Goodbye Orlando

Everybody say bye to Mickey!

General Assembly 2013 has closed. 

(Please note: I'm at the airport waiting for my flight. I may share a few more General Assembly posts once I'm back home. I have a few more stories to tell...but they are a little long to type out with my thumbs on my phone!)

Our Folks (take 3)

I was walking through the Exhibit Hall this morning (the last day of General Assembly) and who should I run into...

...the Reverends Brett and Trish Winters!

They are doing well and asked me to share their love with everyone at FCC Scottsdale. Don't worry, I already shared your love with them!

Our Folks (take 2)

Finally got a picture with Lea and one of RJ here at General Assembly. Both photos are from last night's Regions of the Southwest Reception. 

FCC Scottsdale at General Assembly!

Leadership Lecture

Take-away lines from Shelia Spencer's Leadership Development Lecture:

"If you desire a robotic, static thinker -- train them. If you are seeking innovative, critical thinkers -- develop them."

"Leaders are developed through: relationship, coaching, and mentoring."

"Leaders are developed by calling out their uniqueness. Invite them to discover their unique gifts, callings, and leadership styles."

Our folks

With the thousands of Disciples here at General Assembly it can be hard to find everyone you want to see. 

But rest assured that I've seen our three FCC Scottadale folks (Lea, Daryl, and RJ) and that they are all doing well and enjoying Assembly. 

Here's a photo of Daryl and I from the GLAD Banquet last night. 

It's Not All About You

Want to know where the Young Adults are and what they are up to?

My dear friend and colleague Rev. Courtney Richards along with Julie Richardson Brown have just published a collection called "It's Not All About You: Young Adults Seeking Justice" that shares some of those stories. 

I picked up a copy at their book signing yesterday...

...and since Courtney has known me since I was a teenager (please don't ask her to spill any embarrassing stories about me!) she signed my copy with these words:

Monday Night's Sermon

Rev. Filiberto Pereira brought a powerful word with his sermon on Monday Night. 

Here are a few highlights:

"We will only see Jesus if we have hospitable eyes.  We will only be able to hear the voice of Jesus if we listen for the one who is in need."

"God's will is not anonymous. God's will is called love. "

HOPE Partnership at GA

The business sessions started today at General Assembly. There were official reports, recommendations, and resolutions for the Assembly Delegates to receive and consider. 

One of the items on the docket was the official report from Church Extension for Missional Development. These are the folks who helped us with our PIP Project last year AND are helping us with Hope Partnership this year. Here are a couple of things of note from the report:

Rick Risenger lifted up the guiding question: How do we use space and place to foster mission and ministry rather than impeding it?

Gilberto Collazo pushed that "Leaders are helping focus not on administrating a church, but on serving the kingdom of God. "

After the report I ran in to my Hope partnership Clergy Coach Rev. Mike Fronk. Since we had only previously chatted via Skype and Text Message I am glad to finally offer photographic evidence that the two of us actually exist!

Friends at Assembly

So General Assembly is under way!

The folks in Florida have been wonderful in welcoming us. The layout of the Convention Center is strange, and the air is thick with humidity, but the welcome is very very real. 

General Assembly is like a family reunion and it has been good to connect with friends from all over the country. Here are a few!

Our friend the Rev. Dr. Eric Smith (on the right; you'll remember him as the preacher from my installation) with Rev. Mark Miller-McLemore (Dean of the Disciples Divinity House at Vanderbilt). 

The Reverends Martin and Lori Tapia from Alas de Salvacion in Gilbert. 

Our General Minister and President, the Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins leading worship on Sunday Night. 

En route

I'm waiting at Sky Harbor for my flight to Orlando. Because of the length of the flight and the three time zones I'm crossing I get on the plane at 9:10 and won't get off until 5:40!

Anyway, this is a test to make sure the mobile blogging app will work!