Day 4 of the UMC General Conference began with an inspiring worship service led by Bishop Sharma D. Lewis. She emphasized the crucial role of God’s guidance in our conference agenda and reminded us that while we may not always trust each other, we can trust the Lord as we navigate the next seven days […]
Day 3 of the UMC General Conference began with a soul-soothing worship experience for me, which included “The Goodness of God” in Spanish. I arrived early to help save seats for other reserves in our delegation, which allowed me to catch the end of the soundcheck and preview what we would sing together later. Bishop […]
Day 2 of the UMC General Conference began with an inspiring morning worship, featuring a jazz combo that led us in singing century-old hymn lyrics in a refreshed way. The music was fantastic and set a positive tone for the day. Bishop Holston’s episcopal address took us on a journey through the years since the […]
Day 1 at the UMC General Conference was filled with reconnecting with friends and colleagues from across the connection. It’s inspiring to see people from all across the UMC, including the highest concentration of bishops, and to have opportunities to catch up with friends from near and far. I’ve connected with a variety of people […]
Imagine the buzz in Jerusalem the week after that first Easter. The crucifixion, the empty tomb, the appearances of the risen Jesus – the city must have been electric with wonder, confusion, and anticipation. Can you imagine the roller coaster of emotions experienced by the disciples? And now, we find yet another twist: Jesus’ ascension […]
Imagine, for a moment, you’re at the Super Bowl tonight, with the football team from Kansas City facing off against the team from San Francisco. The energy is electric, the crowd is roaring, and you can feel the tension. Each player on the field has a pivotal role, and their collective efforts could lead to […]
I am excited to share the news that we have hired Sarah Newberry to be the Director of Worship Arts at Resurrection West. Next week, I am hoping to share a bit more of the process with you. Until then, I wanted to pass along the update that Pastor Molly shared the news via email […]
I am preaching this Sunday at Resurrection West. I am looking forward to the opportunity to share good news with the congregation. I am particularly looking forward to it as I did not have the opportunity to preach while serving as Pastor of Resurrection Online. We are in the middle of a series in which […]
So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty (Zechariah 4:6, NIV). I appreciate the reminder in this verse that it is by God’s Spirit that I am able to make an impact on the lives […]
Last week I sent out this message on social media networks in which I am involved: http://twitter.com/#!/andrewconard/status/90893551919038464 I heard back from people who had ideas for what this might look like and I want to try to take the next step. Generally I am not very interested in groups that cohort, advocate or politic within […]
How do we help people live fruitfully in their day to day life? Ultimately, the church is not about keeping a variety of interesting programs running and giving people something that to do that is segmented from the rest of their lives. We are about equipping people to live fruitfully in their every day life […]
This week, I read The Importance of Outcomes by Gil Rendle and Susan Beaumont. I commend this article to you from The Alban Institute and want to share a key quote: “The number of hours, visits, calls, reports, and so on is not a measure of what is produced in ministry but rather a measure […]
Rev. Andrew Conard 