1. 4:00 pm clergy session: This is where we handle the business of the clergy of the Conference. We vote on those seeking their license to preach, to become provisional members, or members in Full Connection, those retiring, those who have moved in and out of the Conference, and those requesting to transfer in from other denominations.

We also take a moment to read the names of those who have died since the last Annual Conference. I knew several of them, called them friends, and at times, I was directly involved in ministry with them. We are less because we have lost them. May they forever rest in the peace of Jesus Christ.

Everyone was voted on and approved this evening.  There were no controversies in the votes, no long discussions, no objections. The Board of Ordained Ministry did its job with diligence and trust. It only brought forth candidates that were prepared to enter ministry at the different levels and met all the Disciplinary requirements for membership.

The clergy session closed with Bishop Wallace-Padgett taking a few moments to remind us that this would be our last Conference with some of the pastors in the room. Several have begun the process of exploring the possibility of leaving the U.M.C. I sat there listening and looking around realizing I am one of the people she was talking about.

As I looked around the room, I realized this is my 33rd year attending North Al. Annual Conference. Many of these pastors have been here as long or longer than I have. Many of them I know well; we have attended Ann Con, order of the Elders, Gathering of the Orders, trainings, dCOM, and BOM meetings together in many different places in a lot of other districts. I know them, I love them, and I pray they care for me as well. I saw pastors that are on different political and theological sides from me. We spoke, and some of us stopped and talked for a moment. Just because I don’t agree with their theology does not prevent me from caring about them or still being friends with them. It was good to be together once again.

2. 7 pm Ordination service. There were 9 or 10 pastors that retired this year. Over ½ of them were elders. We had one newly ordained Elder, recognized the ordination of two others from different denominations, and restored the order of Elder for another. This was a very small class. They seem to get smaller each year. I was honored to stand with Joey Karr when his orders were recognized. Joey has been working toward this evening for several years, and it was so wonderful to be there with him and his family when he finally received his orders.

I have enjoyed being part of the District and Conference Board of Ministries. It is a great joy to be part of the process of helping someone answer God’s call on their life. One Deacon that was ordained this evening, I remember the first time he came into my office in Rogersville and told me he wanted to start the process of becoming a Deacon in the U.M.C. It was good to know I had a small part in his being there this evening. If I am counting right, this evening was the 4th time I have voted for him to continue to the next step in ministry. Tonight’s vote was to become a Deacon in Full Connection, so it was the last time I will be asked to vote on him.  

If it sounds like I am sad about this evening, your right, I am. Thirty-three years is a long time to be in ministry with these men and women. So many times, we have met and prayed together. So many different projects we have worked on and learned so many new things together.

This is why I can assure you I do not take the idea of disaffiliation lightly nor light-hearted. Make no mistake, to even consider leaving breaks my heart, and tonight, I was reminded of how deep that wound will be. When you accuse me of not staying and fighting or giving up too easily, it simply shows you don’t know me, my heart, or my love for the United Methodist Church. This is not easy. This is a profound heartache for me. 

I know it is for Sherry as well. She was there when I received my license in North Ga. Sherry was there when I graduated from Seminary with many of these pastors. She was there when I was ordained a Deacon on the gym floor at Birmingham Southern. She was there when I was ordained an Elder on that same floor three years later. She has attended Annual Conferences with me and went to many of what used to be called meetings of the Susie’s with the pastors’ wives.  

Just like me, Sherry has been in ministry for 35 years.  Two years in North Ga. and 33 years in North Alabama.  That is over ½ of our lives and all but two years of our married life.  I was the manager of Long John Silvers in LaGrange when we met.  After the honeymoon at Disney in Orlando, I went to work at Ramada Inn as Asst. F&B Director in charge of restaurant, lounge, catering, and banquets.  In 1987 I went back to LaGrange College to finish my B.A. in religion and took my first student appointment.  For one year, I worked 48 hours a week at LJS, took 20 credit hours at LaGrange Col, I wanted out asap, and preached at four churches in the N Ga Con., called the Glen Circuit, a 4-point circuit comprised of Glen, Ridgeway, Texas, and Midway, U.M.C. All four of them were right on the Georgia-Alabama line. The largest had 20ish on Sunday morning. Two of them had no air conditioning and wood heaters. Both of them also had an outhouse for a bathroom. I was there for eight months and finished up the last year or so in Franklin Ga as the Assoc pastor at Bill Cody's church.  We came to North Alabama in June of 89 to serve the Roanoke Circuit, another 4-point charge, and have been in this Conference ever since. UMC Ministry is all she and I know.  

No, this is not easy. It is not fun.  Sherry and I take this decision very serious.  It is painful. This hurts our hearts and our souls.

So why do it? Because sometimes, you must take a stand for what you believe to be right and true. I have no hard feelings toward those that want to change UMC theology. God bless them; that is between them and God. I am not mad at any of them. I wish the hierarchy would have upheld and enforced the Discipline, but they chose not to. That is between them and God.  I wish others had not violated the Discipline. But that is between them and God. I am not their judge, nor are they mine.  I will leave all of that up to the Lord. But for now, all I can do is follow what I believe God is showing me as being right, true, and just. I know they are doing the same thing. So it is better to go our separate paths to be faithful to what we believe to be true. When all is said and done: there is some truth on both sides, and only God knows the whole and pure truth. Until then, we each must stand for what we feel is right and true. We must get out of each other’s way and pray for each other. If me leaving means both of us get some peace and can put our minds back on the work of the Lord, then so be it. With a heavy heart and a profound loss, I will be the one to leave.

I want to answer one final question tonight: Why Global Methodist Church? I am Christian first.  However, I interpret and follow the teachings of Jesus in the same light and manner as John Wesley and the Methodists. The UMC has chosen to step away from those teachings, so I am leaving them.  But I am not leaving Jesus nor Wesleyan teachings. From all that I know about all the choices of the different Methodist denominations, the GMC is the Methodist church that is the closest to the Methodist church I joined and still love.  It is the evangelistic, method-based theology that I agree with more than any other Methodist or other denominations.  I have no doubt it is and will be the Methodist church and theology God called me to be part of.  

If you read all this, God bless you, and now you know more than you may have ever wanted to know about me. But tonight, as we prepare for what will surely be painful discussions tomorrow, I remember and mourn for a lost love and an upcoming move.