Hello and Late Happy New Appointive Year!!!
Hello and Late Happy New Appointive Year!!!
It is after the South Central Jurisdiction held in Dallas, Texas and it looks like the Wichita East District will have me as the District Superintendent until the end of this appointive year! It is good to be home and I look forward to this final year serving in this capacity.
I have enjoyed serving in this ministry. I have the honor of working with incredible clergy and laity, who love God and love The Church! We have urban and rural congregations, big and small towns, suburban and inner city. We are culturally diverse and economically varied.
Yet, we are all connected through this great United Methodist Church. Our mission is:
TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD!
Regardless of the words used for mission and vision statements, our job, our ministry, our outcome should be disciples of Jesus Christ!
How that looks depends upon the church, the lay members and the pastor/staff. But the end result is adding to the Kingdom of God by making disciples of Jesus Christ. I find that exciting.
My job is to work with and assist the clergy and lay members of the Wichita East District in their mission of making disciples. The local church IS the mission station in our communities.
My hope and prayer is that each of our churches will go about their mission with passion, vigor and excitement. We have Good News to share with this world. We have help for those in need. We have the gift of God through Jesus Christ, freely offered, freely given!
In Jesus' Love and Service,
Rev. Cheryl Jefferson Bell
|