E-Vine… A message from Bishop Bob Hoshibata

Dear Colleagues in Ministry,

Grace to you and peace in the name of Jesus Christ!

An opportunity to gather and interact with one of the prophetic leaders of the church is ours.  I have invited Dr. Lovett Weems, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Church Leadership and Director of the G. Douglass Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., to come to the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference as the speaker for the 2007 Bishop’s Symposium.  I hope that all persons who are appointed or assigned to local churches - elders, deacons, local pastors and lay persons assigned - will make a strong effort to participate to take advantage of Dr. Weems’ presence with us.

The 2007 Bishop’s Symposium will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, and will conclude at noon on Thursday, October 11.  We will be hosted at the Pendleton United Methodist Church in Pendleton, Oregon. 

Lovett Weems was selected to lead us in the Symposium because of the wisdom he shares in his conversations and writing.  Most recently, his book entitled Take the Next Step offers food for thought for those of us who lead our churches in bold disciple-making.  Weems encourages church leaders to know and understand a church’s history as a starting point for radical change in our ministry settings.  He contends that the congregation’s identity becomes a bridge joining its past to a viable future with new ministries. Especially as we have now adopted a new Strategic Direction for the annual conference (Vision/Mission Statement and Missional Priorities), Weems offers us assistance as we begin to live into our future as a vital annual conference. I would strongly recommend that you obtain a copy of this book and read it in preparation for the Symposium. 

Registration will be available online on the conference website later this month. Suggestions for arranging your lodging accommodations and other information concerning your stay in Pendleton can also be found on our website. There will be a $35 registration fee.

In the meantime, I encourage you to reserve the date on your calendars and talk with your Staff-Parish Relations Committees to encourage their support for your attendance at the 2007 Bishop’s Symposium. Remember, the Symposium will immediately follow the second “Healthy Boundaries, Healthy Ministry” workshop, which you still may register for on the conference website.

I look forward to greeting you in Pendleton!

In Christ’s shalom,

Bob Hoshibata