Greetings from your new pastor!  That’s right - I am your new pastor for the 2010 - 2011 conference year.  United Methodist pastors are appointed for one year terms and the Bishop saw fit to reappoint me to Trinity Church for another year.  Praise God!

Annual Conference took place June 10 - 12 in Greenville, North Carolina.  Your two lay delegates, Nancy Keziah and Rick Smith, along with myself, represented the Trinity Family well.  Annual Conference was the usual hectic conference.  There was much legislation transacted, many reports presented, and many inspiring moments as delegates frequently worshiped together.

There were many highlights, but one special to me every year is the grand finale of conference when the Bishop fixes the appointments of pastors for the year.  That was the highlight of Annual Conference for me this year as I was reappointed to Trinity Church for my second of what I hope is many years.  I am looking forward to being in mission and ministry with you for as long as I can.

I just want to share an idea or two about Annual Conference with you to help you see how you are in mission and ministry beyond the four walls of Trinity.  Trinity’s 2010 missional outreach, through our conference apportionments is $71,306, and we are on schedule to honor that pledge.  We will probably give at least that much and more in other missional giving.  We can praise God for blessing us so that we can be a blessing to others here and around the world.  As we have received God’s grace in Christ, let us continue to share that grace with the world.

And one more thing.  I am so excited to be a part of the Trinity Family as we join hearts and hands in Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-taking Mission and Service and Extravagant Generosity - all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I am excited to be a part of something that is so much bigger than just me or even Trinity Church – I’m excited to a part of God’s mission here and I look forward to many more years of Christian service together.  I’ll see you in the “something bigger” place next Sunday.  I love you.    

                            Jeff