All Around the Conference

I started the week at Wesley Memorial UMC in Fort Myers for worship and a church meeting. 

Then I drove to camp for time with the Board of Ordained Ministry. We did interviews on Monday and Tuesday in person. 

Kaylee Vida from our SW district was approved for ordination as an elder. 

Always glad to hang out with Roy Terry and Mike Weaver from the SW district at our board meetings. 

Such a privilege to serve in BOM Leadership with these amazing women (left to right: Carrie Mac our BOM secretary, Emily Hotho our Cabinet liaison, Latricia Scriven our BOM Chair, Susan Gray our BOM vice-chair and Holly Finley our OCE Manager) 

Super grateful for these folks who sered as our hospitality hosts: Elizabeth Flynn our BOM registrar, and Rev. David and Nancy McEntire. 

I made sure to get in lots of labyrinth time. 

I spent Wednesday in Lakeland at meetings in the conference office. Before I went home, I swung by to get a hug from the big boy at his apartment. 

 

Time at Camp

Back in Fruitland Park this week for Board of Ordained Ministry interviews. Praying for those clergy interviewing this week for provisional and full connection status. And praying for our board members for wisdom and discernment. 

 

Warren Willis Camp

Wesley and Davis headed off to Warren Willis camp this week. A few of our clergy friends were there for visits and texted us pictures of the boys. 

They had a good week. But Davis' gastritis flared up towards the end of the week and he spent Thursday night in the infirmary before he had to be checked out on Friday morning. He joined the rest of us at Disney. 

 

 

Slow and Steady

I started off last week worshiping with El Shaddai Haitian Mission for Pentecost 

And then I attended a funeral for one of our retired pastors - who ran Goodwill Manasota for 35 years. 

I worked from home on Tuesday and took a Zoom meeting on the back porch - so I dipped my toes in the water. 

 

I got to visit with several retired clergy for lunch in Port Charlotte. 

And I made time to visit a labyrinth. 

 

 

By far the highlight of the week was getting to go to camp and speak to the summer leadership team. I found our friend and district college student Will Holden there 

 

 

And finally got to see all the pool improvements in person. So nice! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Board of Ordained Ministry week

I started off last Sunday morning worshipping at the First UMC of Bradenton. 

 

In the afternoon I drove up to camp for the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. 

 

It was nice to walk the labyrinth each morning. 

One of the candidates from our district was approved for provisional elder! 

It was a very good week. I loved working with my friend Latricia and people brought us snacks that we can both eat and love!

This was our whole Dream Team - Holly and me from the office along with Latricia (BOM Chair) and Susan (BOM Vice-Chair). 

 

 

And this was our hospitality team - Elizabeth our District Registrar along with the Rev. David and Nancy McEntire who are recently retired. 

 

Weekend at Camp

I spent time this weekend at camp in Fruitland Park speaking at a retreat for high school and college students about calling. I got to stay in a special suite overnight on the conference side.

 

 

And on the way home, I drove around Fruitland Park a little bit. Parker's name is up on the Troop 143 trailer at the church as an Eagle Scout. And the new Fruitland Park Elementary school is almost finished.