, deaths, failures, and life-draining situations. So, in those moments, I was taught about a different kind of water from a pump on the pages of a book we called the Bible.
In the evenings, around the old fireplace, until we moved up to a wood heater, we read the Bible each evening and sang out of our old hymnal. We took turns reading the Bible even though I was very young, and daddy would talk about what we had heard and prayed.
Each evening, this Water-Word of God strengthened our bones, our resolve for the tolls ahead, and the droughts that would come. Our lives taught us that we had better be ready at all times because we never really knew where the next drought might show up. As a young child, I got sick and had to go into a small town for medical care, and I saw this wonderful man called Dr. Bender, and he sent us to the pharmacy for medicines. So, I sat down at the counter whenever we arrived to get something cold to drink, and daddy rushed over and told me I had to get up. I didn’t understand, and I was thirsty. He said they would not give you anything to drink here. I left thirsty.
Those parched places throughout my life could have broken me, but my mamma and daddy gave me water that had come from the throne of God. This Water has strengthened my bones for the journey to continue throughout my life, and out of the overflow of God’s love, this strength has been shared in each congregation God has allowed me to serve in as a pastor. We all are in desperate need of this Water today, and I pray during our time of reflection in this season of Lent we will drink much from the Word of God. We need to stand at the pump of renewal.
Prayer
Dear Lord, I ask that you allow each of us to be watered by your Word and strengthened in the droughts of our lives in ways that will enable each of us to be empowered to go forth and refresh others with the joy of our love in you. Amen
Rev. Sylvia Collins-Ball is the pastor of City Road UMC in Elizabeth City
Check Out This Opportunity!
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward connected us with the Rev. Dr. Vicki Johnson so that we could make everyone aware of this opportunity for clergy through The Art of WellBeing. Please address any inquiries directly to Vicki Johnson (vickiloflinjohnson@gmail.com).
Overview: This course is designed for leaders who wish to optimize personal wellbeing so that positive energy and creativity are supported and sustained, even in times of disruption and turbulence. Through facilitated peer conversations as well as individual coaching, participants will be invited to take stock of spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical health habits. As evidence-based lifestyle themes are introduced, each person will be encouraged to commit to wellbeing practices based on individual need and interest.
Nuts and Bolts:
- Utilizes a “coach approach” with 9 hours of group coaching over 6 zoom sessions
- Group session themes focus on the following practices: receptivity, body care, connection, creativity, rule of life, and purpose
- Teaching videos and worksheets, bi-weekly around a particular wellbeing theme
- Optional individual coaching with the Rev. Dr. Vicki Johnson
- Cost: $250 for the group sessions, with the option to add individual coaching
The Rev. Dr. Vicki Johnson served for 30 years in the United Methodist Church in a wide variety of ministry settings—small and middle sized churches, clergy couple co-pastorate, associate pastor on a large church staff, district superintendent, and nine years as senior pastor of a growing, community-focused, downtown church. Through her current work as an ICF certified clergy coach and coach trainer, Vicki pursues her passion for helping churches and pastors flourish. A dedicated life-long learner, Vicki is also trained and certified as an interim ministry specialist, spiritual director, and yoga instructor. Now residing in East Texas, she enjoys pilgrimage travel, healthy cooking, reading historical fiction, mountain biking and hiking. Together, she and her husband Roger, have 7 children and 9 grandchildren. The Art of WellBeing is the fruit of Vicki’s long-time interest and continued personal journey toward spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical wellbeing.
![](https://nccumc.org/leadership/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2021/03/The-Art-of-Wellbeing_Horizontal-1024x768.png)
Day 23 – Rev. Joseph Park
![“The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.“ - Isaiah 58:11](https://nccumc.org/lent2021/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2021/02/ncc-lent21-verse-1024x576.jpg)
Parched places are not where we want to be. We lack water. We are short of provision.. In a parched place we do not want to lift up our eyes to look around, let alone look up. That is because all our energy is dried up by the heat of the day or the loneliness of the night.
This kind of pace has not been unknown to the ancestors in our faith tradition. The Hebrews in the desert after the Exodus; the prophets in the Old Testament and the Israelites in exile. Jesus also was in the wilderness for 40 days.
We do not seek a parched place. Yet more often than not we find ourselves in another barren land. Sometimes we bring it upon our own heads. Other times we are driven into it by a power that is beyond our own control. In either case, we feel like we are forced to make a life-or-death decision. As if all that will entail entirely depends on the decisions we make here and now.
