Bishop Convocation 2012 Reflections

Submitted by Pastor Chase on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 10:38am

What is a Bishop's Convocation?

It is a time set aside for the bishop to be with the clergy, deaconal ministers and professional church workers to listen to each other and collaborating with others through out the state and Oregon Synod. This year we are at Cannon Beach. Traveling here on Monday was a step in saying, "I believe!". I drove the car with three passengers and headed out on Highway 26 with hope and faith. While it was snowing it was not sticking as we passed Christ church. It was just outside of Banks, that things changed. As we gained elevation we also gained more snow sticking to the road. My passengers were growing nervous but I assured them that having grown up in Wisconsin we would be fine. I assured them, as we passed people chaining up, we did not need to.

There were a few inches of snow on the road and it was accumulating but, we did make it to the beach and it was good to get out of the car having arrived at our destination. Last night here on the beach, it snowed, rained and hailed all night long. Today we are preparing for wind gusts up to 80 miles an hour and snow, rain and hail. They are saying it would be good to stay in one place today as the mountain roads are pretty bad.

I have a roof over my head, a warm bed to sleep in and I am surrounded by old friends and new acquaintances. There is a full pot of coffee and good conversation. I don't know what tomorrow will bring but for today, staying in one place is a gift and I am blessed.

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Bishop's Convo

Submitted by pastortimhk on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 11:16am.

Glenn,

Good words - we relax; we reminisce; we interact; we rest; we are blessed! It is a good time to be the body of Christ!

And . . .

Submitted by jtrev on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 11:23am.

Tim -- you left off, "playing golf (in the driving rain.)"

Glad you all made it to the

Submitted by Mieke Appel on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 4:04pm.

Glad you all made it to the convo safely. Be careful on the drive back home. We need you to teach us more. Blessings.

From textweek.com

Submitted by Eric Ohrtman on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 9:41am.

This made me think of your post and Bishop's Convocation in general. It is born out of reflection on this week's text, 2 Kings 5:1-14.

http://www.sermonsuite.com/free.php?i=788016812&key=jrbhxfaHf2Yb4ltd

Gotta love this!

Submitted by Dave Brauer-Rieke on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 10:25am.

"We know the lies we tell to others; the lies we tell ourselves are a bit harder to discern, but the only way to really grasp the lies we don't even know we are living is to get outside our own cultural setting." (The Christian Century, p. 635, July 1, 1992)

Oh Oh, gotta love that! So does the church (today) live inside or outside of it's general cultural setting?

You're a great straight man, Bishop.

Submitted by jtrev on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 11:18am.

So does the church (today) live inside or outside of it's general cultural setting?

Everyone wants to be the comedian, few want to be the straight man who sets up the joke. This question is a straight man act, right?

With few exceptions our congregations are insider groups. Period. Any other response is a lie. God bless the few that intentionally seek to climb over their own moats to be part of the community around it.

Here's a recent example. [Because I'm retired I get to wander around other congregations.] A newsletter I picked up at a congregation had a whole section on the work of the EVANGELISM committee -- those tasked with "going to all nations, teaching them what I have commanded you and baptizing . . ." (Mt 28:19) Every point of action was done within the congregation -- pot lucks, publicity of upcoming worship and service -- all done within the congregation and for people who were within the congregational newsletter reach. There were no plans indicated for "outside" publicity.

So, you tell me -- living inside or outside?

IF, being nurtured by the Gospel, we are to fulfill the mission to "follow me," and "go to all nations (how about 'our neighbors and co-workers')" then I think we should begin by naming the lie that we welcome ALL, and address:

who we ACTUALLY welcome, and;
who shall we be brave enough to target with this precious gift that we seem to want to hold too closely to our own breasts.
how we can learn to see ourselves as gospel-lit people as we move around our lives outside the congregational property lines (perhaps within them as well.)