Well it is already time for Charge Conferences to begin (unfortunately with so many to do we have to start this early). While I can't honestly say I always looked forward to my own Charge Conference in the churches I served, I am really looking forward to yours. I am excited about visiting your churches, meeting your church families, and celebrating what God is doing among you. Above all I want it to be a time of worship and celebration. If you have a Sunday morning or evening conference, let's try and do the business just before or after the worship service. I want most of all to be a part of worship in your church and to preach in the context of your normal service. If you have a midweek or Sunday afternoon conference, there is no reason we cannot create an atmosphere of celebration and worship. Line up a couple of church members to give testimonies to something powerful God has done in their lives through the ministries of the church.

Remember to get the necessary work done ahead of time that has to be done. Meet with your committees to develop your new leadership team for next year. Meet with the PPR and make sure the pastor's compensation has been set for approval. Develop your budget for 2011 remembering that it reveals what is truly important to us (you know the old saying, "put your money where your mouth is"). Fill out all the on-line forms. If you are well prepared, then we can keep our focus where it should be: looking back to give thanks for what God has done in the last year; celebrate what God is doing among us at that moment; looking ahead to what we expect God to do in the year to come.

If you have any business that needs to be done outside the normal Charge Conference actions, please let me know ahead of time so we can be prepared to build that time into the conference. Also let me know if there is a fellowship time/meal that you want me to attend so I can plan my schedule accordingly. Fill out the Charge Conference Information Card in your District Ministers Handbook and mail it in ahead of time so I will be sure I am in the right place at the right time.

Thank you for your faithfulness to Christ. I have been blessed to visit in a number of your churches and in every case have experienced the presence of Christ among you. Thank for your gracious welcome into your communities of faith.

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