June 3, 2011

6-3-11 Friday, 6:36 am Springfield, 72 degrees, clear

Today is the first day of Annual Conference. Yesterday I worked at Wesley in the morning, had lunch with Jerry, then three “preliminary” meetings for the work of the Annual Conference – the Board of Ordained Ministry, the Healthy Church Initiative, and the College Age Ministries. In the evening Audrey and I attended a dinner for the Board of Ordained Ministry and guests, held at Kingsway UMC. Tomorrow I host the Asbury Seminary luncheon at St. Paul UMC in downtown Springfield.

This morning I have been compiling a devotional reading guide for a bulletin insert to accompany the four-part Isaiah series I start this weekend. I am using notes from my daily devotions in January – March. I look forward to leading this series.

Acts 1 (From The One Year Bible for June 3)

The continuation of the writing of Luke, addressed to Theophilus as an eye witness account of the events following the resurrection of Christ. He appeared to the apostles over a period of 40 days, “speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.” Jesus gathered them together and told them to wait for what the Father had promised. In verse 8 He says “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

In verses 15-26 is the account of the brethren (about 120 persons in the upper room) led by Peter to select a replacement apostle for Judas. Two men were nominated, Joseph called Barsabbas and Matthias. They drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias, “and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” I have often wondered if this was a premature replacement of Judas, and that when Paul was raised up by God, he could have become the 12th apostle, if that spot had still been open. Today and for the next 3 days at Annual Conference we will elect delegates to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences. It will be interesting to observe this process. During the last election, 4 years ago, I was elected as a delegate to the Jurisdictional conference.

Lord today may I be empowered by your Holy Spirit to be your witness in Springfield, in all Missouri, and even to the remotest part of the earth, in the blessed name of Jesus the Christ.