Last week, Shelley and I attended General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, to witness the Holy Spirit move through the General Conference delegation as they discerned the most faithful polity for our United Methodist denomination. Of course, as you have heard, all anti-LGBTQ+ language in our Book of Discipline was either removed or amended this year. It was amazing.

Other exciting things happened too!

As of January 1, 2025, Deacons (the type of outreach pastor our own Rev. Randy Knighten is) will have full sacramental authority. Regionalization passed, pending ratification from annual conferences. The revised Social Principles made their way to the floor and were adopted. Jurisdictional commissions on reparations will be formed. The first black female President of the Council of Bishops was elected. There was so much positive change it's hard to capture and think about everything! The news from that General Conference was all so, so good, it honestly was overwhelming. 

On Wednesday evening, I attended Mark Miller’s celebratory sing along at First UMC Charlotte where several bishops spoke. At that gathering, Bishop Ellen Stanovsky told us that this swift change, though wonderful, will take some getting used to. “It will be a spiritual discipline to live into this,” she said.   

As I flew home, my mind was swimming. On the plane, I remembered Bishop Stanovsky’s words as I began to imagine God’s dream for Saint John’s now that we have the freedom to be fully inclusive, no longer distracted by an excluding denomination. What is next for Saint John’s? Who is God calling us to be? Where will we spend our energy now?

The young woman next to me on the plane had her small, sweet Yorkie in a carrier at her feet. He slept well the entire flight. When the plane landed, the Yorkie shot awake and looked up at us. She pulled the carrier on her lap as we both delighted in this dog’s energy. He twirled and twirled in tiny circles in his carrier, pressing his little eyeball against the mesh corners, trying to get a look at us and make his wordless, panting plea, “Let me out!” He was so persuasive, that the young woman said, “OK, I’ll open the zipper a little so I can pet you.”

You can imagine what happened next: the dog pushed open the zipper and busted out of that carrier so fast. Before I knew it, I was involved, squeezing and maneuvering, trying to get this squirmy and surprisingly strong dog back into his carrier. It did not work. Every time we got one paw into the carrier, it seemed like four came out.

In this glorious season where we are no longer distracted by the polity that hinders our inclusivity and welcome, is this the beginning of Saint John’s dreams finally busting out, being free, twirling in delight? Will this be a fruitful season of the creative Holy Spirit at work in our midst?

Let us dream together. What is God calling us to do next, dear ones?