I got the opportunity to take a few minutes to offer a few reflections on the gathering of General Conference 2019.

The Dome at America’s Center prepared for #GC2019.

The Day of Prayer is from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., today. Live streaming can  be found here throughout the week.

The anxiety is palpable. Everyone is cordial and smiling, but I’ve yet to engage in a deep or meaningful discussion. That could just be me, though.

The Africans appear to be solidly against the One Church Plan. Heard in a presentation from an African pastor:

• “And then please hear me when I say as graciously as I can: we Africans are not children in need of western enlightenment when it comes to the church’s sexual ethics. We do not need to hear a progressive U. S.  bishop lecture us about our need to ‘grow up’.”
• “We Africans will never sell our birthright in Christ for American dollars.”
• “But, with all due respect, a fixation on money seems more of an American problem than an African one.”

We have much to learn from our African brothers and sisters.

There is much prayer undergirding the gathering. The global nature of the UM church is evident as one walks around the Dome at America’s Center. Prayer will be the key to all that happens here in St. Louis.

Whatever happens, the Church of God shall prevail, the Kingdom of God will increase and people will still come to Christ.

My prayer this morning as I sat in the cheap seats was for the Holy Spirit to have its way with these people called Methodist. That’s my only prayer.

I’ll post more as I have an opportunity.

Until next time, keep looking up…