IGRC 2007, Day One

Yesterday was the first day of the Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference in Peoria, IL. The real excitement (for me) was clergy session, which took place first thing. That's where the body of the clergy voted to accept this year's class of elders and probationary elders. My former pastors seemed quite proud to see me take this step forward, and were very congratulatory.

The big news is that we began the balloting process for General Conference. I found this kind of boring, mostly since I have no vote so I couldn't really participate in the process. My former pastor and pastoral mentor Victor Long is putting forth a concerted effort to go. I hope he makes it.

We also had an opening worship service that featured remembrance of baptism, which is always a great worship moment for me. It was especially cool because my brother is the lay representative from our hometown church this year and we sat together. We were baptized together as teenagers in that church in 1986. It was great to remember the day of our baptism together.

I also met Jason Woolever (aka Post-Methodist) face-to-face, and he seems like a really nice guy. I think he and I are the only MethoBloggers in the conference.