Isaiah 58:11, however, reminds us that God’s decision is already made. God made up His mind to guide us continually, satisfy our needs, keep our bones strong, and make us the channel of blessing even in the wilderness. We will still make our choices. Yet, it won’t nullify God’s decision to continue to guide, provide and bless.
If we truly believe that the God who spoke this to the exiles is the same God we serve, let us lift up our eyes to see where God is coming and what God is doing for us, among us, and through us.
Prayer
Open our eyes that we may see your mighty hands reaching out to us even when we find ourselves struggling in the most barren land.
Rev. Joseph Park is the pastor of Pine Valley UMC in Jacksonville
Day 22 – Rev. Kenneth Locklear
![“The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.“ - Isaiah 58:11](https://nccumc.org/lent2021/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2021/02/ncc-lent21-verse-1024x576.jpg)
The season of Lent offers us an opportunity for Spiritual Disciplines for our Christian faith. As we observe Lent, we focus on the sacrifice of Christ, praise and worship of God, and a deeper intimacy with God, to name a few disciplines. It is a time of repentance and spiritual fasting.
A couple of years ago, while on an immersion trip in the midwest, our group returned to the airport for the flight back home. One of our colleagues, who was the only African-American female in our group of about 25 people, was stopped and searched. In contrast, the rest of the group was processed through the security area. I distinctly remember her facial expression, the look of frustration that spoke volumes – “here we go again.” For her, it was a generational expression. Whether she was profiled or not, we know it happens. We know that racism exists.
I visited with her later and we talked about this experience, which unveiled other instances in her life’s journey of being followed around by clerks in a clothing store and moments she was made to feel “less than.” My friend was stressed. I believe there is a uniqueness of what I call ethnic stress, ethnic fear, or ethnic anxiety when it is birthed in racism. As an ethnic person who has experienced racism’s wrath, I feel at times I am walking in parched places, and my spirit thirsts to celebrate the joys as a garden watered by the Spirit of His love. These joys for many in our nation today are suppressed by racism. There are growing numbers of people today that are doing DNA background tests and are discovering that they have several cultural and ethnic backgrounds within their DNA. I wonder how that discovery could help mold our theology by affirming that we are all God’s children made in His image.
Prayer
In this Lenten season, Lord, help us submit ourselves as followers of Christ to sing with joy, “I Am Thine, O Lord!” Lord, help us to live out the charge of “Dismantling Racism” for the sake of the Kin-dom.
Rev. Kenneth Locklear is the Gateway District Superintendent
Day 21 – Lou Jennings
![“The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.“ - Isaiah 58:11](https://nccumc.org/lent2021/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2021/02/ncc-lent21-verse-1024x576.jpg)
Some of my fondest memories in life center around water! As a child, I was always so excited when we had the opportunity to stay at a hotel that had a swimming pool. With my dad being 6’ 5”, I always felt so safe in the pool with him because he was always taller than the deepest part of the pool and I knew that I was always safely within his reach. He would play with me in the pool until my fingers shriveled up! As a parent, I enjoyed volunteering at my children’s school for field day and helping with the water balloon station. It was always such fun to watch the kids toss the water balloon back and forth and watch them get soaked when the balloon burst on those hot days. As an adult, my “happy place” is sitting by the ocean watching the waves crash on the shore and watching the beautiful colors that are created above the water when the sun rises and sets!
Although there are many ways we enjoy water, the truth is, we cannot exist without water. Our bodies are about two-thirds water. God created water early in the story of creation found in Genesis because of its importance to all life. Water sustains our life, but water also revives and cleanses us in so many ways.
God knew that we needed more than flowing water to satisfy our thirst in life so He sent his only Son and His Spirit to be the source of our living water and I believe He expects us to be that same “living water” to others who are in need.
I look back over my life and I can see so many instances where God has placed individuals in my life, at just the right moment, with a hug, an encouraging word, a prayer, a smile, or a helping hand. I have felt the gift of Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s living water flowing over me through other individuals who have taken the time to encourage and care for me.
Challenge yourself, during this season of Lent, to be God’s hands and feet in this world and share your love and God-given gifts and talents with others so that you may be the living water that will not run dry.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for refreshing our souls every day and I am eternally grateful that you sent Jesus and Your Spirit to dwell with and in us as our sustaining, reviving, and cleansing living water. Make me thirsty to share Your love with those You send my way and give me eyes to see the needs of all your children. Amen.
Lou Jennings is the Director of District Administration for the North Carolina Conference