Invitation to Discernment

Dear RMC Conference,

A few weeks ago I had the joy and privilege of preaching at Crossroads Church in Loveland, CO.  Inspired by the Still Speaking Writers Lent Devotional: Bend, each of the six weeks of their Lent series focuses on an anchor prayer about bending our hearts towards God.  The focus on the Sunday I preached was “Bend my heart towards prayer so stress doesn’t break me.”  If ever there was a Sunday that I was preaching as much to myself as to the gathered body this was one of those Sundays.  I shared some of the ways that prayer was helping me from breaking under stress. I talked about breath. I talked about intentional silence. And talked about asking for help. 

This is perhaps the hardest prayer of all for me to learn – this word help. We live in a culture that suggests we should be superhuman. I find it reassuring that when I look to the gospels there are multiple accounts of Jesus in prayer.  Luke tells us Jesus would withdraw to deserted place to pray.  Mark tells us after the people dispersed he left for the mountain to pray. Sometimes he took his friends with him to pray. It seems Jesus is fully aware of his need for help, for strength, for God’s goodness and grace. In a few weeks we will hear again the story of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane asking God to take this cup from him. Jesus reminds us that being fully human (not superhuman) includes knowing we need help, not only from God but from one another. 

I knew as I took on the position of Acting Conference Minister that I would not be able to do the equivalent of what until recently was done by 3 full time conference staff.  I am beyond grateful to our officers, Rev. Dr. Sarah Linn, Mary Ellen Belltrachi and Rev. Kari Collins, our Assistant Treasurer Teresa Campbell, and each member of the RMC Board who have graciously stepped into the inevitable gaps in this time of transition and gone above and beyond in their support of the conference.  I am grateful for our conference staff who show up every day ready to get to work with skill, steadiness and a generous spirit.  And still, as we continue to navigate this transition I can say with certainly, more help is needed. 

There is need for help in carrying out the foundational work of Board committees that support the ministry of the conference. There is need for help in the ongoing work of the newly formed Conference Wide Committee on Ministry.  There is need for help in implementing this year’s annual meeting at La Foret.  Our Nominating Committee is beginning to work on identifying people across our conference who are willing and interested in offering their gifts, passions and skills to the work and ministry of the conference. You can find the list of open positions here, job descriptions here, and a form to nominate yourself or another, here.  

I have talked to many who are hesitant right now to step back into the conference. And I understand the hesitation. I won’t lie, we have our work cut out for us.  We are repairing relationships and rebuilding systems at the same time as we are clarifying the purpose of conference ministry and reimagining new ways of carrying that ministry out.  This moment asks a lot of us. 

And what I want to say is this: I believe this work is worthy of our commitment and investment because the local church is worthy of it. And at the end of the day isn’t that why we are here, to harness our collective wisdom and resources in support of the local church as it seeks to embody the love of God in their context?  

I hope you will read through the open opportunities and discern whether the Spirit is calling you to help the conference as it seeks to repair, rebuild and reimagine the ministry to which we have been called. 

I also ask that you continue to hold us all in prayer.  Over the last several months many of you have shared with me that you have been holding the conference, the staff and myself in regular prayer. I am incredibly grateful for this and I feel this support. Know that your prayers matter.

And in these last weeks leading to Easter know that I am holding you in prayer as well as you again tell the story of God’s unconquerable love at loose in the world. 

In hope, 

Rev. Erin Gilmore