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Dear San Marco Church Family: If you have been at church or have watched online the last couple of weeks, you know that we have invited everyone to the annual church conference to be held at Riverside Park United Methodist Church this Sunday, October 19, at 3pm. Some of you may not be familiar with the church conference, so I want to share why this is an important part of our life as United Methodists. The annual event is required for all United Methodist Churches. We vote on the leadership of the local church for the upcoming year, we vote on the clergy compensation, and we turn in paperwork relating to how we manage our finances. We also turn in an annual accessibility audit for the building, and we answer many questions regarding our membership and our sustainability. The majority of these business matters are completed before the conference, so that at the conference we worship and spend time together with several other United Methodist congregations in our area. This is NOT just another boring business meeting! It should last no longer than an hour and a half, at most, and we will hear about the various ministries of our many local churches. If you are not familiar with the practices of the United Methodist Church, our system is indeed very methodical. Did you know, for example, that a church does not “hire” a United Methodist pastor? We are appointed for one year by the Bishop and the cabinet, subject to renewal each year. The cabinet includes the district superintendent, who is the presiding authority of our district. Our Book of Discipline outlines the theological viewpoint of our churches and offers carefully crafted perspectives on a variety of social and cultural issues. Like any human institution, the United Methodist Church is not perfect. But the accountability structures that we honor, and the developed theology that is part of our Wesleyan DNA, demonstrate adherence to the calling of the body of Christ on earth. Our district superintendent requires that each church have several members attend the church conference. So if you are free Sunday afternoon at 3pm, please come to Riverside Park UMC! I am working on a message based upon Luke 18:1-8. I encourage you to read the passage and pray for me as I prepare Sunday’s message. I appreciate your ongoing prayers for the SMC community. God is at work among us, and for that I am grateful! See you Sunday! Steve Hart
stevehart100@gmail.com
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