Letter from Our Conference Minister, Bonnie Bates
Dear friends,
My vacation time was restful, and I returned this week with renewed energy – which might be challenging for me as I usually have a lot of energy anyway. As I rested last week, I thought a lot about hope and my hopes for the conference as I move toward my fourth anniversary with you.
I could outline my specific hopes, but I really would rather engage us in thoughts about hope in general – especially in these challenging times. Psalm 121 reads:
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
I find that this psalm speaks to where my hope is birthed. My hope is birthed in the confidence that God cares for, protects, and accompanies me in everything I do – in every moment of my life. With that confidence I can hope for energy, knowledge, inspiration, and insight. Where does your hope come from?
When I was in high school, a boyfriend shared this definition of hope. “Hope is a small child feeding honey to a bee with broken wings.” I was thinking about this definition of hope this week. This definition places an emphasis on care, nurture, noticing needs, seeking preservation, and even befriending those who might hurt us. Our limitations, age, or seeming inabilities, do not end our hope.
I ask you again. From where does your hope come? Where does your hope rest? How do you find hope in our challenging, sometimes dangerous, and contentious times? And what do you hope for our conference?
Would you share those hopes with me and others in conference leadership – the conference board, our ministry teams, and the other staff? Would you dream a little about what our conference can be, needs to be, and has the capacity to become? Will you identify your sources of hope in our mutual and covenantal work together?
The gifts in our conference are many. Let’s share our insight into how to strengthen and deploy those gifts. I look forward to hearing from you.
Blessings,
Bonnie