(05/06) Morning worship: Bishop tells conference ‘It’s a spiritual matter’
Bishop tells conference ‘It’s a spiritual matter’ May 6, 2004 By Danette Clifton*
| A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Bishop Robert E. Fannin preaches for morning worship on May 6 at General Conference. | PITTSBURGH
(UMNS) – Bishop Robert E. Fannin told the 2004 United Methodist General
Conference that “most of the questions, concerns and opportunities
facing the church are spiritual matters.” In his sermon
during the May 6 morning worship service, Fannin, episcopal leader of
the Birmingham Area, also told those gathered, “The world is craving to
hear the Good News, and we need to find the spirit and the enthusiasm to
say, ‘He lives, He lives and He lives in the United Methodist Church!’” During
the service, worshippers experienced the global nature and spirit of
the United Methodist Church with the music of the Mytischi United
Methodist Church Choir of Moscow, Russia. Before the sermon began, the
congregation stood, held hands and sang, “We were baptized in Christ
Jesus.” During the sermon, Fannin told worshippers, “We the
people called United Methodist and we the people called Christian must
recapture in our words, actions, programs, worship and vision a
spirituality that speaks to today’s world.” He continued, “I believe
that as new generations of seekers for truth, we must once again merge
mind and heart so as to speak with authority about the story of Jesus
and His love.”
| A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. A United Methodist choir from Moscow leads morning worship at General Conference.
| Fannin
told a story of meeting a woman at a car rental counter who had
recently visited a United Methodist church and reported to him that the
service was the “deadest thing” she had ever attended. He warned the
conference that if she, and other seekers like her, visit another United
Methodist church, no matter what its style of worship, it will depend
on “the presence of the Spirit” whether these seekers will want to
become a part of that community of faith. He also
challenged the General Conference with the words of John Wesley, founder
of the Methodist movement: “Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but
sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be
clergy or lay, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the
Kingdom of God upon earth.” Fannin told the delegates from
around the world, who have spent the last eight days debating and
voting on various issues, “If we cannot agree that our primary task is
the presentation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then some of you
got on the wrong bus, came to the wrong town and the wrong conference.” *Clifton is director of communications for the North Alabama Conference.News media contact: (412) 325-6080 during General Conference, April 27-May 7. After May 10: (615) 742-5470.
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