Summer Reflections

Until I sat down to write this, I hadn’t realized how long it has been since I posted an entry on my blog!  May is always a busy time getting ready for Annual Conference. This year it was even busier as I moved our daughter from the dorm into her first apartment. The move was complicated by the fact that she had mono at the time, so she just laid in bed and ordered us around. Fortunately, with the help of a dear friend, we were able to get her settled in time for summer school. 

As always, Annual Conference was busy but uplifting. The worship this year was incredible.  Hearing Dr. Tom Long preach was a treat. I was very moved by Rev. Michelle Hall as she preached the Celebration of Life service. Bishop Huie’s message during the Ordination service was inspirational. And, now, more than a month later, I find myself thinking back to the stories we heard from Rev. Grace Imathiu. 

After Annual Conference, Tom and I traveled with friends for ten days in France. We saw the D Day beaches in Normandy and many of the sites that we have heard about our entire lives. The emotional impact of the American Cemetery is not something I can describe.  Seeing the rows and rows of crosses and Stars of David really showed me the number of people who gave their lives so that we can live here, in the United States, the way we do today. Driving through the French countryside with our guide, we gained a new thankfulness for our country and all those who have served.

We also saw the great cathedral at Rouen, the massive abbey at Mont-Saint-Michel, and the glories of both Notre Dame and St. Chappelle in Paris. For me, it was like taking a step back in time to see the houses of worship from centuries ago. These cavernous places of worship created in me a sense of awe. Seeing the height of the arches, the details in the stone carvings and the glowing colors of the stained glass windows, I was entranced. And, I felt my spirit being infused with the love of God!  It was a great trip.

We had hardly had time to catch our breath back in Houston before I left for a meeting at Mt. Sequoyah in Arkansas. All of the Conference Lay Leaders from our Jurisdiction (the South Central Jurisdiction) had time together. We discussed our Annual Conference meetings and the themes that were lifted up in different places. We talked about what we all have going on and what we are doing that is different and new. We shared successes and even a few failures. It is an exciting time to be active in the United Methodist Church! Celebrating our connection and supporting each other has made this a special group for me.

One amazing story that I was able to share was our Adopt-A-Student Program which is a part of our partnership with the United Methodist Church in Cote d’Ivoire. Many of you saw the fabric which was made for us in Cote d’Ivoire. We sold quite a bit of it at Annual Conference and we have lots more to sell.  As soon as we cover the expenses of making and shipping the fabric, all proceeds will go to the Adopt-A-Student program. You’ll be hearing lots more about that over the next few months.  In the meantime, you can order fabric off of the Conference web site. There are pictures of some of the items you might make with the fabric at www.txcumc.org/specialfabric. The pictures are featured at the moment on the front page of the website.

If you have a UMW group that sponsors a craft fair, let me know if you would consider selling fabric there. And, if you are in the Houston area and have a sewing or quilting group, we need lots of help folding and cutting the fabric into manageable sized pieces. 

Now that my summer travels are mostly behind me, I promise to be a more consistent correspondent. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying your summer. As always, I would love to hear from you.

Showers of Blessings,

Leah Taylor